System freezes (apparently) at random

[Pronker]

Hi guys, I just recently made a clean ubuntu install with wubi (inside windows) but I've had several incidents where the entire system froze (i.e. unable to move curser and system non-responsive to _any_ keyboard input) - I had to hold off button to turn pc off.

This has happened right since the beginning - I have only installed dropbox and skype from outside (and later adobe reader).

I have a hunch: Right from the beginning I've been logging on to the University of Melbourne's wireless network. This is a WPA2 network with PEAP login and moreover it requires using a password protected proxy server (i.e. you can always access sites *.unimelb.edu.au but to access external you need to set up the proxy and when you go online it will ask for your password).
Hence, I use gnome-network-preferences to set the proxy system-wide. Today I had three crashes in a row but then I switched the proxy back on and the crashes stopped.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be ******* up?

Other relevant info:
PC: Sony Vaio C-series (VPCY11S1E)
Have used VPNC as well as email (which had to fetch 2000+ emails from hotmail - took a long time but it hasn't been going all the time)
The windows install holding ubuntu (@ wubi) is Windows 7 64-bit
Ubuntu is standard 32-bit.

[TimmyK.]

I had a computer running Win XP which crashed constantly every time you used it, so I know how frustrating it is.

If this is a software problem, I wouldn't know what to do besides reinstall the OS.

If this is a hardware problem, there can be one of several things you can do. Take the heat sink off of your CPU and see if there is any liquid heat paste still in there. If it is all dried up, you need to get some more. If the fan is busted, then you need to replace it.

Or, in a worst-case scenario, you may have a heat sink that does not completely cover the CPU. I have a computer like this that had a square CPU and a round heat sink, and it ran so slowly and constantly crashed. The usual CPU temperature reading was around 97 C. If this is the case, you need a new heat sink.

[Pronker]

@TimmyK
Thanks man, but it's a laptop and I kind of suck at fisting around in it so I don't think it's an option for my (unless all else fails) :S

I've now had a crash even though the proxy was set up the same way as previously so I'm ruling that one out.
My main suspect is now the "NetworkManager" that comes with ubuntu... I'm going to try reverting to using e.g. dhclient instead... just gotta figure out how to set it up to connect to the network and I'm good. I'll post what happens.

EDIT: Trying out this guide... fingers crossed! http://www.codealias.info/technotes/...d52b2111730346

[Pronker]

This apparently solved the problem! If anyone competent in the noble art of submitting bugs is reading this, please let the guys writing the network manager applet know that there is a _serious_ stability issue...
I think the problem is that with this UniWireless thing the computer keeps logging on and off the wireless network. With Windows it's (obviously) even worse -- it keeps asking people to re-enter their password and after some apparently random number of times it accepts it and allows them access to the network. Then it will all of a sudden log off the network again later.

Anyways, using the good ole command line is apparently (as usual) the most stable way to go.
Hope this helps anyone else having the same kind of trouble out there!

(by the way, the network is a WPA2 (enterprise) PEAP using MSCHAPV2 authentication. Furthermore, a proxy server which requires authentication as well is employed on campus (I access this using the ubuntu system-wide proxy settings which also allows specifying a username and password))

[Pronker]

Nope, still having trouble

I am now almost positive that the problem is related to my wireless driver -- after having worked for 5 hours with no problems, I moved from one area to another on campus and my pc crashed (I carried it while it was turned on)... it must've lost connection or something.

Any ideas would really be appreciated, I don't want to go back to windows! And it's not a hardware problem because I have no such issues in windows.
It might also be that I've installed linux inside windows (using wubi) and that the NTFS drivers are causing trouble.

Are there any log files that might be relevant? What should I look for??

[Pronker]

Anyone?

I'm now positive that the problem is related to the wireless driver. I turned it on at campus, tried to connect to the net and after attempting for ~1min, it froze. Afterwards, I just worked on it while offline for 2½ hours with no interruptions where I didn't touch the wireless...

Also, no flashing capslock or numlock key, so it isn't a kernel panick!

I've tried following this: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1203004
and install linux-backports-modules-wireless-maverick. Will report back what happens...

[Pronker]

WUHUU!!! I'm back in business!!! (hopefully

After struggling and crying like a little bitch, I found out what was wrong (at least no crashes the past 20mins lol

The native Atheros driver is horribly bugged I recommend anyone experincing the same problem to follow the same steps and take care not to **** up your ubuntu install too much on the way! (remember to figure out how to undo whatever you do -- I still haven't got a network manager anymore

Fetch the correct Atheros driver from atheros.cz, mine was for the Atheros AR9285. You should fetch the *.inf file but you might have to get a big *.zip folder, unzip it to get the netathw.inf file.
apt-get install ndisgtk.
alt+F2 gksu ndisgtk.
Install the inf module.
Restart and pray to God.

Mine didn't work right away, in that case refer to the brilliant comprehensive ndiswrapper troubleshooting guide (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=885847). I first tried the XP 9.* version which failed miserably (I ran "dmesg | grep -e ndis -e wlan" and found the words "unknown symbol"). The XP 7.* version worked perfectly...

Good luck! And guys, it's worth the fight to be back with ubuntu -- she can be a hag but you know she's good! *smack*

[adamf4i]

I recently installed ubuntu and mine seems to lock up/ freeze to where you have to hard boot it . Im not familar with linux OS at all just trying to use it all the time now over windows . Any suggestions for why it is freezing? and what i can do?

[Pronker]

What kind of computer are you using? It'll probably take you a few hours to solve the problem, but believe me; it's worth the wait!

next time it happens, check whether your capslock and numlock keys are flashing. If so, you're looking at a kernel panick and you have to figure our which module is causing you trouble. If it isn't, it sounds like it's the same problem I had. Check out what card type you have (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal, and hit lshw -C Network and look for the wireless one). If it's called Atheros AR9285 then you're in the same boat as me. Just follow the steps mentioned above (although, make sure you have access to some internet by some other means cause it'll be gone while you're fiddling around under the hood!)

[adamf4i]

Its a desktop custom build

It doesnt have wireless so its directly connected and its working . Just will freeze up.