Sporadic Kernel Panic while playing videos

[Holger J.]

Kernel panics occur sporadically in Xubuntu. The error can be triggered more likely by playing MP4 and WebM Videos in Firefox or VLC, but it also happened with the Parole player or idling. I first thought of an hardware issue, but memtest gave me no clue AND it also happened similarly inside a Oracle Virtual Box on another, completely different hardware. The only similarity was using 64-bit SMP (mine is AMD, theirs were Intel).

Most of the time the system freezes completely, repeating the last half of a second of the sound that was playing over and over again. I also have seen a few kernel panic screens (which I am hopefully able to attach) with multiple kernel versions.

If the error is pointing to the ATi graphic's driver, I also want to add that I am not using any proprietary drivers.

Even though kernel panics aren't logged, I try to include everything I can think of. For the logs attached let me hint at the time of the last panic which occured at March 17th between 11:17 and 11:20 CET.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-83-generic 3.13.0-83.127
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-83.127-generic 3.13.11-ckt35
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-83-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: sadow 1771 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: sadow 1771 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Thu Mar 17 12:14:31 2016
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=47982094-8634-4828-99c6-196f979b37ed
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-02-01 (409 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140723)
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
MachineType: ECS A780GM-A
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-83-generic root=UUID=f18bc6eb-1745-4906-8c29-3d365d5f0192 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-83-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-83-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.20
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 07/15/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 080014
dmi.board.name: A780GM-A
dmi.board.vendor: ECS
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: ECS
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr080014:bd07/15/2009:svnECS:pnA780GM-A:pvr1.0:rvnECS:rnA780GM-A:rvr1.0:cvnECS:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: A780GM-A
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ECS

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

This is the first of two kernel panic screens.

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

This is the second of two kernel panic screens.

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

Kernel Log

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

Syslog

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

Xorg log

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a prior kernel version where you were not having this particular problem?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.5 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.5-wily/

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

I have experienced this bug since upgrading from Precise Pangolin. After I got rid of VLC and Flashplayer it occured less often. Sometimes there are no problems for weeks. I can try to use the upstream kernel, but it will take time.

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

Added the requested tag kernel-bug-exists-upstream. I experienced a crash right now. But subjectively I really had to torture the machine much more for that effect, having VLC, Parole, and Firefox running straight all night and day at the same time.

cat /proc/version
Linux version 4.5.0-040500-generic (kernel@tangerine) (gcc version 5.2.1 20151010 (Ubuntu 5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ) #201603140130 SMP Mon Mar 14 05:32:22 UTC 2016

[Holger J. (holger-jorra)]

Freshly updated to Xubuntu 16.04.1 (Linux C3PO 4.4.0-38-generic #57-Ubuntu SMP Tue Sep 6 15:42:33 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux), deleting all old data on /. Today I experienced three crashes in a row browsing one website with gifs. Still memtest finds nothing wrong with the RAM.