Ubuntu Hardy X freezes while playing content in totem or vlc

[kaustubh]

Binary package hint: totem

I am using Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy (release April 2008) and sometimes when i try to play any multimedia content through totem(2.22.1-0ubuntu2), entire system crashes(screen freezes and doesnt respond to any keypress) and nothing can be done. I just have to restart the system through power button!
It seems Gutsy was quite stable compared to Hardy.

[Nick Ellery (nick.ellery)]

Is this the same with other media players such as VLC or rhythmbox?

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Well i was using VLC previously with gutsy, but have not installed it on Hardy. I have installed VLC today, lets see if it works fine!

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Same problem occurs with VLC aswell!

[Pedro Villavicencio (pedro)]

not a totem bug then.

[daspooky (daspooky)]

I confirm this bug. I've experienced the crashes several (5 times) when double-clicking on an mp3 in Xubuntu Hardy. Totem opens and the complete system freezes (keyboard and mouse not responding anymore).

The freezes also occur when trying to open mp3's with Exaile.

[NAME (bugs-mallikarjun)]

Happens to me occasionally in amarok but will get well soon. No hard reset required.

[daspooky (daspooky)]

Correction to my previous post: the system doesn't respond to key and mouse presses, but the mouse cursor still moves.

Another thing I noticed:

- with Compiz enabled: the above happens (no key +mouse press possible, mouse movement possible, desktop still visible), but I can reboot the system with a CTRL-ALT-SYS RQ + B
- with XFCE compositor instead of compiz: display goes black with strange patterns and reboot with CTRL-ALT-SYS RQ + B not possible (only the power buttons helps)

I'm running without compositor for a while to see if the problem still occurs...

Could this be related to the intel video driver? (my laptop has a intel i915 chip on board).

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Since the problem occurs with both "totem" and "VLC", it seems problem lies in the kernel.
I have just installed "2.6.24-18-generic " kernel update from ubuntu update manager, and problem still persists!

Hope they resolve the problem soon :)

[brainiac (brainiac05)]

Same happens here with both the 17 and 18 kernel.... but not only with media players, wine freezes my system sometimes too.
mouse moves but system becomes unresponsive.

[HonestMistake (dj-ubntl)]

I had the same problem when opening various multimedia files in different players like Totem or VLC.

For those of you who have an Intel graphics chip, bug #220019 might point to the culprit and a workaround: The intel graphics driver used in Hardy has a bug that causes these exact symptoms. You can confirm if this is the cause by looking into /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old after a crash has occured; if you find the following lines, the X server has crashed:

  Fatal server error:
  Caught signal 11. Server aborting

Bug report #220019 also describes a workaround: Installing the newer driver version 2.3.1 from the Debian unstable repositories. I still have to do some more checks but it seems to resolve the problem on my Dell Inspiron 6400 with Intel 915 graphics.

[brainiac (brainiac05)]

im using the nvidia drivers, so this is not the problem with my hangups.

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

Is there anyone not running compiz by chance?

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Yes, i dont have compiz!
And the bug is still there, where frustrating at times! :(
I wonder why even "Ctrl+Alt+Del" doesnt work when system hangs, coz my mouse pointer is all live and moving!

[Stevi (stevi)]

I have a quite similar problem. My System (X-Server?) crashes from time to time (not always!) when watching video-files in totem or vlc. I'm not using compiz.

Kernel : Linux 2.6.24-19-generic (i686)
Compiled : #1 SMP Wed Jun 18 14:43:41 UTC 2008
C Library : GNU C Library version 2.7 (stable)
Distribution : Ubuntu 8.04.1
Desktop Environment : GNOME 2.22 (session name: Default)
-Display-
Resolution : 1280x800 pixels
Version : 1.4.0.90
-OpenGL-
Vendor : ATI Technologies Inc.
Renderer : ATI Mobility Radeon X1400
Driver Version : 8.50.3
Version : 2.1.7659 Release
Direct Rendering : Yes

Do you need more/other infos?

/var/log/Xorg.0.log.old:
(...)Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting

(II) AIGLX: Suspending AIGLX clients for VT switch

[Bagus Herlambang (bagus)]

It happened several times on my Lenovo V100. Not always, but seemed to happen when I double-clicked on music files (mp3 or ogg) in Nautilus or when I dragged those files from nautilus to Totem. My entire system crashed (screen freezes and didn't respond to any keypress). I didn't pay attention to mouse pointer movement. Hard reset required. It doesn't happen when I open music files from Totem menu.

