Excessive kworker invocations after wake from suspend

[Bob Edwards]

Whenever I wake my computer from a "Suspend", System Monitor shows over 80 instances of kworker spontaneously get spawned. If I move the mouse, the PC crashes and I must restart.

If I don't touch the mouse and let the PC sit untouched for about 10 minutes, the 80 extra kworker daemons terminate and only the "normal" 8 remain. The PC operates fine from then on.

I get similar behaviour on 3 different machines, all 64 bit 16.04LTS.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-116-generic 4.4.0-116.140
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-116.140-generic 4.4.98
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-116-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.15
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: bob 1436 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sun Mar 25 02:26:12 2018
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=0e553f8e-0d16-4cd5-9faa-b131ebed6c74
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-03-01 (23 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160420.1)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard Presario CQ62 Notebook PC
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-116-generic root=UUID=c94db9b0-0eb0-4d47-a791-a9dab0dc42cf ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-116-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-116-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.17
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/08/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: F.0A
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 1444
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: 69.17
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvrF.0A:bd06/08/2010:svnHewlett-Packard:pnPresarioCQ62NotebookPC:pvr0498100000242810000020000:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn1444:rvr69.17:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: Presario CQ62 Notebook PC
dmi.product.version: 0498100000242810000020000
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

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

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 v4.16 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/v4.16-rc7

[Bob Edwards (bte46)]

Installed, tested upstream kernel v4.16-rc7 generic.

The bug persists.

Tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'

Bug marked "Confirmed"

[Bob Edwards (bte46)]

Don't know if this is relevant to this bug but the following sequence of events almost always happens when I wake from "Suspend":

-Turn on monitors

-Press the "Ctrl" key

[Screens light up, System Monitor shows 8 instances of kworker;

Hear HDD activity;

Message pops up: "Disconnected - You are now offline";

Just after that, 80 instances of kworker launch.]

After a few minutes, the 80 extra kworkers terminate.