Random freezes with "exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2" error

[Mathieu Marquer]

The problem appears on a Acer Aspire 1692WLMi laptop (Pentium M 740, 1GB DDR2, PATA controller).

Recently the original hard disk of the computer crashed, so I changed it for a Samsung Spinpoint M60 120GB PATA (IDE). Since I had to reinstall the system, I decided to use Feisty Herd5 as it was available. (So I don't know if the problem comes from the hard disk or from the kernel). I'm now using kernel 2.6.20-14

I have totally random freezes of the system seeming to be caused by some messages in the dmesg reporting an error with an ATA drive. I don't remember that it happened with 2.6.20-12 or -13 kernel. Something that may be a cause of the problem is that all my drives are recognised as sdaX while I have a PATA hard disk... Edgy Eft did use the hdaX names, and so does the Feisty Herd 5 live CD.

[KnuX (hidden-palace)]

Same problem using a HP 510 notebook.

I have put a comment in the Bug #64587 in linux-source-2.6.20 (Ubuntu)
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.20/+bug/64587/comments/4

[plosco (plosco+linux)]

Hi,

I experience the same problems on my acer aspire 9410.

Yet I wonder If this problem do not only occur because we have 6 partitions (as you can see in my attached fdisk)

KnuX can you pls confirm/infirm you also have 6 partitions?

regards

Phil

[KnuX (hidden-palace)]

Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 1913 15361888+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 6479 7296 6569640 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda3 1914 6293 35182350 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 6294 6478 1486012+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 6294 6478 1485981 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

5 partitions... :(

[Mathieu Marquer (slasher-fun)]

This problem still randomly happens with the 2.6.20-15.25 kernel.

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

Same problem with Asus M7V, with latest updates of feisty

[Mathieu Marquer (slasher-fun)]

Still appears with -15.27 kernel...

[Valentin Lab (vaab)]

same here on a Samsung Q35, last feisty running linux kernel 2.6.20-15-generic. Disk is SATA, and did not "freeze" disk access randomly on edgy ... (?)

[plosco (plosco+linux)]

Hi all,

by adding the combined_mode=libata option to the kernel boot line, it fixes the problem.

in the same way, add the following line to the /etc/modprobe.conf file:
   options libata atapi_enabled=1

regards

Phil

[KnuX (hidden-palace)]

It fails...

[ 763.096000] ata1: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)
[ 786.112000] ata1: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)
[ 786.112000] ata1: soft resetting port
[ 786.492000] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 117210240, hpa_sectors = 117210240
[ 786.500000] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 117210240, hpa_sectors = 117210240
[ 786.500000] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/100
[ 786.680000] ata1.01: configured for MWDMA2
[ 786.680000] ata1: EH complete
[ 786.696000] SCSI device sda: 117210240 512-byte hdwr sectors (60012 MB)
[ 786.712000] sda: Write Protect is off
[ 786.712000] sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 786.744000] SCSI device sda: write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 786.752000] SCSI device sda: 117210240 512-byte hdwr sectors (60012 MB)
[ 786.752000] sda: Write Protect is off
[ 786.752000] sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 786.752000] SCSI device sda: write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA

knux@knux-laptop:~$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/options | grep libata
options libata atapi_enabled=1
knux@knux-laptop:~$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst | grep libata
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=f066688a-ed1f-452b-9144-8661a247b9b6 ro quiet combined_mode=libata
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=f066688a-ed1f-452b-9144-8661a247b9b6 ro single combined_mode=libata

[elcanux (elcanux)]

Hi,

I have also the same problem but on ata2.
I am using Duron800, Motherboard Elite K7S5A, 1Go RAM.
It's my first linux installation on this computer.

I am available for any informations about this bug.

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

Does not work for me too.... I hope a fresh install of kubuntu feisty final will solve the problem....:(

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

After surfing the web I find this is a common problem, also with "fresh-installed" feisty.. is maybe possible to return to the old managing of disks modifying the kernel config end recompiling it?

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

An information that could be useful: when I have a media in my cdrom drive the freezes do not appear anymore.

[jalso (launchpad-jalso)]

I have also the same problem (Asus A6JC notebook, Ubuntu Feisty). Cd media in my cdrom drive looks like helps...

thanks for fixing this bug

[Florian Birée (florian-biree)]

Same problem with an Asus Z92J notebook and a fresh Ubuntu Feisty (and no on Dapper or Edgy). I've tried the fix of plosco, but it failed.

[Fred K Huang (fredkhuang-gmail)]

Same with me, each lockup is accompanied with a corresponding set of entries in the dmesg log:

[ 1672.220000] ata1.01: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
[ 1672.220000] ata1.01: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:20/00:00:00:00:00/b0 tag 0 cdb 0x1e data 0
[ 1672.220000] res 40/00:03:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/b0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[ 1679.224000] ata1: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)
[ 1702.248000] ata1: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)
[ 1702.248000] ata1: soft resetting port
[ 1702.648000] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 195371568, hpa_sectors = 195371568
[ 1702.656000] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 195371568, hpa_sectors = 195371568
[ 1702.656000] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/100
[ 1702.836000] ata1.01: configured for UDMA/33
[ 1702.836000] ata1: EH complete
[ 1702.844000] SCSI device sda: 195371568 512-byte hdwr sectors (100030 MB)
[ 1702.844000] sda: Write Protect is off
[ 1702.844000] sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 1703.072000] SCSI device sda: write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 1703.072000] SCSI device sda: 195371568 512-byte hdwr sectors (100030 MB)
[ 1703.072000] sda: Write Protect is off
[ 1703.072000] sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 1703.072000] SCSI device sda: write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA

Any information would be nice! I'm on an Asus A8Jm, fresh install of feisty.

