Frozen screen (NVidia GM107 card with large 3840 × 2160 screen)

[Dimitri Papadopoulos]

Just after the screen freezes, I am sometimes able to log in with SSH and the log file typically reads:

Feb 26 11:18:15 is233895 kernel: [15385.625416] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: fifo: SCHED_ERROR 0a [CTXSW_TIMEOUT]
Feb 26 11:18:15 is233895 kernel: [15385.625436] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: fifo: runlist 0: scheduled for recovery
Feb 26 11:18:15 is233895 kernel: [15385.625453] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: fifo: channel 6: killed
Feb 26 11:18:15 is233895 kernel: [15385.625462] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: fifo: engine 5: scheduled for recovery
Feb 26 11:18:15 is233895 kernel: [15385.625467] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: fifo: engine 0: scheduled for recovery
Feb 26 11:18:15 is233895 kernel: [15385.626095] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Xorg[2366]: channel 6 killed!

However, the machine eventually locks up and I cannot log in with SSH any more. Then I need to power down the computer.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.16-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-66.74-generic 5.4.86
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-66-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.16
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission non accordée: '/var/log/boot.log'
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Fri Feb 26 11:45:55 2021
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: focal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox, 6.1.16, 5.4.0-65-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 6.1.16, 5.4.0-66-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, if not too technical
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation GM107GL [Quadro K1200] [10de:13bc] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: NVIDIA Corporation GM107GL [Quadro K1200] [10de:1140]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-04-09 (322 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Beta amd64 (20200402)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision Tower 3620
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-5.4.0-66-generic root=/dev/mapper/vgubuntu-root ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/13/2020
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2.16.2
dmi.board.name: 0MWYPT
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A01
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr2.16.2:bd08/13/2020:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionTower3620:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0MWYPT:rvrA01:cvnDellInc.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.family: Precision
dmi.product.name: Precision Tower 3620
dmi.product.sku: 06B7
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.102-1ubuntu1~20.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 20.2.6-0ubuntu0.20.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.20.9-2ubuntu1.2~20.04.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.1.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20200226-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.16-1

[Dimitri Papadopoulos (dimitri-papadopoulos)]

I have opened an issue upstream, on freedkestop.org:
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-video-nouveau/-/issues/551

[Dimitri Papadopoulos (dimitri-papadopoulos)]

I eventually contacted Dell support and was sent a new GM107GL graphics card (under extended warranty). Double improvement:
* no more freezing (fingers crossed),
* much less noise from the workstation (although I had cleaned the fan with compressed air).

It looks like a hardware issue, the graphics card really had been defective from the start.

[Dimitri Papadopoulos (dimitri-papadopoulos)]

Unfortunately, I still experience freezes after the GM107GL graphics card exchange - perhaps less often but it's hard to tell.

The only positive outcome is the now silent operation of the workstation.

I'll keep looking into the hardware side, but I'm back to square one, it could be a software bug too.

[Dimitri Papadopoulos (dimitri-papadopoulos)]

Dell also changed the motherboard of the workstation last week. No more freezing since that change, fingers crossed 🤞

[Dimitri Papadopoulos (dimitri-papadopoulos)]

I can confirm that this freezing issue disappeared after changing the motherboard – as well as another annoying issue where the screen would suddenly start flickering, on/off every second or so.