16.04 LTS boot failure with linux-image-4.4.0-122-generic, linux-image-4.4.0-121-generic or linux-image-4.4.0-119-generic

[Rod B.]

I am reporting this using the most recent auto updated version of the kernel linux-image-4.4.0-122-generic. But boot also fails on the two previous auto updated images linux-image-4.4.0-121-generic and linux-image-4.4.0-119-generic.

Last bootable kernel was linux-image-4.4.0-116-generic which is what I have to run to update and submit this report.

The boot failures occur on two Asus S200E laptops. It does not effect my desktop.

Below is a link to a video of the failure. I boot the kernels in this order: 121, 119, 116.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l_-aiRw-a5by9RkQzfDDQfHF5LbHygeZ/view

I ran memory test on both laptops - no problems found.

I removed options quite and splash in hopes it might show more info but it did not help.

For what it is worth I used gunzip to test the integrity of the compressed initrd.img files. No errors from gunzip.

The disk UUID and other options I can see from Grub edit ('e') are identical.

Before 121 kernel update was release I uninstalled and reinstalled 119 but that did not help. IE: sudo apt-get --purge remove linux-image-4.4.0-119-generic; sudo apt-get install linux-generic

WORKRAROUND: Change BIOS setting DVMT Pre-Allocated Memory to be below 512M.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-122-generic 4.4.0-122.146
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-116.140-generic 4.4.98
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-116-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.16
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: rodneyb 2233 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Fri Apr 27 08:00:38 2018
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=66218bd2-a145-4edc-8bac-54e97adc922e
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-02-05 (1176 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386 (20140722.2)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X202EV
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-116-generic root=UUID=8372c46c-bbad-4624-ba72-37e217cb6f37 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
PulseList:
 Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: Home directory not accessible: Permission denied
 No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-116-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-116-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.17
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-10-03 (570 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 02/27/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: X202EV.200
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: X202EV
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.:bvrX202EV.200:bd02/27/2013:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnX202EV:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnX202EV:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: X202EV
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

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 v4.16 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/v4.17-rc3

[Rod B. (rbrbrb2004)]

Used kernel: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16/
It boots/works.
Added tag and changed status as requested. 1st time Launchpad user so hope I did it correctly.

Thanks for the help.

[Rod B. (rbrbrb2004)]

I discovered that reducing the BIOS setting for DVMT Pre-Allocated Memory below 512M gets around the bug. IE: The three problem kernels listed in this report will boot if DVMT Pre-Allocated is set less then 512M. As mentioned in this report kernels 4.4.0-116 and before worked fine with DVMT Pre-Alloc set to 512M.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Rod B., the next step is to fully reverse commit bisect from kernel 4.4 to 4.16 in order to identify the last bad commit, followed immediately by the first good one. Once this good commit has been identified, it may be reviewed for backporting. Could you please do this following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/KernelBisection ?

Please note, finding adjacent kernel versions, or providing a commit from a kernel version bisect is not fully commit bisecting.

Also, the kernel release names are irrelevant for the purposes of bisecting.

It is most helpful that after the fix commit (not kernel version) has been identified, you then mark this report Status Confirmed.

Thank you for your help.