gnome-shell assert failure: *** Error in `/usr/bin/gnome-shell': corrupted size vs. prev_size: 0x0000000005405f00 ***

[chris pollock]

lschris@localhost:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS
Release: 16.04

lschris@localhost:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS
Release: 16.04

Happened during this update today:

Start-Date: 2017-07-18 17:22:01
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.151'
Upgrade: python-problem-report:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10), python-apport:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10), apport:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10), python3-apport:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10), apport-retrace:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10), apport-gtk:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10), python3-problem-report:amd64 (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10)
End-Date: 2017-07-18 17:27:27

ProblemType: Crash
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: gnome-shell 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-83.106-generic 4.4.70
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-83-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10
Architecture: amd64
AssertionMessage: *** Error in `/usr/bin/gnome-shell': corrupted size vs. prev_size: 0x0000000005405f00 ***
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Tue Jul 18 17:32:37 2017
DisplayManager: gdm3
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/gnome-shell
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-24 (998 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417)
ProcCmdline: /usr/bin/gnome-shell
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
Signal: 6
SourcePackage: gnome-shell
StacktraceTop:
 __libc_message (do_abort=2, fmt=fmt@entry=0x7f7ca6ab3e98 "*** Error in `%s': %s: 0x%s ***\n") at ../sysdeps/posix/libc_fatal.c:175
 malloc_printerr (ar_ptr=0x7f7ca6ce7b20 <main_arena>, ptr=0x5405f00, str=0x7f7ca6ab0c35 "corrupted size vs. prev_size", action=3) at malloc.c:5006
 _int_free (av=0x7f7ca6ce7b20 <main_arena>, p=<optimized out>, have_lock=0) at malloc.c:4014
 __GI___libc_free (mem=<optimized out>) at malloc.c:2968
 ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libmozjs-24.so.0
Title: gnome-shell assert failure: *** Error in `/usr/bin/gnome-shell': corrupted size vs. prev_size: 0x0000000005405f00 ***
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip kvm libvirtd lpadmin netdev plugdev sambashare sudo

[Apport retracing service (apport)]

StacktraceTop:
 __libc_message (do_abort=2, fmt=fmt@entry=0x7f7ca6ab3e98 "*** Error in `%s': %s: 0x%s ***\n") at ../sysdeps/posix/libc_fatal.c:175
 malloc_printerr (ar_ptr=0x7f7ca6ce7b20 <main_arena>, ptr=0x5405f00, str=0x7f7ca6ab0c35 "corrupted size vs. prev_size", action=3) at malloc.c:5006
 _int_free (av=0x7f7ca6ce7b20 <main_arena>, p=<optimized out>, have_lock=0) at malloc.c:4014
 __GI___libc_free (mem=<optimized out>) at malloc.c:2968
 js::LifoAlloc::freeAll() () from /tmp/apport_sandbox_ejtQWW/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libmozjs-24.so.0

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

This looks similar to:
https://errors.ubuntu.com/problem/340939a3ba20443aa76b3360e7c0f1f70b6a5bff

[chris pollock (cpollock)]

Thanks, however, I can't access the link you provided.

[chris pollock (cpollock)]

I didn't even notice I'd put the release twice. Here's the gnome-shell info:

apt-cache policy gnome-shell
gnome-shell:
  Installed: 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3
  Candidate: 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3
  Version table:
 *** 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.18.4-0ubuntu3 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

The link in comment #6 requires you to login to view. However I don't know if access is restricted to less than those with Launchpad accounts.

But don't worry, it's only similar. Not the same bug as this.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Robert Baumgartner (rwb)]

I just got this same crash during a window switch (Activities Overview) in GNOME. The desktop completely freezes (input devices continue to work).

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS
Release: 16.04

$ uname -a
Linux [redacted] 4.10.0-37-generic #41~16.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 6 22:42:59 UTC 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Some additional system info. Also note this is a Xen HVM in my case, and that the system was pending a reboot after upgrading to 4.10.0-38-generic kernel. This is the first time seeing this specific error, although I've been having a lot of Xorg-related crashes in general on this particular system.

System: Host: [redacted] Kernel: 4.10.0-37-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Gnome 3.18.5 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) dm: gdm3
           Distro: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial
PU: Multi core Intel Xeon E5-2699 v4 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 56320 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3) bmips: 70399
           clock speeds: max: 2199 MHz 1: 2199 MHz 2: 2199 MHz 3: 2199 MHz
           4: 2199 MHz 5: 2199 MHz 6: 2199 MHz 7: 2199 MHz 8: 2199 MHz
           9: 2199 MHz 10: 2199 MHz 11: 2199 MHz 12: 2199 MHz 13: 2199 MHz
           14: 2199 MHz 15: 2199 MHz 16: 2199 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GP102 [TITAN X] bus-ID: 00:04.0 chip-ID: 10de:1b00
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: cirrus,vesa,nouveau (unloaded: nvidia) FAILED: fbdev
           Resolution: 1920x1080@59.94hz
           GLX Renderer: TITAN X (Pascal)/PCIe/SSE2
           GLX Version: 4.5.0 NVIDIA 384.90 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card NVIDIA GP102 HDMI Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:05.0 chip-ID: 10de:10ef
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-37-generic

[Robert Baumgartner (rwb)]

And the gnome-shell info (which matches post #8)

$ apt-cache policy gnome-shell
gnome-shell:
  Installed: 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3
  Candidate: 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3
  Version table:
 *** 3.18.5-0ubuntu0.3 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.18.4-0ubuntu3 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages

[chris pollock (cpollock)]

Happened just now as Firefox was being updated thru software updater.

Start-Date: 2017-12-08 16:03:55
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.124'
Upgrade: firefox-mozilla-build:amd64 (57.0.1-0ubuntu1, 57.0.2-0ubuntu1)
End-Date: 2017-12-08 16:05:09

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Gnome Shell on 16.04 is not supported by Ubuntu. Please upgrade to 20.04, or at least 18.04 and continue to report any problems you find.