I have Intel 945GM, and Compiz enabled.

[SabreWolfy (sabrewolfy)]

Ubuntu Hardy with Compiz in Acer notebook with Intel 915GM. Ubuntu crashes when Totem or MPlayer are used. It seems that the crash only occurs when a (video) file is double-clicked to launch it. If the application is started and the video file is opened from the application, then it plays without crashing. I haven't run exhaustive testing, but I double-clicked an MPG file, Totem appeared and Ubuntu locked up. After a restart, I changed the application to MPlayer and double-clicked. MPlayer appeared and Ubuntu locked up. After a restart, I loaded MPlayer and opened the MPG from within MPlayer and the video played. Repeated with VLC and the video played.

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

This crashes are very frustrating, consider the situation when u have completed 99.9% of download, you are chatting with someone important.
I have applied all updates to my Hardy system, and still this problem persists.
Eventhough soooo many people are facing this same problem, WHY HAVENT ANY OF THE UBUNTU GUYS FIXED THIS BUG?

[Bagus Herlambang (bagus)]

I think this is a very serious bug. It crashed my system. Ctrl+Alt+F(1-6) didn't worked. Ctrl+Alt+Backspace didn't work. Ctrl+Alt+Del didn't work. I could still move my mouse pointer, but it didn't respond to mouse click. I had to hard reset my system. I am afraid this will break my harddisk.

[Bagus Herlambang (bagus)]

My Xorg.0.log.old:
mieqEnequeue: out-of-order valuator event; dropping.
tossed event which came in late
mieqEnequeue: out-of-order valuator event; dropping.
tossed event which came in late
mieqEnequeue: out-of-order valuator event; dropping.
tossed event which came in late
tossed event which came in late
tossed event which came in late

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Based on the description, the issue is a freeze, not a crash. If it were a crash you could obtain a backtrace (http://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Backtracing). With freezes it's not so easy.

Please attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log. This is required before anyone can begin troubleshooting the bug.

X bugs are indicated by filing against package xorg, not by assigning to canonical-xorg. Fixing.

To answer comment #7, yes this is likely to be an X driver bug, so reporting the type and version of X drivers is useful.

[Bagus Herlambang (bagus)]

Thank's Bryce.
Here is my /var/log/Xorg.0.log

[Jean-Philippe Lenain (jeanphilippe-lenain)]

Hello all,

I have the same problem on a laptop Dell Inspiron 6400, running on Hardy. The video chipset is Intel 945GM.
The system freezes with VLC, mplayer, Totem, xine. It happens sporadically. The keyboard doesn't respond, neither mouse clicking, but the mouse pointer moves.
I attached my /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old, for which the system froze.
Thanks

[Ressacado_Mor (filipe-salaberte)]

Hello!
I'm with the same bug. My Aspire 1644Wlmi just freezes I still can move the mouse arround and no reaction to any key. I have compiz enabled. My video chipset is a Intel Mobile 915GM perhaps is any problem with the driver?
I have made the last upgrade to 8.10-1 I think. But the problem just got worst... After this update I cant get 2 hours work without a hang on the laptop.
This is a freeze so I can't get any log from xorg.
So... Help is wanted!!! Please!!

[Tomislav (hefest)]

Acer TravelMate 4062,
xserver-xorg-video-intel 2.2.2.1
kernel 2.6.24-19-generic

Same problem.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

kaustubh, we need your /var/log/Xorg.0.log especially, since you're the original reporter.

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Here is my /var/log/Xorg.0.log

[Shadows_Friend (shadows-friend)]

I've got the same problem. I have attached the Xorg.0.log which was active when it happened.

[Ofir Klinger (klinger-ofir)]

It happens to me too.

I am using Lenovo 3000 N100 with Intel card (with Nvidia card installed on my other computer it doesn't happen at all).

Sometimes when playing videos in VLC, totem or editing videos in kdenlive, Ubuntu just freezes, and the only solution for getting the system back is to turn the computer off (brutally!).

