linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic: Boot problems on a64x2 which go away after about 10 attempts/20 minutes

[Rich Lott]

Package: linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic
Version: 2.6.22-14.52
Severity: important


Every morning, without fail, I cannot boot my Athlon 64 x2 machine.

Grub loads fine, and launches the kernel.

Then the boot sequence dies (Kernel Panic with various different types
of message, 'tried to kill init' is popular, but there are
myriad others) or just hangs; the keyboard is dead and I have no
option but to do a hard reset.

To get it to boot:

* I repeat this for up to 10 times, or

* I leave it in its hung state for 10 mins, then reboot
   (usually works)

Once it's booted I haven't had a single problem.

I have tried noapic (saw it on some lists) but same problem.

It's an ext3 filesystem with a standard install of Kubuntu 7.10.

It's a new PC (Dell Optiplex 740) which is a slimline thing. I can
submit lshw or lspic if needed.

Be grateful for any help as I currently lose 20 mins of each working day
due to this problem.

Thanks.

rich

-- System Information:
Debian Release: lenny/sid
   APT prefers gutsy-updates
   APT policy: (500, 'gutsy-updates'), (500, 'gutsy-security'), (500, 
'gutsy-proposed'), (500, 'gutsy-backports'), (500, 'gutsy'), (500, 
'feisty-security')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.22-14-generic (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic depends on:
ii  coreutils [fileutils]  5.97-5.3ubuntu3   The GNU core utilities
ii  dpkg                   1.14.5ubuntu16    package maintenance system 
for Deb
ii  initramfs-tools        0.85eubuntu20     tools for generating an 
initramfs
ii  module-init-tools      3.3-pre4-2ubuntu4 tools for managing Linux 
kernel mo

Versions of packages linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic recommends:
ii  grub                      0.97-29ubuntu4 GRand Unified Bootloader

-- no debconf information