Desktop PC beeps most of the time and eventually shuts down

[Bard]

Hi all,

I have a Desktop AMD64 with 2 Gigs RAM, 2 HD (160 + 120), 2 CDs, Nvidia 9600 on a GigaByte MB.
I also have 2 big fans in there (not counting the CPU's).
I am running 9.04 and I am not doing anything particularly CPU-consuming.

When I updated to 8.10, PC started beeping randomly (even when I'm not at my desk and the PC is just on....), stopped then started again for long periods of time and eventually even shut down.
After an upgrade (still 8.10), it stopped completely. I thought the issue was fixed.
When I upgraded to 9.04, the same symptoms reappeared again.... and they are still here.
I tried to look for possible causes (the PC is not on the ground but is held by brackets on the desk's side so that it is cooled down from above too...) but could not find anything I could point to for sure.
I just thought it was my config.
Recently, I went to a friend's place where he has a PC running Ibex (I converted him from Windblows to Ubuntu... :-) ) and noticed he had put a big fan behind his PC....
After asking, he told me that the machine was running extremely hot at random times, even shutting down eventually....
With the fan solution, it was OK.

I was not the only one ! :-)

His config is completely different from mine (32 bit, Intel Celeron, 1 Gig RAM, 1 CD, 2 HD (40 + 120), Nvidia Video card (don't recall which at the moment but could find out if needed...).

I checked the net and found out many issues for Laptops but not for PCs. Well, it looks like Ubuntu has a problem dealing with hardware (I've been working in IT for 20 years....).
Very hard to pinpoint where it could come from but I am willing to help to the best of my abilities.
If you ask me, I think it could come from the video card management but not sure.... (I could take the card out and use the MB chipset to see if it helps...).

Waiting for your help and directions if you need me to perform any tests....

Thanks for this great product. Let's make it even better !!!

Regards,

Bernard

P.S : I included all the logs in one big file (logs.log)

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=/dev/sda5
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 002: ID 045e:0039 Microsoft Corp. IntelliMouse Optical
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 043d:0142 Lexmark International, Inc.
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType:

NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: linux-image-2.6.28-14-generic 2.6.28-14.47
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=3640d189-3ce3-4f0c-9467-ccc08c211e85 ro quiet splash vga=792
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.28-14.47-generic
SourcePackage: linux

[Dave Gilbert (ubuntu-treblig)]

It does sound like a heat problem doesn't?

Try running in a spare terminal:

   watch acpi -t

Sometimes I find the BIOS doesn't start/stop the fan unless I run something that monitors the temperature (I've got a bug filed on that - bug 352762 - if it fixes it then subscribe to that bug please!

Now, if it doesn't fix it, but just shows its getting hot, then it probably is you just need better heatsinks/fans I guess?

Dave

[Bard (bsbens)]

Hello Dave,

Thanks for your answer.

Behavior sounds exactly like bug 352762 :

watch acpi -t gives me :

Thermal 0: ok, 53.0 degrees C

Is it normal that I don't see the second fan temp (i.e : Thermal 1 like
your example in bug 352762) ?

It's very ofter above 60°C and goes often to 70-75° C, then starts
beeping since it's my threshold in the bios...

As soon as I issue the command in the terminal, temp drops to around
45-50° C but I don't hear more noise as if a fan would be starting.

I'll subscribe to bug 352762 as you suggested. Please let me know if you
need me to peform any tests that would help us narrow the pb.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

Bernard

Dave Gilbert a écrit :
> It does sound like a heat problem doesn't?
>
> Try running in a spare terminal:
>
> watch acpi -t
>
> Sometimes I find the BIOS doesn't start/stop the fan unless I run
> something that monitors the temperature (I've got a bug filed on that -
> bug 352762 - if it fixes it then subscribe to that bug please!
>
> Now, if it doesn't fix it, but just shows its getting hot, then it
> probably is you just need better heatsinks/fans I guess?
>
> Dave
>
>

[Bard (bsbens)]

Hey Dave,

What should I do with the bug I filed (409419) ?
Should I close it, redirect it to 352762 or let you do it ?

Thanks.

Regards,

Bernard

Dave Gilbert a écrit :
> It does sound like a heat problem doesn't?
>
> Try running in a spare terminal:
>
> watch acpi -t
>
> Sometimes I find the BIOS doesn't start/stop the fan unless I run
> something that monitors the temperature (I've got a bug filed on that -
> bug 352762 - if it fixes it then subscribe to that bug please!
>
> Now, if it doesn't fix it, but just shows its getting hot, then it
> probably is you just need better heatsinks/fans I guess?
>
> Dave
>
>

[Dave Gilbert (ubuntu-treblig)]

Hi Bard,
  You can use the duplicate button if you want to mark it as a dupe of 352762.

However your comment on there that you have to kil the watch command and restart it is odd; the watch command repeatedly issues the acpi -t command so I'm not sure why you would have to do that.

I think you only have one temperature because maybe you only have a single CPU core?

[Bard (bsbens)]

Hi Dave,

Yep, stil the same behavior, I have to have my term open and stop and
reissue the watch command to stop the beep...
I won't use the duplicate button until we have more info. It may be a
different bug (even though very close....).

I think you're right about the CPU core (double heart but single core
maybe....).

Regards,

Bernard

Dave Gilbert a écrit :
> Hi Bard,
> You can use the duplicate button if you want to mark it as a dupe of 352762.
>
> However your comment on there that you have to kil the watch command and
> restart it is odd; the watch command repeatedly issues the acpi -t
> command so I'm not sure why you would have to do that.
>
> I think you only have one temperature because maybe you only have a
> single CPU core?
>
>

[Dave Gilbert (ubuntu-treblig)]

Hi Bard,
  Do you still see this problem on Lucid? I haven't seen it on my laptop on Lucid, might be worth a try.

Dave

[Bard (bsbens)]

Hi Dave,

Actually, I think it stopped with Karmic Koala.
No pb with Lucid either.

On 06/20/2010 05:22 PM, Dave Gilbert wrote:
> Hi Bard,
> Do you still see this problem on Lucid? I haven't seen it on my laptop on Lucid, might be worth a try.
>
> Dave
>
>

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

This bug report is being closed due to your last comment regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.