When those freezes happens I lose data from open documents, web pages or if it happens while editing a video - the unsaved changes that have been made.

I will attach a log when a freeze happen again. Just to be sure, do I need to do something to make X.org log the freeze?

[Tomislav (hefest)]

2008/9/2 Ofir Klinger <email address hidden>:

> I will attach a log when a freeze happen again. Just to be sure, do I
> need to do something to make X.org log the freeze?

You don't, it should appear in the log by default.

[André Drumond (andrumond)]

Exactly the same with me. The X freezes but the mouse still works. Not quite sure whether in my case it is relate to any media software, though.

[newuser (16b)]

exactly same problem! Acer Travelmate 4230, Intel GMA 950, Ubuntu 32bit 8.04.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

it's a driver problem.. so the intel users should check bug 200220 and others file new ones if Intrepid alpha5 (soon released) doesn't work.

[newuser (16b)]

@timo: thank you for your post but...
:(
I followed your advice, I read bug 200220. In this bug user ogc advices to read bug 229128. In this last bug user SkullBurner advices to use http://people.ubuntu.com/~bryce/Testing/intel/hardy-i386/xserver-xorg-video-intel_2.3.1-1ubuntu1~bwh3_i386.deb instead the 2.2.1 version we have! Well, I dowloaded and installed it but...doesn't work. Same problem few minutes ago, I opened a .mov file with totem and my system freezed! I was able only to move mouse pointer, nothing more!!! I had to restart with phisical button on/off! So I can assert that these new drivers xserver-xorg-video 2.3.1 doesn't work with my acer travelmate 4230, intel GMA 950 inside, ubuntu 8.04 32bit!
I unistall 2.3.1 and go back to 2.2.1

[newuser (16b)]

referring to my last post...sorry. I was sure I installed 2.3.1 new drivers but I was using still 2.2.1. Sorry. How can I delete a post?

[Ofir Klinger (klinger-ofir)]

Finally I had time to watch a movie, and the problem happened again!

This time I backup the log files (attached to this comment).

If you need more help, just say.

[A.K.Karthikeyan (mindaslab)]

Confirming this bug

Refer URL : https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/45508

[A.K.Karthikeyan (mindaslab)]

Open totem or vlc via terminal and play movies. This is a inconvenient fix to this problem. Hope Ubies will fix it soon.

Refer URL : https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/45508

[Bagus Herlambang (bagus)]

Nope. I opened totem from terminal, but the problem persisted.

[newuser (16b)]

I'm using now new xserver-xorg-video 2.3.1 (I'm sure this time!! ;) ) since 13 days and no crash happened till now! Everyday I'm testing totem and now vlc and no freezes!!

[Bagus Herlambang (bagus)]

The problem doesn't seem to appear on Intrepid Ibex beta. I have played various multimedia files using Totem, and so far not a single freeze happened.

[Matic Zgur (mr-zgur)]

I'm using Intrepid Ibex with all the updates and playing video with vlc still causes ubuntu to freeze and playing it with Totem makes keyboard and mouse unresponsive -- it is possible though to switch to terminal (ctrl-alt-f1) and kill the process.

[Matic Zgur (mr-zgur)]

I must correct myself, playing video with Totem is OK, it's vlc that has problems with it (Ubuntu freezes).

[onebir (bironelynch)]

I just had a freeze after double-clicking a wmv file (Hardy 8.04.2 wubi install on a Dell Inspiron 640m) on an external USB HD. The mouse continued to move around the screen, but clicking & keyboard input had no effect. Had to switch off using the power switch...

This post (& the nature of the problem) http://techxplorer.com/2008/04/23/fixing-random-freezes-in-ubuntu-804/
suggested a turning off visual effects might help.

On my set up, visual effects are in system-> preferences-> appearance-> visual effects tab. After switching them off I haven't been able to reproduce the problem.

(Total Linux newbie - apologies if this is missing any critical information)

[Philip Wyett (philwyett)]

Yes for me compiz is the issue. Remove it and no such random locks occur when starting video.

[onebir (bironelynch)]

whereis compiz indicates i do have compiz - although i didn't know till I tried that. But even without removing it, switching off visual effects seems to have done the trick...

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Please re-test against current Jaunty. Attach a new /var/log/Xorg.0.log and Xorg.0.log.old after reproducing the issue, and the output of 'lspci -vvnn'.

