Firefox causing machine to hang/freeze

sfabius · 2009-11-18 18:46:02

I've been having this problem for a while and haven't had time to investigate. Googling and looking at logs have not helped. The machine is a Thinkpad T42. At some point in my browsing, the entire machine freezes; I can't even get in with ssh. It seems that one time (maybe more) it borked the Firefox profiles and I had to start over. I thought it was always with firefox, but as I typed this the first time in chromium, it happened. I did a memtest86, just the basic one, and everything passed. Here's my lspci:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82855PM Processor to I/O Controller (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82855PM Processor to AGP Controller (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-M) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 81)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 01)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) IDE Controller (rev 01)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) SMBus Controller (rev 01)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 01)
00:1f.6 Modem: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 [Mobility Radeon 9600 M10]
02:00.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI4520 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
02:00.1 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI4520 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
02:01.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82540EP Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Mobile) (rev 03)
02:02.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 2200BG [Calexico2] Network Connection (rev 05)

I don't know what else would be helpful to post, so let me know what would be good if you are interested in helping.
Here is the end of /var/log/messages.log from the last time it happened:

Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: EXT3 FS on sda3, internal journal
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: kjournald starting.  Commit interval 5 seconds
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: EXT3 FS on sda4, internal journal
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with writeback data mode.
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: Adding 1052248k swap on /dev/sda2.  Priority:-1 extents:1 across:1052248k 
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: IBM TrackPoint firmware: 0x0e, buttons: 3/3
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles kernel: input: TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint as /devices/platform/i8042/serio1/serio2/input/input9
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles acpid: starting up
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles acpid: 1 rule loaded
Nov 17 20:06:01 miles acpid: waiting for events: event logging is off
Nov 17 20:06:03 miles acpid: client connected from 1526[82:82]
Nov 17 20:06:03 miles acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Nov 17 20:05:54 miles firmware.sh[1087]: udev firmware loader misses sysfs directory
Nov 17 20:06:00 miles init: Entering runlevel: 3
Nov 17 20:06:05 miles kernel: e1000: eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: RX
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1608]: ntpd 4.2.4p7@1.1607-o Fri Jun 19 20:21:56 UTC 2009 (1)
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: precision = 1.000 usec
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles kernel: lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: Listening on interface #0 wildcard, 0.0.0.0#123 Disabled
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: Listening on interface #1 wildcard, ::#123 Disabled
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: Listening on interface #2 lo, ::1#123 Enabled
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: failed to initialize interface for address fe80::20d:60ff:fed0:20ed
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: Listening on interface #4 lo, 127.0.0.1#123 Enabled
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: Listening on interface #5 eth0, 192.168.1.46#123 Enabled
Nov 17 20:06:11 miles ntpd[1620]: kernel time sync status 2040
Nov 17 20:06:12 miles ntpd[1620]: frequency initialized 8.661 PPM from /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift
Nov 17 20:06:12 miles ntpd[1620]: failed to initialize interface for address fe80::20d:60ff:fed0:20ed
Nov 17 20:06:25 miles acpid: client connected from 1693[0:1000]
Nov 17 20:06:25 miles acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Nov 17 20:06:26 miles kernel: Unpin not necessary for f6a24c00 !
Nov 17 20:10:29 miles ntpd[1620]: synchronized to 67.59.168.233, stratum 3
Nov 17 20:10:31 miles ntpd[1620]: time reset +1.409519 s
Nov 17 20:10:31 miles ntpd[1620]: kernel time sync status change 2001
Nov 17 20:11:14 miles ntpd[1620]: Listening on interface #7 eth0, fe80::20d:60ff:fed0:20ed#123 Enabled
Nov 17 20:19:28 miles ntpd[1620]: synchronized to 67.59.168.233, stratum 3

I don't know what else might be useful.

SubGothius · 2009-12-19 07:27:45

Heh, I also have a ThinkPad T42 and this very same problem, freezes so hard even a "Magic SysRq Key" G or REISUB has no effect, have to hold the power button to just kill power without a proper shudown. One time the mouse cursor remained movable, but every other time that froze in place as well. I've also noticed the cooling fan kicks into high gear and never winds down until I give up and kill the power.

