Ubuntu 9.10 locking up regularly after upgrade (Was Re: I am using Ubuntu 9.10 version - facing problem with my system)

[Amedee Van Gasse (ub)]

On Tue, December 1, 2009 04:12, Andrew Farris wrote:
> On Tue, 2009-12-01 at 00:41 +0100, Amedee Van Gasse (ub) wrote:
> [snip]
>> Sorry for jumping in, but my other computer also locks up a couple of
>> times per week (or even per day). X freezes, no response from
>> Ctrl+Alt+Fn,
>> Ctrl+Alt+Backspace (yes I enabled it), Ctrl+Alt+Del, SysRq combo's,...
>> Pinging the machine doesn't work either, and all ssh sessions that were
>> open get cut off.
>>
>> Could such a thing be caused by a hardware problem? I already eliminated
>> power supply, cooling, memory and hard disk as possible causes.
>
> It's definitely possible... though considering the volume of complaints
> I've seen about this issue in karmic, i'd think it's more likely a
> driver issue of some sort (due to other 'popular' driver issues with
> karmic *cough* nVidia! *cough*)

Indeed it has an nVidia card, how did you guess? ;-)

> unfortunately a hardware-fail-induced lockup is a little hard to
> diagnose most times... it could literally be just about anything...just
> a sample that come to mind (I've seen all of these before at least
> once):
>       * Failing RAM (check with a memtest86+ test)
tested, OK
>       * Failing hard drive (mostly proven/disproven with
>         palimpsest/vendor tools)
tested, OK
>       * Bad hard-drive cables (check with a cable swap)
tested, OK
>       * cables not fully plugged in (check by pressing them all in)
tested, OK
>       * Other generic hardware failure (i.e. dying floppy drive/CD
>         drive, PCI cards etc... fix by removing everything, then 1 by 1
>         add back)
tested, OK
>       * failing CPU (diagnose with POST card... other symptoms also
>         present)
not tested, I don't have a POST card (will put it on my wish list)
>       * Corrupted BIOS/CMOS (reset by pulling the battery or with
>         onboard jumper)
tested, OK
>       * general power issues
>               * Failing Computer Power supply (check with a swap or a
>                 PSU tester)
tested, OK
>               * Inadequate power supply (check with a swap, or by
>                 calculating your power requirements)
tested, OK
>               * failing power cable (check by swap)
tested, OK
>               * Failing power strip (check by plugging into the wall)
tested, OK
>               * faulty power socket (try a different socket)
tested, OK
>               * general building wiring issues (take to a different
>                 building)
tested - building has two circuits, old and new.
>               * building power supply issues, (i.e. grid issues...
>                 usually for people very near to power
>                 plants/distribution stations)
not applicable, nearest nuclear power plant is ~20km away. Nearest power
distribution station is ~5km.
>
> But, like i said earlier...its likely a driver issue. I know these
> things are probably in the system log, or kernel log, someplace, but i
> have yet to determine where, as I have no freezing computer to test on.

Nothing in the logs.

Perhaps interesting to know, that machine dual boots with Windows, and
there I have the same lockups. I don't boot to Windows a lot, so I hadn't
noticed yet.

-- 
Amedee