3.5.0-26-generic caused both my machines to be unusable

[pfeiffep]

​Today both my machines updated software and within minutes after the reboot locked up. I reverted to 3.5.0-24-generic and all's well.

• Dell Laptop: 12.10 (32 bit), gnome-session-fallback, 1.5 Ghz Intel celeron, 2Gb memory, 40 Gb hd
• HP Desktop: 12.10 (64 bit), gnome-session-fallback, 3.2 Ghz Intel core i7, 12GB memory, 1 Tb hd for Ubuntu, 300 Gb ssd for Win7

I decided to "lock the 24 version" in the grub menu by using suggestions found here

I'm pretty new to Ubuntu so I'm not familiar with how to interpret the logs since I don't notice the date / time stamp. I used the System Log reader available under System Tools.

Any advice on how to interpret the log files for the types of failures my machines exhibited?

[Frogs Hair]

The Link describes what the logs are and may to interpret them. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxLogFiles

[tgalati4]

Open a terminal; post the output of:

ls -la /boot

Mine currently shows:

tgalati4@Mint14-Extensa ~ $ ls -la /boot
total 49256
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Feb 11 13:31 .
drwxr-xr-x 23 root root 4096 Feb 10 17:43 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 844882 Oct 9 12:54 abi-3.5.0-17-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 848290 Jan 24 05:38 abi-3.5.0-23-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147884 Oct 9 12:54 config-3.5.0-17-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147871 Jan 24 05:38 config-3.5.0-23-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1474560 Feb 11 13:19 fdboot.img
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Feb 11 13:24 grub
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15233289 Feb 7 08:25 initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15238719 Feb 10 17:43 initrd.img-3.5.0-23-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 26140 Feb 11 13:31 memdisk
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 176764 Jan 3 14:48 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 178944 Jan 3 14:48 memtest86+_multiboot.bin
-rw------- 1 root root 2901710 Oct 9 12:54 System.map-3.5.0-17-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 2904246 Jan 24 05:38 System.map-3.5.0-23-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5129040 Nov 27 09:05 vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5134032 Jan 24 05:38 vmlinuz-3.5.0-23-generic

I've got 3.5.0.25.31 as a pending upgrade. I have not seen .24, so that is interesting. I'm running Linux Mint Mate 64-bit, based on 12.10. So, I think I will wait a while before updating. Good thing you kept your older kernel--the first lesson in maintaining linux.

[pfeiffep]

pfeiffep@pfeiffep-HPE-580t:~$ ls -la /boot
total 95460
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Feb 28 15:46 .
drwxr-xr-x 23 root root 4096 Feb 28 07:14 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 849836 Feb 6 21:13 abi-3.5.0-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 849836 Feb 25 13:49 abi-3.5.0-25-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 850088 Feb 26 15:20 abi-3.5.0-26-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147944 Feb 6 21:13 config-3.5.0-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147944 Feb 25 13:49 config-3.5.0-25-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 147944 Feb 26 15:20 config-3.5.0-26-generic
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Feb 28 17:21 grub
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 23402861 Feb 17 22:26 initrd.img-3.5.0-24-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 23403305 Feb 26 18:27 initrd.img-3.5.0-25-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 23430944 Feb 28 07:14 initrd.img-3.5.0-26-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 176764 Jan 3 17:48 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 178944 Jan 3 17:48 memtest86+_multiboot.bin
-rw------- 1 root root 2905147 Feb 6 21:13 System.map-3.5.0-24-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 2905168 Feb 25 13:49 System.map-3.5.0-25-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 2899290 Feb 26 15:20 System.map-3.5.0-26-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5138608 Feb 6 21:13 vmlinuz-3.5.0-24-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5138448 Feb 25 13:49 vmlinuz-3.5.0-25-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 5125712 Feb 26 15:20 vmlinuz-3.5.0-26-generic

Are these log files?