[Mathieu Marquer (slasher-fun)]

I reinstalled Ubuntu Feisty using piix as explained here : https://launchpad.net/bugs/106864
Now it works fine, but some sectors on the HDD seem to be totally corrupted :
[ 3227.192000] hda: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
[ 3227.192000] hda: dma_intr: error=0x84 { DriveStatusError BadCRC }
[ 3227.192000] ide: failed opcode was: unknown

These messages are really rare but cause sometimes my OS (either Ubuntu or Windows XP on another partition) to crash... I made a high-level format of my HDD, so it seems I'll need to make a low-level format...

Since this bug causes important problems with the hardware, I suggest to increase the priority of this bug to "high" or even "critical"...

[Samae (lord-myyl)]

Same on an Asus A6* with feisty
Hard drive is said to be sd* with feisty denomination but it's no scsi

[chantra (chantra)]

@Samae
>>Hard drive is said to be sd* with feisty denomination but it's no scsi

Yes, this is no SCSI, but this is a SATA drive isn't it? That is why is it detected as sdXY

[Samae (lord-myyl)]

I guess, but my friend also has an ASUS A6* with the same HD, and on his
laptop, it is detected as hd*

That's why I think it's a problem

chantra a écrit :
> *** This bug is a duplicate of bug 84603 ***
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/84603
>
> @Samae
>>> Hard drive is said to be sd* with feisty denomination but it's no scsi
>
> Yes, this is no SCSI, but this is a SATA drive isn't it? That is why is
> it detected as sdXY
>

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

I've solved the problem editing /etc/initramfs-tools/modules, and adding this lines:

piix
ide_generic
ide_cd
ide_disk

# blacklist bad driver
blacklist ata_piix

# prevent unnecessary modules from being loaded (you don't need to do this)
blacklist ata_generic
blacklist libata
blacklist scsi_mod

after editing:

sudo update-initramfs -u

after reboot I have my hard disks with the old fashioned /dev/hd*, without bugs!!!:)

[Samae (lord-myyl)]

I tried your little trick on my friend's ASUS Centrino Duo
It didn't change any of the /dev/sd* but it seems to be stable for the time being ... Let's see if it keeps up that way :)

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

With kernel 2.6.21 from kernel.org, with ck2 patches and ide not included the bug does not represents. I don't know if this is due to new version of kernel or IDE absence.

[wolfmanjm (morris-wolfman)]

I suspect it is due to IDE absence as I have confirmed this bug still happens with linux-2.6.22-rc3

[Fabio Povoledo (povvy)]

the bug is still present... I was in mistake... I have edited a script to rmmod/modprobe module sr_mod and disabling cdrom automatically, if someone is interested I would be glad to share it

[bernez arfoll (bernez-arfoll)]

Hi
now, what happened, freeze are also with 2.6.20-16-386.
Jul 9 18:03:19 localhost kernel: [ 6143.876726] ata1.01: qc timeout (cmd 0xa0)
Jul 9 18:03:19 localhost kernel: [ 6143.876737] ata1.01: exception Emask 0x0 SA
ct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
Jul 9 18:03:19 localhost kernel: [ 6143.876741] ata1.01: (BMDMA stat 0x65)
Jul 9 18:03:19 localhost kernel: [ 6143.876746] ata1.01: cmd a0/01:00:00:00:00/
00:00:00:00:00/b0 tag 0 cdb 0x25 data 8 in
Jul 9 18:03:19 localhost kernel: [ 6143.876748] res 51/20:03:00:00:00/
00:00:00:00:00/b0 Emask 0x5 (timeout)....

I think maybe cd drive are with this problem.

[suoko (suoko)]

I solved the problem thanks to Fabio Povoledo's suggested solution.
I have an ASUS A6F

[Adam (adam.russell)]

Kubuntu Feisty Fawn
kernel 2.6.20-16-generic

I believe the problem is occuring with my SATA hard drive, which is a Samsung SP0812C. It stops responding quite often. It seems that most people that are having this problem are fixing it with 'piix', but I have a VIA chipset rather than an Intel one. I will attach some logs below. Relevant dmesg lines:

