[Lenovo W520] Linux Freezing Issue At Boot

[linuxball]

Boot error occurs in a 64-bit system and only when certain conditions are met:
BIOS/UEFI Settings:
   Config -> Display -> Graphics Device [Discrete Graphics]
                     -> OS Detection for NVIDIA Optimus [Disabled]
   Security -> Virtualization -> Intel(R) Virtualization Technology [Enabled]
                              -> Intel(R) VT-d Feature [Enabled]
System hangs at boot time either after kernel log shows:
[ 1.043982] ACPI: Video Device [VID1] (multi-head: yes rom: yes post: no)
[ 1.047138] FUJITSU Extended Socket Network Device Driver - version 1.0 - Copyright (c) 2015 FUJITSU LIMITED
or later after:
[OK] Started Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:nv_backlight.

The error occurs randomly (about 50% of all boot tries).

The error has already been known for a long time (e.g. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/776999) and has never been fixed. It also occurs for older BIOS/UEFI versions and Ubuntu versions (e.g. 14.04) than shown in the report. Other related reports can be found here:

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=43054
https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=156341
https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1022443
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2044699
https://binaryimpulse.com/2014/08/lenovo-thinkpad-w520-workaround-for-linux-freezing-issue-at-boot/
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Linux-Discussion/64-bit-Linux-W520-amp-nVidia/td-p/577789/page/2

A workaround for this issue is to add kernel parameter "nox2apic" to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line. Another possible workaround (at least for the first hanging position is to use kernel parameters 'acpi_osi=! acpi_osi="!Windows 2009"' instead.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-77-generic 4.4.0-77.98
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-77.98-generic 4.4.59
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-77-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: <user> 2040 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: <user> 2040 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Wed May 3 13:03:38 2017
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=19c8581e-f65b-4382-a940-e82a48d9297f
MachineType: LENOVO 42844AG
ProcFB: 0 nouveaufb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-77-generic root=UUID=2f25428b-c54c-422e-be18-18233f17990d ro nox2apic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-77-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-77-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.8
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 10/20/2016
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 8BET63WW (1.43 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 42844AG
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:bvr8BET63WW(1.43):bd10/20/2016:svnLENOVO:pn42844AG:pvrThinkPadW520:rvnLENOVO:rn42844AG:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 42844AG
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad W520
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[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 v4.11 kernel[0].

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'.

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/v4.11-rc8

[linuxball (linuxball)]

I won't make it before Friday (2017-05-05).

[linuxball (linuxball)]

Tested with mainline v4.11 kernel [0] and this bug exists in mainline kernel, too.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.11-rc8/linux-image-4.11.0-041100rc8-generic_4.11.0-041100rc8.201704232131_amd64.deb)

[Tim Richardson (tim-richardson)]

exists in 4.12 and 4.13 in the 17.10 repositories.

[huobos (huobos)]

Exist on a ThinkPad T420s laptop with kernel 4.13.

[Ethan Spitz (ethan-spitz)]

Just ran into this issue on Ubuntu 18.10 on a Thinkpad T420. Adding "nox2apic" to the boot parameters fixed it for me.

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

Does this issue still happen?

[Fionn (fbe)]

Yes, with several 4.x kernels and even with kernel 5.3

[Fionn (fbe)]

One year later, bug still valid.