system freeze: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference

[N]

Ubuntu 16.04 keeps freezing, i.e. becoming completely unresponsive, sporadically (e.g. ~once a day).

I can see "unable to handle kernel NULL" pointer dereference. The repeated appearance of "i915" makes me think it might be related to my graphics card, but I'm well outside my comfort zone.

Apologies if I have not provided sufficient info. I'm new to Linux and Ubuntu. This keeps happening so I can take extra steps next time if necess.

/var/log/syslog contains:

grep -a "Aug 14 19:40" /data/2017-08-14.Ubuntu.Syslog
Aug 14 19:40:00 neil-notebook pulseaudio[2208]: [pulseaudio] shm.c: shm_open() failed: No such file or directory
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.319465] BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0000000000000018
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.320393] IP: gen8_ppgtt_alloc_page_directories.isra.38+0x124/0x270 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.321301] PGD 0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.321302]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.323052] Oops: 0002 [#1] SMP
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.323928] Modules linked in: nf_conntrack_netlink nfnetlink xfrm_user xfrm_algo xt_addrtype br_netfilter xt_CHECKSUM iptable_mangle aufs ipt_MASQUERADE nf_nat_masquerade_ipv4 iptable_nat nf_nat_ipv4 nf_nat libcrc32c nf_conntrack_ipv4 nf_defrag_ipv4 xt_conntrack nf_conntrack ipt_REJECT nf_reject_ipv4 ccm xt_tcpudp bridge stp llc ebtable_filter ebtables rfcomm ip6table_filter ip6_tables iptable_filter ip_tables x_tables bnep snd_hda_codec_hdmi nls_iso8859_1 hp_wmi sparse_keymap intel_rapl x86_pkg_temp_thermal arc4 intel_powerclamp coretemp crct10dif_pclmul crc32_pclmul ghash_clmulni_intel pcbc aesni_intel iwlmvm aes_x86_64 crypto_simd glue_helper mac80211 cryptd snd_soc_rt298 intel_cstate intel_rapl_perf snd_soc_rt286 snd_soc_ssm4567 snd_soc_rl6347a joydev uvcvideo input_leds snd_soc_core serio_raw
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.329492] videobuf2_vmalloc snd_compress videobuf2_memops videobuf2_v4l2 ac97_bus snd_hda_codec_realtek videobuf2_core snd_pcm_dmaengine iwlwifi intel_pch_thermal snd_hda_codec_generic videodev media snd_seq_midi snd_seq_midi_event btusb btrtl btbcm snd_rawmidi snd_hda_intel btintel cfg80211 bluetooth snd_hda_codec lpc_ich snd_hda_core snd_hwdep snd_seq snd_pcm mei_me snd_seq_device mei shpchp processor_thermal_device intel_soc_dts_iosf snd_timer snd snd_soc_sst_acpi dw_dmac snd_soc_sst_match int3403_thermal soundcore int3402_thermal int3400_thermal i2c_designware_platform mac_hid acpi_thermal_rel i2c_designware_core int340x_thermal_zone spi_pxa2xx_platform hp_wireless int3406_thermal 8250_dw tpm_crb dw_dmac_core acpi_pad kvm irqbypass parport_pc ppdev lp parport autofs4 i915 i2c_algo_bit drm_kms_helper
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.335797] psmouse syscopyarea sysfillrect sysimgblt fb_sys_fops ahci r8169 drm libahci mii wmi sdhci_acpi sdhci i2c_hid hid video fjes
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.336962] CPU: 3 PID: 3118 Comm: chrome Tainted: G W 4.10.0-32-generic #36~16.04.1-Ubuntu
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.338158] Hardware name: HP HP 250 G5 Notebook PC/81EF, BIOS F.18 09/26/2016
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.339348] task: ffff9031ebc45a00 task.stack: ffffa10943184000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.340550] RIP: 0010:gen8_ppgtt_alloc_page_directories.isra.38+0x124/0x270 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.341795] RSP: 0018:ffffa10943187878 EFLAGS: 00010246
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.343054] RAX: ffff90324a8aa680 RBX: 0000000000000003 RCX: 0000000000000003
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.344232] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffff9031702f4000 RDI: ffff90324c7d0000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.345441] RBP: ffffa109431878d8 R08: 0000000000000018 R09: 0000000000000000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.346545] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: ffffee52056ad0e0 R12: ffff9031e40a2000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.347708] R13: ffff903057eaebf0 R14: 00000000fff2f000 R15: 0000000000008000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.348878] FS: 00007f43a32cba80(0000) GS:ffff90325ed80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.350025] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.351413] CR2: 0000000000000018 CR3: 00000001f1f48000 CR4: 00000000003406e0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.352574] Call Trace:
