system freezes randomly

[Saad Bin Javed]

I have a dell xps 15 l502x running 11.04. It seems to freeze randomly. System hangs up completely and requires a hard reset. The kernel log shows some errors around the time which don't make sense to me.

saad-Dell-System-XPS-L502X kernel: [ 91.327394] [drm:i915_hangcheck_ring_idle] *ERROR* Hangcheck timer elapsed... blt ring idle [waiting on 62630, at 62630], missed IRQ?
May 9 12:41:25 saad-Dell-System-XPS-L502X kernel: [ 93.014861] [drm:i915_hangcheck_ring_idle] *ERROR* Hangcheck timer elapsed... blt ring idle [waiting on 63748, at 63748], missed IRQ?
May 9 12:44:37 saad-Dell-System-XPS-L502X kernel: [ 284.769791] [drm:i915_hangcheck_ring_idle] *ERROR* Hangcheck timer elapsed... blt ring idle [waiting on 239386, at 239386], missed IRQ?
May 9 12:46:37 saad-Dell-System-XPS-L502X kernel: [ 404.891548] [drm:i915_hangcheck_ring_idle] *ERROR* Hangcheck timer elapsed... blt ring idle [waiting on 327679, at 327679], missed IRQ?
May 9 12:46:39 saad-Dell-System-XPS-L502X kernel: [ 406.443052] [drm:i915_hangcheck_ring_idle] *ERROR* Hangcheck timer elapsed... blt ring idle [waiting on 328240, at 328240], missed IRQ?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.38-8-generic-pae 2.6.38-8.42
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic-pae 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic-pae i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC665 Analog [ALC665 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: saad 1500 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: saad 1500 F...m pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf1c00000 irq 53'
   Mixer name : 'Intel CougarPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0665,1028050e,00100003 HDA:80862805,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 26
   Simple ctrls : 12
Date: Mon May 9 12:36:19 2011
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a28f783f-91bf-44f3-a8b4-de0e3be368b7
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427.1)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Dell System XPS L502X
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae root=UUID=6eed70fe-9ed7-4ba3-8617-b326104c6011 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-2.6.38-8-generic-pae N/A
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.38-8-generic-pae N/A
 linux-firmware 1.52
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 03/25/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A04
dmi.board.name: 0NJT03
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA04:bd03/25/2011:svnDellInc.:pnDellSystemXPSL502X:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0NJT03:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: Dell System XPS L502X
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Saad Bin Javed (sbjaved)]

the same errors in the log appear each time the system hangs. Any body know whats wrong?

[chrs (chr.mntn)]

I can confirm this on the exact same laptop (XPS L502X). Although it does not hang every time this error is in the log, but sometimes (once a day on average) the machine locks up and it needs a hard reboot.

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

AcpiTables: Error: command ['gksu', '-D', 'Apport', '--', '/usr/share/apport/dump_acpi_tables.py'] failed with exit code 3: Error copying '/home/jens/.Xauthority' to '/tmp/libgksu-dNENr2': No such file or directory
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: jens 2678 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf3b20000 irq 54'
   Mixer name : 'Conexant CX20590'
   Components : 'HDA:14f1506e,17aa21cf,00100000'
   Controls : 8
   Simple ctrls : 5
Card29.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:29 'ThinkPadEC'/'ThinkPad Console Audio Control at EC reg 0x30, fw unknown'
   Mixer name : 'ThinkPad EC (unknown)'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 1
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card29.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'Console',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=232e3e6d-c2a8-4cbb-ae19-8352cfe1a984
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
MachineType: LENOVO 4276CTO
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 LC_CTYPE=de_DE@euro
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=C
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=fce656d8-07dd-4e47-8e7e-4e4819d7e95b ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-2.6.38-8-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.38-8-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.52
Tags: natty
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 03/30/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 8BET41WW (1.21 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 4276CTO
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr8BET41WW(1.21):bd03/30/2011:svnLENOVO:pn4276CTO:pvrThinkPadW520:rvnLENOVO:rn4276CTO:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 4276CTO
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad W520
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

apport information

[Jens Finkhäuser (finkhaeuser-consulting)]

Same thing, different laptop, that is :)

[Saad Bin Javed (sbjaved)]

I've noticed that this usually occurs when I'm playing some video in VLC. The video seems to freeze, but the audio keeps on playing. The system becomes totally unresponsive and needs a hard reset. I've been able to reproduce this a couple of times now.

[Pascal Hartig (passy)]

I encounter this regularly on my Samsung 900X3A. However, it only happens for kernel 2.6.38-8-generic and 2.6.39-020639-generic (2.6.39 stable from kernel-mainline-ppa), but not for vmlinuz-2.6.39-999-generic (mainline build from 3rd of may). Apparently, a patch was either reverted or a new bug was introduced in the period from the 3rd to the 19th of may.

[Ben Kennedy (bucfanben)]

I'm seeing this issue on a Thinkpad T420 with Natty 11.04. So far its only occurring after several hours of uptime. This has happened three days in a row, but I'm not able to reproduce the problem at will. When it occurs, the system is unresponsive and requires a hard reboot.

[Pascal Hartig (passy)]

As the specific experience seems to differ by hardware: On my notebook (Samsung 900X3A, Sandybridge GMA chip) it happens really frequently - given an affected kernel. The freezes are only fractions of a seconds, but clearly noticeable. 2 - 5 freezes per minute are about usual. Each of them takes < 1s, according to latencytop and dmesg output.

[vilmos (vilmos)]

Isn't this a duplicate of 761065? I'm also struggling with this problem, at #761065 some hints are also provided which can work around the problem.

[Saad Bin Javed (sbjaved)]

@vilmos

Yes it seems like its the same bug but i'm no expert. I don't want to modify grub or use custom patched kernels. I use a dual boot system so i can wait for the fix, which hopefully will come...

[vilmos (vilmos)]

@Saad try this:

$ echo 1|sudo tee -a /sys/module/i915/parameters/semaphores

and see if it helps (it seems to help for some). Of course you have to do it after reboots if you don't like the idea of modifying your grub config.

[Saad Bin Javed (sbjaved)]

The command above doesn't help. The system still hangs.

[weezilla (weezilla)]

Any ideas for a fix on this? My XPS 17" we use for computations at work also does it (even when we're just file browsing). Is there a safe kernal we can migrate to?