kernel fails to boot without special parameters on Philips Freevents X55 (Twinhead H12Y)

[Mikko Rantalainen]

All Twinhead H12Y based laptops (such as Philips Freevents X55) have a BIOS bug where some yet unknown device has memory that should not be touched but the memory is not reserved by the BIOS. The problem manifests itself as hard freeze after loading memory card reader. Other problematic devices on this bios are network adapter and firewire adapter.

A workaround that allows installing i386 Ubuntu on this laptop is adding a special kernel parameter:
reserve=0xffb00000,0x100000

I'm opening this bug as a feature request to automatically detect this broken bios and apply the required magic by default.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 2922 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xffe34000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC260'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0260,14ff1235,00100400 HDA:10573055,10573055,00100700'
   Controls : 16
   Simple ctrls : 10
Date: Tue Nov 17 20:17:40 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
Lsusb:
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: DIXONSXP To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Package: linux-image-2.6.31-14-generic 2.6.31-14.48
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- reserve=0xffb00000,0x100000 console-setup/layoutcode=fi
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.24
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:3143): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (gnome-settings-daemon:3143): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (nautilus:3240): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:3265): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (nautilus:4527): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
dmi.bios.date: 08/29/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 080013
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.vendor: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr080013:bd08/29/2006:svnDIXONSXP:pnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:pvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:rvnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:cvnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:ct3:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.name: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.product.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: DIXONSXP
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 2617 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xffe34000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC260'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0260,14ff1235,00100400 HDA:10573055,10573055,00100700'
   Controls : 14
   Simple ctrls : 9
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
Lsusb:
 Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: DIXONSXP To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash reserve=0xffb00000,0x100000 -- console-setup/layoutcode=fi
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-21.32-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Regression: No
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
Tags: lucid kconfig needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-21-generic i686
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 08/29/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 080013
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.vendor: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr080013:bd08/29/2006:svnDIXONSXP:pnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:pvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:rvnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:cvnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:ct3:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.name: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.product.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: DIXONSXP

[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

See also bug 187671

[Rafael C. Brandão (rcbrandao)]

Thank you so much for this workaround! I`ve been browsing the internet for ages looking for a solution to my problem. I got a bitway h12y notebook which wouldn`t boot up however on virtualbox everything seemed ok. I`m emailing the notebook`s manufacturer now about this workaround. Once again, thank you.

[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

Since the bug 370003 has been fixed, it's possible to use 64 Ubuntu, too. Just use the same kernel parameter:
reserve=0xffb00000,0x100000

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi Mikko,

This bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? Can you try with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ .

If it remains an issue, could you run the following command from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux 484419

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. 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. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

The last time I checked (2010-03-22, see above comment) both 32 bit and 64 bit versions failed to boot without the additional kernel paramter reserve=0xffb00000,0x100000

I'll try to test again later this week with the lucid RC and provide the additional details. (I don't have the hardware at hand right now.)

[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

apport information

[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

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[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

Executed

$ apport-collect -p linux 484419

with 32 bit live cd started with

reserve=0xffb00000,0x100000

kernel flag. System fails to boot if this flag is not used and the last kernel message displayed is

mc0: Unknown controller version (16). You may experience problems.

[Mikko Rantalainen (mira)]

Marking as new because the requested information has been added.

[Arne Fitzenreiter (arne-fitzenreiter)]

I have tried to fix it but i had'nt get any answer to my last question how i can add a memory reservation if a H12Y was detected at boot.

Here the Bugzilla thread: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10231

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug was filed against a series that is no longer supported and so is being marked as Won't Fix. If this issue still exists in a supported series, please file a new bug.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.