Ubuntu
linux-source-2.6.15 package

hard freeze at various points

Asked by Steve Schilz

I have successfully (I think) installed ubuntu 6.06.1 on a Dell inspiron 1100, and had the opportunity after install to upgrade applications, etc. I did the install as a total partition overwiting all MS crap. All drivers seemed to work fine (haven't installed printer of wireless card yet). After the updates, when accessing ubuntu, I am experiencing freezes at various points. Once after the app opened, once when trying to access Firefox, once when finishing configuing Evolution (and a couple other points). Sometimes it froze when I was attempting to access an appl, a couple of times just as ubuntu opened, before i touched anything. In every case, the system froze and I could access nothing--no keys worked, no functions, nothing--in each case I had to do a hard shut down. I have no idea what could be causing this--all the boot sequences list "ok" as the program boots up. I don't really know where to search for an answer. Can someone offer some guidance? Or, even let me know what info I can provide to help diagnose this issue? I will appreciate any help or suggestions!

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Ubuntu linux-source-2.6.15 Edit question
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Steve Schilz
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Rolf Leggewie (r0lf) said : 		#1

look through the most recent logs in /var/log after logging back in. Maybe you can find something there. I am experiencing something similar.

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+ticket/4377

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Best Steve Schilz (sschilz) said : 		#2

I ended up trying to follow some config directions but....so I reinstalled and had a much smoother time. Now, no apparent problems....I am writing this from ubuntu rather than WinXP!

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Rolf Leggewie (r0lf) said : 		#3

good to know. Have fun.

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Steve Schilz (sschilz) said : 		#4

I spoke too soon because I'm experiencing freezes again at different
points. I don't know how to diagnose. Now experiencing this thing where
half screen goes fuzzy and then locks up system. Driver issue? I think I
saw a post somewhere about this...

On 3/24/07, Rolf Leggewie <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> Your support request #4372 on linux-source-2.6.15 in ubuntu changed:
>
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.15/+ticket/4372
>
> Rolf Leggewie posted a new comment:
> good to know. Have fun.
>

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Rolf Leggewie (r0lf) said : 		#5

As I said, /var/log

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Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) said : 		#6

I remember seeing something on the bug tracker about heat issues with the Dell Latitudes. Does the CPU fan ever engage? Do the crashes happen more often after a while?

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Steve Schilz (sschilz) said : 		#7

yeah--the fan does seem to kick in at "odd" times--and it does seem to
freeze more as it is on longer--at times it won't reboot right away either.
It's an Inspiron and I do believe there were fan issues with this laptop. I
had run a DELL diagnostic test on it and the fan was running higher RPMs
than expected. But, I also had the system freeze up a number of times this
morning even right after first boot. So I'm not sure heat is the only
issue. I'm thinking there are some unresolved hardware issues with this
unit. I was getting a driver error back when using XP. I thought I had
fixed it by updating but... To further complicate things, I ran Kubuntu for
awhile and I had less issues with it freezing. And I did have a couple of
times when it froze but then the system noted the error. I'm not well
versed in system architecture, etc. but I'm wondering if the differences in
Kubuntu could be more conducive to this particular Dell model (?) or to the
possible hardware issues (?)

On 3/27/07, chris_eineke <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> Your support request #4372 on linux-source-2.6.15 in ubuntu changed:
>
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.15/+ticket/4372
>
> chris_eineke posted a new comment:
> I remember seeing something on the bug tracker about heat issues with
> the Dell Latitudes. Does the CPU fan ever engage? Do the crashes happen
> more often after a while?
>

Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) said : 		#8

IIRC, one of the discussions in the bug tracker identified a faulty BIOS as the perpetrator of the exact same symptoms you are seeing. Try to look around on the Dell support site for an BIOS update for your particular laptop model.

Beware though: BIOS updates could potentially brick your laptop unless you have a separate PROM flasher.

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Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) said : 		#9

Before you flash your BIOS, could you run memtest86 to see if maybe your RAM is defective?

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Alan Pope 🍺🐧🐱 🦄 (popey) said : 		#10

Just in case you didn't know you can run memtest from the Ubuntu CD, or you can boot from the hard disk and press "ESC" at the "Grub" prompt and scroll down to the item labelled memtest. Leave it running for a good 24 hours.