login screen freeze

[Alexandru Chirvasitu]

Running an up-to-date (as of Feb 25 2017) 16.04 / Unity on an old MSI U160 netbook.

After a recent update to kernel 4.4.0-63 I have started getting frozen login screens. The touchpad and keyboard are completely dead (before I ever get to enter my password), and my only way out is to force shutdown.

I can start GRUB on boot and go for an earlier version instead, but everything past 4.4.0-62 freezes in the same fashion (that's what I'm currently running as a temporary fix); a newer update to 4.4.0-64 has not fixed the issue.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-64-generic 4.4.0-64.85
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-62.83-generic 4.4.40
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-62-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: chirvasitua 1841 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sat Feb 25 03:42:57 2017
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=5e60245a-50f2-4f9c-97b2-d68560e38218
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-10-18 (495 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta i386 (20150805)
MachineType: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-N051
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-62-generic root=UUID=250be7ea-5182-43d2-b638-5c4a933b4942 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-62-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-62-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.8
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/06/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: EN051IMS.100
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: MS-N051
dmi.board.vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
dmi.board.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrEN051IMS.100:bd02/06/2010:svnMICRO-STARINTERNATIONALCO.,LTD:pnMS-N051:pvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvnMICRO-STARINTERNATIONALCO.,LTD:rnMS-N051:rvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:cvnMICRO-STARINTERNATIONALCO.,LTD:ct9:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.name: MS-N051
dmi.product.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD

[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 stable kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.4 stable 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'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-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/v4.4.52

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

Done!

The issue seems to be resolved in 4.4.52-040452-generic (boots fine, no freeze, on it now).

[Maarten (m-menheere)]

Fixed it for me, no freeze during boot

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

The upstream versions of 4.4.52 I have tested are also still booting fine for me (plain and low latency; tested multiple times by now).

The downstream versions are still freezing though, up to and including 4.4.0-65, to which I updated yesterday.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test this latest kernel and post back if it resolves this bug?
See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed.

Thank you in advance!

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

I've enabled -proposed, but when running apt update no linux packages are listed (I've tried with apt list --upgradable). I am sure the system sees the -proposed package archive because I get plenty of suggestions for upgrade, just nothing that looks like a kernel.

So which package would I have to install?

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

Quick update: upgraded to 4.4.0-66 just now, and it behaves a little differently; both the standard and the upstart versions consistently freeze *after* login.

I always get enough time to enter the password and clear the initial login screen, but then it freezes in seconds.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you confirm if the bug happens in 4.4.41?
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.4.41

If it does, we know the bug is now fixed in 4.4.52 per comments 4, 5 and 6. If it does not, then this issues may be due to a SAUCE patch.

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

The 4.4.41 version you linked to exhibits the same behaviour as 4.4.0-66 (and 4.8.17, which I've also installed manually): lets me log in, but then freezes immediately.

---

Another bit of info, in case it helps:

I've also tried booting directly in tty mode via

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="3"

and uncommented

GRUB_TERMINAL=console

in /etc/default/grub

In that mode, 4.4.0-63 up to 4.4.0-66 as well as 4.8.17 behave very similarly: they give me an unfrozen login shell. I can enter my username and password, whereupon I get a trace (wall of text) I'm not qualified to make sense of and a freeze.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Thanks for testing. Xenial will get the fix when the 4.4.52 updates are applied via the standard update process.

Just to confirm, you do not see this bug in Yakkety and with the 4.8 kernel?

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

I *do* see it with 4.8.17, but on 16.04 still (so not Yakkety). I have not run Yakkety at all.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

This might be a duplicate of bug 1666421 .

I built a Xenial test kernel with a pick of commit 60f59ce02785. The test kernel can be downloaded from:
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~jsalisbury/lp1666421/

Can you test this kernel and see if it resolves this bug?

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

I don't think I'll be able to test that: the folder you link to seems to only have the amd64 version; I'm on i386..

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

I'll build an i386 version and post it.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

An i386 version is now available in the same location:
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~jsalisbury/lp1666421/

[Alexandru Chirvasitu (grobber)]

Thanks!

That specific bug is gone in your version. I've booted and logged in successfully and consistently, with and without GUI.