Sparodically slow system clock

[Tony Yarusso]

Current kernel version is 2.6.15-27.48 (server)

This is on an IBM Netvista M42 desktop, server install of Dapper. I installed 6.06.1 Server edition, and everything was fine. Later, I enabled the repos and did some updates, including a kernel update. Now, after the system has been up for a while, the clock slows down. Right at boot time it is fine, but after a few days I have noticed that the clock is only counting off 4 seconds for every minute of real time. Rebooting the machine makes it start working normally again. Additionally, while the clock is running slow, the following is observed:

1. The system bell, which is normally a short "beep", becomes a ~20-30 seconds in duration "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep".
2. Some processes take a very long time to execute, for instance running 'top' or shutting the system down. In fact, I often can not even get the system to go all the way down, after waiting about 15 minutes I just hit the button.
3. Holding keys on the keyboard does not result in repeated input, but rather key presses only register once each.

None of these three things happen shortly after boot when the clock is running normally.

The clock also runs normally in a live cd session.

I'm pretty baffled.

[Tony Yarusso (tonyyarusso)]

Update:

After a reboot the time before it happens again varies, from a couple of days to a few weeks.

I was able to have it go completely through the shutdown sequence - it took half an hour.

[Tony Yarusso (tonyyarusso)]

Problem still present in Edgy.

[Tony Yarusso (tonyyarusso)]

Also happened running Knoppix - I'm suspecting hardware and contacting IBM. Will keep you posted. If hardware, sorry for the bother :)

[Peter Whittaker (pwwnow)]

I have the same machine (NetVista M42) and saw the same problem under Dapper server. I don't have a fix, but I do have a workaround: Boot with the noapic kernel option (no other options necessary).

I did this months ago, and the problem was "resolved" - well, it disappeared; my research into the why of it was completely unsatisfactory, it just works.

The following bugs appear to be related:

#35274, NetVista 6824 becomes unresponsive after some time, OK after reboot: Exactly the same symptons.

#35993, hang on an IBM NetVista PC: Similar symptons. Some have resolved with BIOS update; no such luck for me, I have latest BIOS. Others have use noapic nolapic, but nolapic unnecessary for me.

#69526, intel 845G using i810 driver freezes xorg: Similar behavior, esp. comparable to #35993, may be timer/interrupt issue and not related to the 845G at all.

#71023, Sparodically slow system clock: I am tempted to mark this one a duplicate of 35274.

FWIW, YMMV.

[Peter Whittaker (pwwnow)]

Tony, have you tried booting with the kernel option noapic?

FYI, jic, in grub use the arrow keys to highlight the kernel choice you want to boot, type e, highlight the kernel line itself, type e, use the arrow keys to get to the end, and append noapic to the kernel line. Hit Esc, then b to boot.

If you are using LILO, you'll have to RTM, I'm not familiar with that bootloader.

[Peter Whittaker (pwwnow)]

Changing to needs info to determine if "noapic" workaround addresses this. If so, will mark as duplicate of 35274.

[Tony Yarusso (tonyyarusso)]

Sorry, mailman had a hiccup so I didn't see your comments right away. I'll give them a try soon and let you know.

[Tony Yarusso (tonyyarusso)]

It seems that noapic does work.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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