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.353852] gen8_alloc_va_range_3lvl+0xf3/0x9b0 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.355080] ? set_next_entity+0xc3/0x1b0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.356390] gen8_alloc_va_range+0x23e/0x490 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.358626] i915_vma_bind+0x6a/0x170 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.360573] __i915_vma_do_pin+0x2a5/0x450 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.361779] i915_gem_execbuffer_reserve_vma.isra.31+0x144/0x1b0 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.363047] i915_gem_execbuffer_reserve.isra.32+0x388/0x3b0 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.364319] i915_gem_do_execbuffer.isra.38+0x4f7/0x1570 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.365579] ? krealloc+0x79/0xc0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.366806] ? radix_tree_lookup_slot+0x22/0x50
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.368234] ? find_get_entry+0x20/0x110
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.369528] ? shmem_getpage_gfp+0xf6/0xc00
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.371010] ? i915_gem_object_wait_reservation+0x18f/0x1e0 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.372482] i915_gem_execbuffer2+0xa2/0x1e0 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.373952] drm_ioctl+0x21b/0x4d0 [drm]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.375484] ? i915_gem_execbuffer+0x310/0x310 [i915]
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.377091] ? __seccomp_filter+0x67/0x250
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.378592] ? new_sync_read+0xd0/0x120
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.380086] do_vfs_ioctl+0xa1/0x5f0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.381551] ? __secure_computing+0x3b/0xd0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.383019] ? syscall_trace_enter+0xcd/0x2f0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.384585] SyS_ioctl+0x79/0x90
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.386053] do_syscall_64+0x5b/0xc0
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.387481] entry_SYSCALL64_slow_path+0x25/0x25
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.388865] RIP: 0033:0x7f439c933f07
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.390377] RSP: 002b:00007fffde871cd8 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000010
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.391764] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 000021d44cdd0000 RCX: 00007f439c933f07
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.393024] RDX: 00007fffde871d30 RSI: 00000000c0406469 RDI: 000000000000000f
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.394250] RBP: 00007fffde871d30 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.395434] R10: 0000000000000038 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00000000c0406469
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.396545] R13: 000000000000000f R14: 000021d4504bed80 R15: 0000000000000000
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.397615] Code: 20 03 00 00 48 8b b8 d8 02 00 00 48 8b 52 08 48 83 ca 03 e8 1f cd ff ff 48 8b 45 a8 4c 8b 45 c8 48 8b 4d c0 48 8b 10 48 8b 45 d0 <4e> 89 24 02 48 0f ab 08 0f 1f 44 00 00 e9 44 ff ff ff 81 fb 00
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.399869] RIP: gen8_ppgtt_alloc_page_directories.isra.38+0x124/0x270 [i915] RSP: ffffa10943187878
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.401026] CR2: 0000000000000018
Aug 14 19:40:59 neil-notebook kernel: [69057.407983] ---[ end trace f4f7dc681ff29139 ]---

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.10.0-32-generic 4.10.0-32.36~16.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.10.0-32.36~16.04.1-generic 4.10.17
Uname: Linux 4.10.0-32-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Mon Aug 14 20:40:21 2017
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-04-10 (125 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20170215.2)
SourcePackage: linux-hwe
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1710706

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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