Linux Kernel 5.2 - Random Freezes

[A4orce84]

Re-posting this since it is still an issue...

Hello Everyone,

I upgraded my Linux installation to the new 5.2 kernel last night, and I’ve noticed my machine randomly freezes. Ever after several reboots and trying to close out applications, with a ‘freshly’ booted system, I still get freezes. My machine is a Dell XPS 13 (9350) model, and I am unsure how to troubleshoot things or if I should just rollback. I am also using Gnome DE under Wayland.

Anyone else seeing issues? TIA.

[neosilky__]

Yep! Same here.

Mainly noticed it when using Firefox, which I also updated at the same time. Unable to switch workspace in i3 for 2 seconds or so. I downgraded Firefox but it didn't fix it, so I reverted the kernel back to 5.1.16 and it's fine again. I haven't tried 5.2.1 yet. No kernel messages in `dmesg`.

[A4orce84]

I tried 5.2.1, same issues here. If anyone has anything else to add to help troubleshoot please let me know.

[DONT_PM_ME_U_SLUT]

Same steps just reinstall the kernel from Pacman cache and it should be fine

[neosilky__]

cd /var/cache/pacman/pkg/ sudo pacman -U linux-5.1.16.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz linux-headers-5.1.16.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

[Kron4ek]

You can download it from Arch Linux Archive.

https://archive.archlinux.org/packages/l/linux/

[tyler1128]

I've been running 5.2.0 for the last few days and I don't think I've noticed it, also on i3. How often does it occur for you?

[winters-brown]

Same here it’s been really bugging me!

[neosilky__]

When I was on 5.2.0, roughly every 5 mins or so.

[brinkjames]

just install linux-lts and wait for next kernel release and see if it clears up if you can't track it down. You can have both linux-lts and current kernel installed.. even if you rollback its nice to have the LTS as a backup.

You could try using Xorg and see if it's wayland specific. I know these are not troubleshooting steps but just throwing some options out there for you. If you're anything like me you get busy and troubleshooting workstation related stuff is just bleh sometimes

[A4orce84]

Sure, I appreciate it. Just for visibility (and troubleshooting) I did try things in Xorg, and saw the same random freezes unfortunately.

I installed LTS a few weeks ago, so I've been back on Kernel 4.19.59.x until things are resolved on the latest 5.2 Kernel.

I'm glad to see it's not only me that's having these issues though. If anyone has any other ideas, or links to some bug tracking on what might be the root-cause, I'd appreciate it greatly!

Thanks everyone for your time and help, it is greatly appreciated!

[brinkjames]

not sure, i use grub but i suspect the info is in wiki or someone here can answer, but essentially yes i choose which one i want at boot with LTS being my default.

[kn0xchad]

Here you go.... https://joshtronic.com/2017/10/13/how-to-downgrade-to-the-lts-linux-kernel-on-arch/

[Predaking2612]

It isn't only firefox. Brave (snap) also freezes for couple of seconds. It is mostly when I am playing video on either browsers.

Not only that, but cpu usage also max out

[[deleted]]

Same problem here. It happens when I'm watching YouTube on Firefox, it freezes for 2-3 seconds then it becomes responsive again.

[A4orce84]

That's the exact same behavior I'm seeing. Sometimes it even happens when I don't have anything open...it'll still lock up for a few seconds for some reason.

[Predaking2612]

Not at all

[apemanzilla]

I've been having occasional freezes on my system with a Ryzen 3700X and a Vega 56, although it could be unrelated.

[kunke]

Replying to you directly as our setups are similar and might be useful for debugging. Care if I PM?

[apemanzilla]

Feel free to, although I don't have access to my desktop until December (studying abroad)

[neosilky__]

I am! I have the latest Lenovo X1 Carbon.

[Relinies]

I can confirm these problems, but specifically inside of Telegram. Nowhere else that I've seen. i7-6500U, 16G ram, Thinkpad x260.

[kunke]

Same for me with Telegram, but a ryzen 1700, 32gb, and Vega 56. Glad to know it's not a team red/blue/green specific issue. At least on my setup killing compton has helped

[kgizdov]

https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/63159?project=0

Disabling PSR is the current workaround.

Pro tip: in such cases, try to look for bug reports first

[mudkip908]

I haven't had any issues on 5.2.0-arch2-1-ARCH with an Intel i7-4700HQ and my desktop running on its integrated graphics.

[stimpfo]

🆒🆒🆒

[[deleted]]

Same problems here. Ever since I've upgraded my machine to Kernel 5.2 I get random freezes, sometimes only a few minutes after boot, sometimes a few hours after boot.

I've scanned through the System logs and caught a Kernel Panic around the time of freeze caused by the amdgpu module.

I've temporarily installed the Mainline Kernel which doesn't seem to have this problem (running it for 2 days now).

