What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

kreshta · 2024-08-31 20:17:38

Recently I've experienced more cases of my laptop freezing. As in, the computer is unresponsive, not even Ctrl + Alt + F1 to F6 work. Only pressing the power button turns the computer off. This primarily happens when I move from docking to one P2725HE screen to another. I'm not sure how I can diagnose the issue, in order to fix it. After all, when the laptop freezes, I cannot run any commands. What are some things I should try to find the source of the problem?

> uname -r
6.9.7-arch1-1

> plasmashell -v
plasmashell 6.1.1

dakota · 2024-08-31 21:30:50

I would start be configuring the Magic SysRq key, and testing that it works for you (before your next ystem freeze).

On my system, for example, it only works if I use the right alt key, not the left alt key.

Then examine/post the journal for an affected boot.

V1del · 2024-08-31 22:25:54

You are multiple months and a major kernel version out of date. Update your system and check whether you can reproduce.

kreshta · 2024-09-01 06:25:05

V1del wrote:

You are multiple months and a major kernel version out of date. Update your system and check whether you can reproduce.

> sudo pacman -Syu
:: Synchronizing package databases...
 core is up to date
 extra is up to date
 community is up to date
:: Starting full system upgrade...
 there is nothing to do

> uname -r
6.9.7-arch1-1

Yikes, I wonder why it is not updating. Although, what do you mean by

multiple months [...] out of date

that is only 1 version and 2 months behind the latest https://archlinux.org/releng/releases/

kreshta · 2024-09-01 08:03:08

dakota wrote:

Then examine/post the journal for an affected boot.

I enabled sysrq, and managed to reboot my computer using it. I will report my journal next time that it happens.

Last edited by kreshta (2024-09-01 08:09:42)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2024-09-01 08:06:42

Thinkpads use the PrtSc key with the function key for SysRq, I think.

Anyway, check your drive & memory health and confirm the CPU µcode is installed and loaded. Those are the usual causes of random freezes.

EDIT: and update your mirrorlist to keep updated: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Reflector

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2024-09-01 08:08:13)

kreshta · 2024-09-01 08:14:49

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Thinkpads use the PrtSc key with the function key for SysRq, I think.
Anyway, check your drive & memory health and confirm the CPU µcode is installed and loaded. Those are the usual causes of random freezes.
EDIT: and update your mirrorlist to keep updated: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Reflector

I apologize for being so verbose, but can you clarify how to do that?

> check your drive & memory health
Would running something like

smartctl -c /dev/sda

be enough?

> confirm the CPU µcode is installed and loaded
How do I do that?

seth · 2024-09-01 08:16:55

Yikes, I wonder why it is not updating. Although, what do you mean by

pacman -Qs kernel
pacman-conf
sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st
# or if you could reboot the system w/ the magix sysrq, after a crash
sudo journalctl -b -1 | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st # for the previous boot

Head_on_a_Stick · 2024-09-01 08:29:19

kreshta wrote:

> check your drive & memory health
Would running something like
smartctl -c /dev/sda
be enough?

Smartctl would check the drive health and you can use memtest or so for the RAM.

kreshta wrote:

> confirm the CPU µcode is installed and loaded
How do I do that?

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Microcode

But please update your system first.

kreshta · 2024-09-01 08:31:40

seth wrote:

Yikes, I wonder why it is not updating. Although, what do you mean by

pacman -Qs kernel
pacman-conf
sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st
# or if you could reboot the system w/ the magix sysrq, after a crash
sudo journalctl -b -1 | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st # for the previous boot

I suspect that my reading comprehension is not up to par. I'm trying to parse what you mean by this.
I have installed the kernel version that uname -r claims.

> pacman -Qs kernel
[...]
local/linux 6.9.7.arch1-1
    The Linux kernel and modules
[...]

I see a few servers from my country, so I guess that is good.

> pacman-conf

I guess you are implying that I should run the following command to see the journal result from the last boot, and then upload it online to share here.

sudo journalctl -b -1 | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st

Is there any concern that there will be sensitive information in my journal that I should clean up before sharing it?

kreshta · 2024-09-01 08:35:03

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

kreshta wrote:
> check your drive & memory health
Would running something like
smartctl -c /dev/sda
be enough?
Smartctl would check the drive health and you can use memtest or so for the RAM.
kreshta wrote:
> confirm the CPU µcode is installed and loaded
How do I do that?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Microcode
But please update your system first.

I ran

> pacman -Qi intel-ucode
[...]
Install Date    : Sun Jun 2 23:23:56 2024
[...]

So I guess that means that the CPU µcode is installed and loaded? I can't do it now, but in a bit I will try to run smartctl and memtest.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2024-09-01 08:41:56

kreshta wrote:

[I guess that means that the CPU µcode is installed and loaded?

The package is installed but has the bootloader been configured to load it? Please read the ArchWiki page to which I linked before asking any further questions, these issues are covered there.

In respect of seth's post: the commands in the code block should be run and the output shared here.

The journal contents are "safe" to share. Here's mine: http://0x0.st/XvDd.txt

seth · 2024-09-01 08:48:27

I see a few servers from my country, so I guess that is good.

No, is not.
Post the complete output from pacman-conf, there's way more in there than some arch mirrors.

Is there any concern that there will be sensitive information in my journal that I should clean up before sharing it?

sudo is audited, so anything where you passed sensitive data to sudo (not something you'd typically do, but hey) will show up there.
Other than that, no - IPv6 addresses, wifi keys etc. are obfuscated by NM (and I think dhcpcd meanwhile as well) and the disk UUIDs are traceable (if you post them in various locations on the internet one can tell that those posts have the same origin) but don't reveal anything about the system.
If you're embarrassed because you named the host "hamsterinspeedokink": nobody cares.

Arch Linux

#1 2024-08-31 20:17:38

What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#2 2024-08-31 21:30:50

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#3 2024-08-31 22:25:54

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#4 2024-09-01 06:25:05

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#5 2024-09-01 08:03:08

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#6 2024-09-01 08:06:42

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#7 2024-09-01 08:14:49

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#8 2024-09-01 08:16:55

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#9 2024-09-01 08:29:19

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#10 2024-09-01 08:31:40

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#11 2024-09-01 08:35:03

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#12 2024-09-01 08:41:56

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

#13 2024-09-01 08:48:27

Re: What are some methods to find source of laptop freezing?

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