[pfeiffep]

The Link describes what the logs are and may to interpret them. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxLogFiles

This is an entry I found in the approximate time of the failure:

pfeiffep@pfeiffep-HPE-580t:/var/log$ head apport.log

ERROR: apport (pid 2731) Thu Feb 28 07:19:36 2013: called for pid 2671, signal 5, core limit 0

ERROR: apport (pid 2731) Thu Feb 28 07:19:36 2013: executable: /usr/lib/indicator-applet/indicator-applet-complete (command line "/usr/lib/indicator-applet/indicator-applet-complete")

ERROR: apport (pid 2731) Thu Feb 28 07:19:36 2013: debug: session gdbus call: (true,)

ERROR: apport (pid 2731) Thu Feb 28 07:19:37 2013: wrote report /var/crash/_usr_lib_indicator-applet_indicator-applet-complete.1000.crash

ERROR: apport (pid 2573) Thu Feb 28 15:14:14 2013: called for pid 2478, signal 5, core limit 0

Note the huge jump in time!

the syslog and syslog.1 didn't seem to have a time stamp appropriate to the situation. the kernel log had 0 length. Perhaps you might be so kind to direct me to the name of the log that possibly has pertinent info...
TIA

[tgalati4]

Signal 5 is SIGTRAP or a signal trap that is coming from Process ID (pid) 2478 and 2671 (in the earlier case). Not sure what is causing it. You would need to be able to see the process ID's during boot which is difficult, because they are created very quickly and crash just as quickly. The files in /boot are your bootup files, the linux kernel in 3 versions -24,-25, and -26 which you claim is not working correctly. There are also configuration files and map files to assist in the boot process. Don't mess with these files, I just wanted to see what was loaded on your system.

When you boot, can you select Rescue Shell for version -26? Will it boot to the repair menu? If so, then you can boot to a terminal and look at the apport log files and see if it crashes in the rescue shell as well.

It's interesting to note that your -26 kernel is slightly smaller than your -25 image. I don't have -26 to compare, but perhaps someone else can verify the correct size for vmlinuz-3.5.0-26-generic?

[Karlchen]

Hello, pfeiffep.

Updated my software list right before writing this reply in order to be sure. The current stable kernel for Ubuntu 12.10 is K3.5.0-25 (#31). This suggests that you have activated the installation of "proposed" software. Proposed software is still in its testing phase and has not been finally approved and released to the public. Might be for a good reason.
Good for you you kept an older functional kernel version.
You may wish to disable the proposed software from your sources.list. E.g. launch Synaptic. Preferences => Software Sources => Untick [_] Proposed. Apply. Refresh the software packages list.

Kind regards,
Karl

[pfeiffep]

Signal 5 is SIGTRAP or a signal trap that is coming from Process ID (pid) 2478 and 2671 (in the earlier case). Not sure what is causing it. You would need to be able to see the process ID's during boot which is difficult, because they are created very quickly and crash just as quickly. The files in /boot are your bootup files, the linux kernel in 3 versions -24,-25, and -26 which you claim is not working correctly. There are also configuration files and map files to assist in the boot process. Don't mess with these files, I just wanted to see what was loaded on your system.

When you boot, can you select Rescue Shell for version -26? Will it boot to the repair menu? If so, then you can boot to a terminal and look at the apport log files and see if it crashes in the rescue shell as well.

It's interesting to note that your -26 kernel is slightly smaller than your -25 image. I don't have -26 to compare, but perhaps someone else can verify the correct size for vmlinuz-3.5.0-26-generic?

Thanks for your reply ... I was able to login to 26, but there were multiple gui screen messages indication there was a problem and did I want to report it - I of course said yes. I immediately booted to version 24 and all has been good since.
This occured on both machines running 12.10
I found a method online to "lock" grub to booting ver. 24

these files do NOT contain infomation at the time of issue

pfeiffep@pfeiffep-HPE-580t:/var/log$ ls -al app*

-rw-r----- 1 root adm 0 Mar 2 15:46 apport.log

-rw-r----- 1 root adm 1942 Mar 1 14:31 apport.log.1

-rw-r----- 1 root adm 251 Feb 22 15:28 apport.log.2.gz

-rw-r----- 1 root adm 374 Feb 20 22:08 apport.log.3.gz

I spent a few hours combing the log files - probably due to ignorance about Linux I found nothing notable, and in some cases NO Information.

Perhaps you can assist with another question ... How can I apply security patches to a 'down graded kernel' and insure they have been successful?

[pfeiffep]

Thank You Karl ... excellent advice, does adjusting in Synaptic also adjust 'Soft Ware updater'?

[Karlchen]

Hello, pfeiffep.

Yes, it does. apt-get, Synaptic, Software Center, Software Updater, they all read the files /etc/apt/sources.list and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*.

Karl