System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

atorasu · 2024-09-13 17:48:21

Hello,

I noticed two weeks ago that Steam kept crashing while installing Cities Skylines 2. However, I just rebooted when it crashed, and eventually I got the game downloaded.
Now I'm trying to update Euro Truck Simulator 2, but trying to do this crashes my system after just a few seconds.

I should note that Steam already seems very instable on my machine (freezes and stops responding very often).

I have tried to uninstall Steam in order to reinstall it, but sudo pacman -Rns steam, followed by a reinstall, clearly didn't actually uninstall Steam, because the program still had my settings and booted immediately, clearly loading cached content. I couldn't find another way to uninstall Steam.

cryptearth · 2024-09-13 20:56:24

when removing packages only files part of the package and known to pacman get removed
all additional files steam creates are unknown to pacman and hence don't get removed
as for the main issue: if steam is unstable in general it could be the entire system may have issues - could be anything from messed up partial updates to actual hardware fault
also: is steam the only application with this issue or are other applications affected, too?
a short list of your hardware and a full journal will be helpful

atorasu · 2024-09-14 17:20:25

I have no other issues with my system; all other software works flawlessly. Even Steam games run fine - it's just that the Steam application performs poorly in general, and when downloading, it crashes.

I don't know what you mean by journal, but I can provide my hardware specifications of course:
CPU: Ryzen 7 5800x
GPU: RX6750XT
RAM: 32GB
Gnome, Wayland, Zen kernel (tried default kernel too)

cryptearth · 2024-09-14 17:36:46

for how long are you using linux? as asking for a journal log is pretty much base knowledge
anyway - steam is roughly only some additional logic on top of the chromium browser engine - downloading packages is actual a quite resource intensive process as most data loaded from steam are highly compressed and get uncompressed during download and expanded to disk
we just had a thread where someone had similar issues caused by cooling not adequate for a highly overclocked cpu - which resulted in overheat and emergency shutdown
have you overclocked anything? cpu? gpu? ram?
I somewhat think that there's something more at play here and that steam - or the load of the system during download rather - is just the trigger instead of the cause

atorasu · 2024-09-14 17:43:57

I've been using Linux on and off for around five years, though I've only been using it as my main OS for around two years. I don't know the terminology used on forums/troubleshooting because this is my first time asking for help in a forum with Linux.
If you can tell me how to give you a journal log, I will gladly offer it (I googled it but don't really understand it)

Nothing is overclocked on my computer and all of my components are running at normal temperatures. Stress tests don't even send my water cooled CPU above 72c.

I don't think it has to do with the download itself. I noticed that the crashes also happened with Cities Skylines AFTER downloading, during the installing/patching after downloading (which Steam referred to as "patching")

EDIT: Forgot to mention I deleted the Steam files in /.local/share, and then uninstalled again. I reinstalled it, and tried to reinstall Euro Truck Simulator 2. I encounter the same issue.

Last edited by atorasu (2024-09-14 17:49:06)

V1del · 2024-09-14 18:52:56

Are you running out of memory or so?

After rebooting from a crash run

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

and post the link

atorasu · 2024-09-14 19:36:29

http://0x0.st/Xx5k.txt

V1del · 2024-09-14 19:49:42

You're crashing in nftables/firewall layer. Can you repro if you disable mullvad/your VPN/firewall? Repository steam or flatpak steam? You're also four kernel releases out of date, update your system. If neither of these helped, test the linux-lts kernel or so

Last edited by V1del (2024-09-14 19:55:36)

atorasu · 2024-09-14 20:01:00

I disabled Mullvad and updated my system. I still crashed.

I made a new journal log: http://0x0.st/XxRz.txt

I am using repository Steam.

I have also used the lts kernel previously (this is where the problem first arose)

Last edited by atorasu (2024-09-14 20:02:33)

V1del · 2024-09-14 20:19:17

Mullvad is still running and injecting firewall rules...

What did you "disable" how exactly?

What output do you get from

find /etc/systemd -type l -exec test -f {} \; -print | awk -F'/' '{ printf ("%-40s | %s\n", $(NF-0), $(NF-1)) }' | sort -f
hostnamectl

atorasu · 2024-09-15 03:59:17

I'm not sure how to disable Mullvad then. I use it via the GUI, which I exited by using the "Quit" button (which, afaik, fully closes the program), after disconnecting from their servers and re-establishing a "normal" connection. In any case, the GUI tells me I'm not connected to Mullvad servers.

Here is the requested output:
Static hostname: archlinux
Icon name: computer-desktop
Chassis: desktop ?️
Machine ID: 83d814c31dfd4b70b3a9c52fc4921bd9
Boot ID: 84905b7ef7f74bc6bacfb0c32d71814d
Operating System: Arch Linux
Kernel: Linux 6.10.10-zen1-1-zen
Architecture: x86-64
Hardware Vendor: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.
Hardware Model: MS-7C56
Firmware Version: A.B0
Firmware Date: Thu 2022-08-11
Firmware Age: 2y 1month 5d

Last edited by atorasu (2024-09-15 04:16:31)

atorasu · 2024-09-15 04:36:25

I also took took a picture of what happens when Steam is verifying the download before the crash.
As you can see, the verification of the files progresses normally - until suddenly the ETA for completing the task shoots up, and the graph curls downwards. Before reaching 0 disk usage, my computer crashes.
Whilst each crash happens differently (as some even when downloading or installing, not just verifying), this at least provides an example of my most recent one.
I hope you can forgive the photograph, but I can't screenshot on a crashed system of course.

EDIT: Added another picture at crash, with more information

Last edited by atorasu (2024-09-15 06:05:03)

cryptearth · 2024-09-15 06:37:32

Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. MS-7C56/B550-A PRO (MS-7C56), BIOS A.B0 08/11/2022

I recommend a bios update: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B550-A-PRO/support
don't use beta versions - current stsble is I(ndia) from 09.09.24
note: a bios flash will reset it to defaults - which for this board (I have the very same but with a 5600) means re-enabling secureboot and clearing all boot entries - for the latter to avoid using an install media I recommend add your bootloader in the fallback path <esp>/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI - otherwise you might not be able to boot without an install media

seth · 2024-09-15 07:14:45

I'm not sure how to disable Mullvad then

Like every other service, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Mullvad so it doesn't even start on a reboot and has no chance to manipulate the NFT

The big red flag in your journal is the OOT binder module, afaiu they're built w/ the zen kernels, so I don't understand how and why you're loading an OOT one.
Stop that (it's relevant for waydroid if you're asking how you ended up here) and

I have also used the lts kernel previously (this is where the problem first arose)

please post a journal for a crash on the LTS kernel as well.

Arch Linux

#1 2024-09-13 17:48:21

System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#2 2024-09-13 20:56:24

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#3 2024-09-14 17:20:25

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#4 2024-09-14 17:36:46

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#5 2024-09-14 17:43:57

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#6 2024-09-14 18:52:56

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#7 2024-09-14 19:36:29

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#8 2024-09-14 19:49:42

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#9 2024-09-14 20:01:00

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#10 2024-09-14 20:19:17

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#11 2024-09-15 03:59:17

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#12 2024-09-15 04:36:25

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#13 2024-09-15 06:37:32

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

#14 2024-09-15 07:14:45

Re: System crashes when downloading/updating games on Steam

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