[ 2416.505383] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
[ 2416.505394] ata1.00: cmd c8/00:90:e6:54:5b/00:00:00:00:00/e2 tag 0 cdb 0x0 data 73728 in
[ 2416.505396] res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[ 2416.505414] ata1: soft resetting port
[ 2416.671775] ATA: abnormal status 0x7F on port 0x0001e007
[ 2416.682280] ATA: abnormal status 0x7F on port 0x0001e007
[ 2416.693332] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 156368016, hpa_sectors = 156368016
[ 2416.705299] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 156368016, hpa_sectors = 156368016
[ 2416.705303] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/100
[ 2416.705314] ata1: EH complete
[ 2416.727567] SCSI device sda: 156368016 512-byte hdwr sectors (80060 MB)
[ 2416.727651] sda: Write Protect is off
[ 2416.727653] sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 2416.741889] SCSI device sda: write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 2446.704938] ata1.00: limiting speed to UDMA/33:PIO4
[ 2446.704945] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
[ 2446.704953] ata1.00: cmd c8/00:88:e6:7d:5d/00:00:00:00:00/e1 tag 0 cdb 0x0 data 69632 in
[ 2446.704955] res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[ 2453.697731] ata1: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)
[ 2476.684824] ata1: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)
[ 2476.684831] ata1: soft resetting port
[ 2476.855210] ATA: abnormal status 0x7F on port 0x0001e007
[ 2476.865714] ATA: abnormal status 0x7F on port 0x0001e007
[ 2476.876786] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 156368016, hpa_sectors = 156368016
[ 2476.888756] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 156368016, hpa_sectors = 156368016
[ 2476.888760] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33
[ 2476.888771] ata1: EH complete
[ 2476.909818] SCSI device sda: 156368016 512-byte hdwr sectors (80060 MB)
[ 2476.912474] sda: Write Protect is off
[ 2476.912478] sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
[ 2476.916458] SCSI device sda: write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 2507.060115] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
[ 2507.060126] ata1.00: cmd c8/00:20:b6:2d:04/00:00:00:00:00/e2 tag 0 cdb 0x0 data 16384 in
[ 2507.060128] res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[ 2514.052911] ata1: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)
[ 2537.032018] ata1: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)
[ 2537.032025] ata1: soft resetting port
[ 2537.198411] ATA: abnormal status 0x7F on port 0x0001e007
[ 2537.208918] ATA: abnormal status 0x7F on port 0x0001e007
[ 2537.215986] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 156368016, hpa_sectors = 156368016
[ 2537.223961] ata1.00: ata_hpa_resize 1: sectors = 156368016, hpa_sectors = 156368016
[ 2537.223964] ata1.00: configured for U...

[akisd (dklearhos)]

same problem here with hitachi 80GB ATA.
pc is about 6 years old....

[Mauro Fava (mauro-fava)]

Same problem with a new 7.10 Gusty and kernel Linux 2.6.22-14-generic .
Pc is a laptop Acer 5610.

[suoko (suoko)]

This issue affect gutsy too. Actually it's even worse.
With feisty I solved the bug thanks to Fabio Povoledo's suggested solution.
With gutsy, If I apply that solution, the boot (and the system in general) result veeery slow!

WHERE IS THE SOLUTION ? A NEW KERNEL?

[suoko (suoko)]

THE SOLUTION IS HERE!
https://bugs.launchpad.net/linux/+bug/75295/comments/97

[Mauro Fava (mauro-fava)]

Have you try this solution??
sfdnwin.exe work on ms-dos??
Tnk

[Tomas Šiaulys (tosi)]

Just use sfdndos.exe utility instead of sfdnwin.exe.

[Jonathan Carter (jonathan)]

I have the exact same problem on my unbranded laptop. I tried adding the ata-combined options to my kernel line, with no effect. Switching back to the old IDE drivers seem to have improved things, I have not seen another freeze in the last hour or so (usually it would've frozen about 4 times by now).

[Alfernandex (alfernandex)]

Ok, this is the workaround that got my SansungX11 intel laptop fix (after a long battle):

First off what Phil recommended:
Adding the "combined_mode=libata" option to the kernel boot line,
in the same way, add the following line to the /etc/modprobe.conf file:
options libata atapi_enabled=1
And then as surprising as it may seem, insert a cd or a dvd on your rom and leave it there.
Now, I don't have any freezes .... can you believe it !
Here is my parameters for kernel line :
noapic nolapic clocksource=acpi_pm quiet
combined_mode=libata atapi_enabled=1
I know is not ideal but I spend months on this issue an finally my laptop doesn't freeze ever!
No more kernel: ata1.01: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen!

[Alfernandex (alfernandex)]

To fix the CD-DRIVE issue ....
https://bugs.launchpad.net/system76/+bug/117441

[Alfernandex (alfernandex)]

Right, inserting the cd or dvd on the drive as long as is not a virgin one, solves the issue and don't need all those:
noacpi nolpapic combined_mode=libata atapi_enabled=1...

However to those that use acpi=off and slightly off topic ...

Go >>>
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
Insert >>>
blacklist video

Then remove acpi=off from the menu.lst ////
Is worth a try if you use acpi=off, power management is important (it works with Samsung X11)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this bug to the new "linux" package. However, development has already began for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. It would be helpful if you could test the upcoming release and verify if this is still an issue - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . If the issue still exists, please update this report by changing the Status of the "linux" task from "Incomplete" to "New". We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Thanks!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.