12.04 Asus ZenBook UX31 freezes under heavy load

[Jonas G. Drange]

This is an absolute freeze. Mouse, sound (often repeats a small bit of what was played), keyboard freezes. No other TTY can be started. I can not SSH into the frozen computer.

Starting virtual machines or running heavy makefiles will induce this freeze, though not reliably. It often takes a couple of tries.

When the freeze has happened, if let alone, the laptop will shut itself down because of the heat (reported by kern.log).

It has happened with kernels from pre-proposed kernels (2.3.0-27 to 2.3.0-31). Have now installed the default kernel and freezes persist.

$ uname -a
Linux jonas-zenbook 3.2.0-30-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Fri Aug 24 16:52:48 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ cat /proc/version_signature
Ubuntu 3.2.0-30.48-generic 3.2.27

This is not https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1034358

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-30-generic 3.2.0-30.48
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-30.48-generic 3.2.27
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-30-generic x86_64
AcpiTables: Error: command ['gksu', '-D', 'Apport', '--', 'env', '-u', 'LANGUAGE', 'LC_MESSAGES=C', '/usr/share/apport/dump_acpi_tables.py'] failed with exit code -11:
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu12
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC269VB Analog [ALC269VB Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: jonas 2149 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf7d18000 irq 47'
   Mixer name : 'Intel PantherPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,10431517,00100100 HDA:80862806,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 18
   Simple ctrls : 8
Date: Fri Sep 7 13:33:51 2012
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=dade1fd4-2520-44da-8b47-472f2ffd1c40
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. UX31A
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-30-generic root=UUID=05727408-d60a-414d-bc33-095c28a04d91 ro quiet splash pcie_aspm=force drm.vblankoffdelay=1 i915.semaphores=1 vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-30-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-30-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79
SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: rts5139 mei
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/05/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: UX31A.206
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: UX31A
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrUX31A.206:bd06/05/2012:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnUX31A:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnUX31A:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: UX31A
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

This is what the kern.log looks like before and after a freeze.

I have commented on where the freeze happens.

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

And I am willing and able to test new kernels.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.6 kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. Please only remove that one tag and leave the other tags. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.6-rc4-quantal/

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

Hi Joseph, I have installed the image and image-extras. The headers could not be installed, but I am going to re-try that.

I am now running 3.6.0-030600rc4-generic and will you know through tags what happened.

[Koopee (koopee1234)]

Hi Jonas, I'm experiencing similar freezes with ASUS UX32vd. Did the latest kernel fix this issue for you?

I'm currently running Linux 3.2.0-32-generic #51-Ubuntu SMP Wed Sep 26 21:33:09 UTC 2012

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

Hi Koopee, yes, as soon as I switched to the 3.6 kernel all freezes went away.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Thanks for all the testing. Can you also test the latest 3.2 stable kernel to see if the fix made it's way in to the stable tree yet? The 3.2.33 kernel can be downloaded from:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.2.33-precise/

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

Hi Joseph,

I can. I will let you know how it goes.

[Ivan Nikolaev (voidexp)]

I'll soon let you know too, having an Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD, Ubuntu 12.04, also experiencing random freezes. Installed 3.2.33-precise kernel (amd64), let's do some crash-tests! ;)

[Ivan Nikolaev (voidexp)]

Seems that with 3.2.33-precise (amd64) kernel the freezes doesn't happen anymore! Used the laptop for a while, it ran well.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Thanks for the update, Ivan. That means the fix for this bug is already in upstream 3.2 stable. Ubuntu 12.04 will pick up this fix when the kernel applies the 3.2.33 updates from upstream.

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

Joseph, I can confirm what Ivan reported. The 3.2.33 kernel runs fine. Thank you.

[Julian Wiedmann (jwiedmann)]

3.2.33 landed in -updates with 3.2.0-34.53

[kadir (kyasar07)]

Hi all,

I have Asus UX31A before 3.2.33, i had the same freeze problem. but still i live the problem not as much as in 3.2.0 but it continues. I decided to install 3.6.0 and it seems to be totally gone.
Thanks

[Jonas G. Drange (jonas-drange)]

kadir, you could should create a new bug so that the kernel team can take you through the same process as I was taken through.

Additionally, issues you are experiencing may be different to what me and Ivan Nikolaev (voidexp) was experiencing.

[Sergei Solo (solomatkins)]

This bug did't fixed. I have up to date Ubuntu 12.04, and freezes sometimes affects my Asus Zenbook UX31A.. And yes, it happens even while my notebook is under heavy load.

What information I should get to developers to help them improve that sadly problem?