System freezes if memory is full

[Renato Riolino]

If one or more process becames near of using 100% of system ram memory, Ubuntu will completely freeze. It is not possible even to switch to a VT to try to kill one or more procs.

First I tought it could be some problem with swap and I tried to disable my swap partition, but didn't make a difference.

Before using Ubuntu 14.04 64bit, I was using 8.04 32bits and this problem never happende with it. If the memory was near 100%, new apps would crash when trying to malloc, but the system would still be rock solid allowing me to close running apps to free memory.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-46-generic 3.13.0-46.79
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-46.79-generic 3.13.11-ckt15
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-46-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.21
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: renato 2391 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Wed Jun 15 09:52:27 2016
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=4f544f74-0b59-4895-959b-9a2e60ce4485
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-03-10 (462 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu MATE 14.04.1 "Trusty Tahr" - final amd64 (20141111)
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. M51Sn
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-46-generic root=UUID=818b643f-29ae-4599-8039-470975a54543 ro biosdevname=0 quiet splash
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-46-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-46-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.22
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/04/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 305
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: M51Sn
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr305:bd05/04/2008:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnM51Sn:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnM51Sn:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: M51Sn
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.7-rc1 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/v4.7-rc3-yakkety/

[Renato Riolino (renatoriolino)]

I can confirm that the issue persists on kernel upstream too:

renato@renato-laptop:~$ uname -a
Linux renato-laptop 4.7.0-040700rc3-generic #201606121131 SMP Sun Jun 12 15:34:32 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]