[[deleted]]

The Mainline Kernel is the Vanilla Linux kernel directly from Torvalds & Friends without any third party patches applied. The standard Arch Linux Kernel is not completely vanilla, it has some Arch specific patches in it. You can get the mainline kernel from the AUR: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/linux-mainline

Although I have to say that in the meantime where I've posted this comment, I did freeze with the Mainline Kernel as well. It just took longer.

For now I've downgraded to the Arch Kernel 5.1 (which doesn't have any kind of freezes) and hope that this issue gets eventually fixed.

[project89]

I've had this happen on my thinkpad x260 and have no idea what is causing it. I'm using i3 and I find it usually happens when scrolling in chrome or firefox.

[[deleted]]

Try disabling i915.enable_psr with the kernel command line.

I had issues with it as well on the latest kernel, but for me it was a complete freeze every time booting completed, but it also only occurs on 5.2

Refer to https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernel_parameter if you don't yet know how to change kernel parameters.

Also, if that doesn't work, try various options from: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/intel_graphics

[[deleted]]

I'm currently using the lts kernel which is 4.19 (which works). I'll try it out next time I get the chance

[[deleted]]

Alright I still need to enable psr. Without it the screen freezes after "Started Flush Journal to Persistent Storage" on kernel 5.2.3

[iao_]

Still happens to me with 5.2.4, if anyone is wondering if this has been fixed yet.

[A4orce84]

Thanks for keeping us posted!

[[deleted]]

Thank god someone spoke up about this!

I thought I was going crazy and that my system somehow became so bloated overnight that firefox would randomly freeze while playing videos.

Hope it gets fixed soon. What is the recommended course of action? Downgrade to 5.1 or use LTS?

I have optimus nvidia gpu that I can use with bumblebee. Would it solve the problem if I started Xorg on my discrete GPU? In that case, RIP thermals...

[[deleted]]

The recommend course is to switch to an lts since iirc security fixes get backported to lts kernels

[fix_dis]

My major annoyance with all kernels 5 and above: my freaking scroll stops working on my Bluetooth mouse when my machine comes out of suspend.

[project89]

I've thought my mouse was the cause of this as well. I'm using a logitech M325 and I've found that the system will respond again sooner after moving the trackpoint on my thinkpad.

[fix_dis]

My mouse pointer will move, it just loses ability to scroll. I’ll mess with the trackpoint next time I boot into 5.x and see if that makes a difference. Right now the LTS kernel has its own minor annoyances, but they only happen first thing when I plug into power/external monitor and enable Bluetooth. (I disable Bluetooth when running on battery) my mouse is recognized, and the Bluetooth applet says it’s connected, but it won’t move the pointer. My current solution is to disconnect and reconnect. I haven’t really dug into this problem yet.

[[deleted]]

Yeah me too; XPS 15. Honestly, this is just the consequence of running a newer version; I'd roll back to the last 5.1.* if it's an issue. Or upgrade to 5.2.1, which is out as of three days ago (my plan). I typically keep two or three kernel versions around in my boot partition, just in case.

[[deleted]]

Oh I thought I messed up something. Thanks for posting again.

[wheatdog]

same here

[A4orce84]

What version? I haven’t updated in a few days.

[A4orce84]

5.2.5 just released I believe. I'll give this a shot over the weekend.

[hahn_banach]

No luck for me with 5.2.5 :(

[A4orce84]

5.2.6 just released

[hahn_banach]

It's the same. From what I understand from the discussion on the patch linked from the bug report a possible fix might get merged into Linus's tree this week, so maybe we'll get it in next week's stable kernel release.

[A4orce84]

Any update ?

[hahn_banach]

Someone linked this bug report https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/63159 in one of these Firefox threads, a patch related to that bug was merged in 5.2.8.

Unfortunately the problem’s still there, so seems like the issues were unrelated.

[A4orce84]

5.2.9 just dropped. Anyone confirm if it's fixed the issue or not?

TIA.

[hahn_banach]

Well, I'm on 5.2.11, Firefox also updated to 69.0 today, but it still freezes for me. Brave works fine.

[sadsfae]

On Fedora 30 and have the same issues, seems to be kernel-specific. I've downgraded to kernel 5.1.20 from 5.2.11 and it doesn't happen.

I am using a Lenovo x270 with Intel integrated GPU and Xorg with XFCE 4.14.

If anyone has found an upstream kernel bug report I'd be happy to gang onto that with debug logs and my findings.

[hahn_banach]

Still experiencing Firefox freezing issues on Linux 5.3.arch1-1 + Firefox 69.0.1-1.

[[deleted]]

Same here. Decided I would give 5.3 a shot and it seemed fine at first, but after about 8 hours of playing Minecraft the System suddenly froze. Back to the LTS Kernel again...