99% system freeze problem

Support & Help Requests
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1

This has been happening for awhile, but I can’t repeat it on demand. It seems to be related to Firefox and gmail, but am not absolutely sure.

At some point the only thing that will work is that I can scroll the Firefox screen up and down, but nothing else works. Anywhere I click has no effect, on the Firefox screen or anything else. I have to use the “Magic SysRq” + o to shut off the system or the hold the power button down.

Using any other sequence gives no visible output. I am so new I don’t know what else to do.

Well I noticed I should do this:

fred@Lenovo-G780:~$ inxi -CSG
System: Host: Lenovo-G780 Kernel: 4.4.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
Desktop: MATE 1.12.1 Distro: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-3612QM (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
clock speeds: max: 3100 MHz 1: 1372 MHz 2: 1594 MHz 3: 1272 MHz
4: 1286 MHz 5: 1443 MHz 6: 1760 MHz 7: 1263 MHz 8: 1385 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: [email protected]
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Mobile
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0

What else can I supply that might help?

Thanks, Fred

2

Random, possibly related thoughts:

  • try Bleachbit
  • set FF to clear history when FF closes
  • if using gmail web try FF without a gmail tab open
  • when the computer "freezes" walk away for a few minutes to discover what happens
  • install uBlock origin or other pop up blocker
  • try using FF in a private window
  • make certain your 100% up-to-date

You may have all these bases covered, this is meant to stimulate thoughts about your situation and not necessarily presented to solve it.

3

In trying to track down why I am getting system freezes somewhere I read suggested to run a memory test by activating GRUB at boot up.

Turn On or Restart the system
Hold down Shift to bring up the GRUB menu.
Use the arrow keys to move to the entry labeled Ubuntu, memtest86+

First these instructions are wrong for 16.04 gnome since it is the Esc key and you don’t hold it down, you tap it and last there is no memtest86+ option.

So what am I doing wrong? As usual?

4

Just a couple of notes:

  • If something is still moving on the screen when you’re scrolling, MagicSysRq is likely not required, have you tried “CTRL+ALT+F1” first to switch to tty1? (You can switch back to graphics with CTRL+ALT+F7)
  • The MagicSysRq sequence is R-E-I-S-U-(O/B), not only ‘O’ - in particular, “SU” syncs data to disk and unmount cleanly the filesystems, which is useful for post-crash forensics
5

Did not know about that trick. I will try it next time as well as the REISUO/B if all else fails.
Thanks, Fred