I'd be glad to provide any log files requested here for comparison, meanwhile here's the post-boot section of my /var/log/messages.log for the last uptime session until it froze:

Dec 18 13:44:08 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.742488s
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: *** info [daemon/processrequest.c(42)]: 
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: Request on 6 (console 2)
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: *** info [daemon/disable_paste.c(28)]: 
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: disabling pasting per request from virtual console (2)
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: *** info [daemon/processrequest.c(42)]: 
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: Request on 6 (console 2)
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: *** info [daemon/processrequest.c(42)]: 
Dec 18 13:46:19 hadit /usr/sbin/gpm[1639]: Request on 6 (console 2)
Dec 18 13:46:48 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.686540s
Dec 18 13:47:20 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.580072s
Dec 18 13:49:03 hadit acpid: client 1949[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 13:49:03 hadit acpid: client connected from 1949[0:0]
Dec 18 13:49:03 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 13:49:40 hadit acpid: client 1949[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 13:49:40 hadit acpid: client connected from 1949[0:0]
Dec 18 13:49:40 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 13:51:13 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.541651s
Dec 18 13:53:52 hadit acpid: client 1949[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 13:53:52 hadit acpid: client connected from 1949[0:0]
Dec 18 13:53:52 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 13:54:55 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.403649s
Dec 18 13:55:56 hadit init: Trying to re-exec init
Dec 18 13:56:05 hadit acpid: client 1949[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 13:56:05 hadit acpid: client connected from 1949[0:0]
Dec 18 13:56:05 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 13:56:38 hadit acpid: client 1949[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 13:56:38 hadit acpid: client connected from 1949[0:0]
Dec 18 13:56:38 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 13:56:56 hadit kernel: Unpin not necessary for f65b3f00 !
Dec 18 13:56:57 hadit acpid: client 1949[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 13:56:57 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 13:56:57 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 13:58:05 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.258933s
Dec 18 14:01:48 hadit ntpd[1945]: adjusting local clock by -0.150768s
Dec 18 14:10:03 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:10:03 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 14:10:03 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:10:29 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:10:29 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 14:10:29 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:11:36 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:11:36 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 14:11:36 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:23:39 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:23:39 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 14:23:39 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:24:05 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:24:05 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 14:24:05 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:29:51 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:29:51 hadit acpid: client connected from 2275[0:0]
Dec 18 14:29:51 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:30:07 hadit kernel: Unpin not necessary for f60cbb00 !
Dec 18 14:30:08 hadit acpid: client 2275[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:30:08 hadit acpid: client connected from 2569[0:0]
Dec 18 14:30:08 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:34:35 hadit acpid: client 2569[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:34:35 hadit acpid: client connected from 2569[0:0]
Dec 18 14:34:35 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:36:48 hadit acpid: client 2569[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:36:48 hadit acpid: client connected from 2569[0:0]
Dec 18 14:36:48 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:37:02 hadit acpid: client 2569[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:37:02 hadit acpid: client connected from 2569[0:0]
Dec 18 14:37:02 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:38:16 hadit acpid: client 2569[0:0] has disconnected
Dec 18 14:38:16 hadit acpid: client connected from 2569[0:0]
Dec 18 14:38:16 hadit acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Dec 18 14:58:16 hadit -- MARK --
Dec 18 15:18:16 hadit -- MARK --
Dec 18 15:38:16 hadit -- MARK --

Last edited by SubGothius (2009-12-19 07:40:59)

combuster · 2009-12-19 08:12:59

Could you try without the flash plugin to see if the problem persists?

redbit · 2009-12-19 08:47:05

Yesterday I once again tried out EXA to see how it would work. Performance was quiet good but strangely the system freezes while browsing with firefox too.
I switched back to XAA and my system no longer locks up.

My notebook almost has the same video card: Mobility 9700 (lspci: VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 [Mobility Radeon 9600 M10])

Last edited by redbit (2009-12-19 08:48:28)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-11-18 18:46:02

Firefox causing machine to hang/freeze

#2 2009-12-19 07:27:45

Re: Firefox causing machine to hang/freeze

#3 2009-12-19 08:12:59

Re: Firefox causing machine to hang/freeze

#4 2009-12-19 08:47:05

Re: Firefox causing machine to hang/freeze

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