frequent video freeze with radeon driver with FirePro W2100

[Krister Swenson]

I experience regular (today it has happened twice already, but usually every 2 days) graphics problems. The screen will always freeze. Then one of two things happen:

1. the computer is completely unresponsive (and no F3-F7 terminals),
2. snow appears with a square where the pointer is (see video - the square moves with pointer).

In both cases I can still ssh to the machine. In the second case, I can do <ctrl><alt>F3 and then log in and reboot (although there is nothing but snow the whole time).

I'm using Ubuntu 18.10 and gnome 3. I get graphics freezing with Xorg and with Wayland.

Would anyone know a workaround (like an old version of the driver, or another driver), as this is getting in the way of work?

_________________________________________

Linux 4.20.0-042000-generic #201812232030
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Oland GL [FirePro W2100]

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.10
Package: xserver-xorg-video-radeon 1:18.1.0-1
Uname: Linux 4.20.0-042000-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
.tmp.unity_support_test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu13.1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Tue Jan 15 12:45:47 2019
DistUpgraded: 2018-10-22 14:52:30,574 ERROR got error from PostInstallScript ./xorg_fix_proprietary.py (g-exec-error-quark: Failed to execute child process “./xorg_fix_proprietary.py” (No such file or directory) (8))
DistroCodename: cosmic
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 4.18.0-10-generic, x86_64: installed
 bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 4.18.0-11-generic, x86_64: installed
 bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 4.18.0-12-generic, x86_64: installed
 bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 4.18.0-13-generic, x86_64: installed
 bcmwl, 6.30.223.271+bdcom, 4.20.0-042000-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, including running git bisection searches
GraphicsCard:
 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Oland GL [FirePro W2100] [1002:6608] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Oland GL [FirePro W2100] [1028:2120]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-01-05 (374 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.04 "Zesty Zapus" - Release amd64 (20170412)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision Tower 7810
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.20.0-042000-generic root=UUID=90d43be7-a2f7-4500-8b88-9bd7a549d96d ro quiet splash
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-ati
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to cosmic on 2018-10-22 (84 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 06/25/2018
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A27
dmi.board.name: 0KJCC5
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 7
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA27:bd06/25/2018:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionTower7810:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0KJCC5:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct7:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision Tower 7810
dmi.product.sku: 0618
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.13.1+18.10.20180930-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.96+git1901101830.cfab2f~oibaf~c
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 19.0~git1901150730.5183e7~oibaf~c
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 19.0~git1901150730.5183e7~oibaf~c
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.20.1-3ubuntu2.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.10.6-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:18.1.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20171229-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.15-3
xserver.bootTime: Tue Nov 20 12:56:57 2018
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.devices:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:

xserver.version: 2:1.20.1-3ubuntu2.1