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Bryce i have Hardy 8.04 installed. Dont have Jaunty yet!

On Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 5:06 AM, Bryce Harrington
<email address hidden> wrote:
> Please re-test against current Jaunty.  Attach a new /var/log/Xorg.0.log
> and Xorg.0.log.old after reproducing the issue, and the output of 'lspci
> -vvnn'.
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: xorg => xserver-xorg-video-intel
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu)
>       Status: Triaged => Incomplete
>
> --
> Ubuntu Hardy X freezes while playing content in totem or vlc
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/233896
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

ISO images are available at http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/releases/jaunty/. If you can reproduce it in the LiveCD environment, you shouldn't need to modify your installed system. Also please attach a fresh Xorg.0.log from this testing.

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

I would have loved to test jaunty on my system.........but i am really
really busy with some very important academic exams right now.......so
no chance of testing jaunty till March end i guess :(

I will try and test them as soon as possible!
Hoping this delay wont cause any considerable problems for your debugging.

On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 6:50 AM, Bryce Harrington
<email address hidden> wrote:
> ISO images are available at http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/releases/jaunty/.
> If you can reproduce it in the LiveCD environment, you shouldn't need to
> modify your installed system.  Also please attach a fresh Xorg.0.log
> from this testing.
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu)
>       Status: Incomplete => New
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu)
>       Status: New => Incomplete
>
> --
> Ubuntu Hardy X freezes while playing content in totem or vlc
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/233896
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Fair enough. Assuming fixed in hardy for now. kaustubh, feel free to reopen if you get time to retest on jaunty.

If anyone else is having this problem and can confirm it happens on Jaunty, please file a NEW bug rather than reopening this bug.

[kaustubh (kaustubh-naniwadekar)]

Are you sure its fixed in Hardy? Coz 2-3 days back i had same freez on
Hardy.............whilst trying to play some video file through Totem!
   Had to Hard Reboot my laptop. And i have all updates installed till
date.

On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 7:20 AM, Bryce Harrington
<email address hidden> wrote:
> Fair enough.  Assuming fixed in hardy for now.  kaustubh, feel free to
> reopen if you get time to retest on jaunty.
>
> If anyone else is having this problem and can confirm it happens on
> Jaunty, please file a NEW bug rather than reopening this bug.
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu Hardy)
>       Status: New => Incomplete
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-intel (Ubuntu)
>       Status: Incomplete => Fix Released
>
> --
> Ubuntu Hardy X freezes while playing content in totem or vlc
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/233896
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[aquamammal (aquamammal)]

Is this problem fixed? It is so mindblowingly frustrating. Sometimes my comp freezes, sometime it don't. It messed up my drobo, and now I find out that I can't use the visual effects? Dayyum.

Is this fixed?

Much thanks~!

[Philip Wyett (philwyett)]

If you are using 8.04 the method is to do one of the below:

 - Disable Visual effects via 'System -> Appearance -> Visual Effects'
 - Remove compiz packages completely
 - Disable 'Xv' via 'System -> Multimedia Systems Selector -> Video' and change the 'Default Output' to 'X Window
   System (No Xv)'

On newer versions of Ubuntu this issue should be fixed.

[Maxei (maxei-95)]

Hi, I've been using Jaunty for one month already. I can confirm this bug: Rhythmbox, VLC and Kaffeine stop responding in the middle of playing a song/dvd. For a while, they work ok. Then suddenly, at the least expected moment, they stop responding. This seems related to the over-use of resources by I don't know which other process(es) that could start(s) or become active at that time, but I suspect it could be pulse audio. There is no other way, or I do a hard shutdown or better, I have to do CTRl-ALT-F1 to get into konsole to kill it (for example, vlc). Anyway, Firefox also causes them to choke rhtythmbox for a few seconds. All this with compiz disabled. I'm using a 64-bites PC. I have never seen such a bad behaviour before. Seems there are regressions happening in ubuntu/Kubuntu 9.04. I may post more info if you need.

[Tomislav (hefest)]

No problems with playback on Jaunty for some time now (months?).

[Rolf Leggewie (r0lf)]

Hardy has seen the end of its life and is no longer receiving any updates. Marking the Hardy task for this ticket as "Won't Fix".