Network Card or 2. HDD *infrequently* don't work

[nZain]

Hi Comunity,

this is going to be a challenge, I guess. My desktop computer is half a year old and from time to time (since I bought it), the network card or one harddrive is not working. It happens infrequently without changing anything on the system. Also, this does not only affect Ubuntu, but the Win7 installation, too.

Why this Thread?
First of all, this seems to be a hardware issue and it's the vendors responsibility to fix such problems, if they occure within 2 years (waranty). Unfortunately, the problem happens so infrequently and a reboot does usually suffice. So everytime I bring my computer to the shop, everything works fine and they can't find the problem. This happened 3 times now: the first time they gave me a new hdd+cables. Nothing changed. Second time, they exchanged the motherbord (any hey, I thoght that should fix it)... but the issue remains. Third time, they told me that they had the issue I described - yay, finally they believe me. Unfortunately, the reinstalled the network driver on Win7 and told me that it works now. Linux is my problem. Ehhh. You guess right, nothing has really changed... both issues remain on Ubuntu as well as Win. So why this thread? I hope that some hardcore cracks are able to help me track down the problem with the power of open source (win would tell me to ask my network admin :p).

System & Components
I'm running Ubuntu Lucid 64bit (as well as win7).


Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 (onboard LAN)
Harddisks are both Western Digital (Caviar Blue Series), first one with 320GB (WD3200AAJS-00L7A0), second one 500GB (WD5000AAKS-00UU3A0).
more details on request


Detailed Problem
1. Sometimes (!) the network (LAN) does not work although drivers/card seem to be ok. Both linux/win tell me that no cable is connected. However, I tested serveral cables (also with other computers) and all are ok.
2a. [with the first mainboard] Sometimes (!) the second harddisk is not found as it was not even there (no udev entry, win just does not show it)
2b. [with the new mainboard] It happens ca. every 3. boot that I'm dropped to a shell with the message:

Gave up waiting for root device Common problems:
(...)
ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc does not exist. Dropping to a shell!
So it seems with the new mainboard the first hdd (at least the ubuntu root partition which corresponds to that uuid) is not found.

So, how would I start to track down this (these) problems?
Thanks in advance
nZain

[nZain]

For those interested, here is the output of the bootinfo script.


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #6 for /boot/grub.
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Platte /dev/sda: 320.1 GByte, 320072933376 Byte
255 Köpfe, 63 Sektoren/Spur, 38913 Zylinder, zusammen 625142448 Sektoren
Einheiten = Sektoren von 1 × 512 = 512 Bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 312,638,488 312,431,641 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 312,639,486 625,141,759 312,502,274 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 312,639,488 320,450,559 7,811,072 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 320,452,608 625,141,759 304,689,152 83 Linux


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Platte /dev/sdb: 500.1 GByte, 500107862016 Byte
255 Köpfe, 63 Sektoren/Spur, 60801 Zylinder, zusammen 976773168 Sektoren
Einheiten = Sektoren von 1 × 512 = 512 Bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 63 976,768,064 976,768,002 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 669250EA9250C06B ntfs Windows7-bootloader
/dev/sda2 56DA626BDA624779 ntfs Windows7
/dev/sda3: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 878e2d97-7349-484c-a9bb-c4cff272085f swap
/dev/sda6 cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc ext4
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 1087DB9B618B193A ntfs Datengrab-500GB
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda6 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sdb1 /automnt/Datengrab-500GB fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096)


=========================== sda6/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
saved_entry=${chosen}
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=
insmod gettext
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-24-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 669250ea9250c06b
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

=============================== sda6/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=cbae7bc5-b92e-4db8-ab5e-5c668d067ffc / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=878e2d97-7349-484c-a9bb-c4cff272085f none swap sw 0 0


=================== sda6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


312.3GB: boot/grub/core.img
211.7GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
312.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
312.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic
312.5GB: initrd.img
312.5GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda3

00000000 98 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 |............@...|
00000010 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 14 00 14 00 28 00 38 00 |............(.8.|
00000020 60 00 38 00 b0 03 01 00 00 00 30 05 00 00 08 00 |`.8.......0.....|
00000030 29 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 dc 09 00 00 00 00 00 |)...............|
00000040 bc 97 61 fb a7 d1 ca 01 3c a4 44 1c aa d1 ca 01 |..a.....<.D.....|
00000050 3c a4 44 1c aa d1 ca 01 bc 97 61 fb a7 d1 ca 01 |<.D.......a.....|
00000060 00 d0 26 00 00 00 00 00 1f ca 26 00 00 00 00 00 |..&.......&.....|
00000070 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 bc 97 61 fb a7 d1 ca 01 | .........a.....|
00000080 3c a4 44 1c aa d1 ca 01 3c a4 44 1c aa d1 ca 01 |<.D.....<.D.....|
00000090 bc 97 61 fb a7 d1 ca 01 00 d0 26 00 00 00 00 00 |..a.......&.....|
000000a0 5f ca 26 00 00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |_.&..... .......|
000000b0 96 a5 22 0b 00 00 00 00 7d a5 22 0b 00 00 00 00 |..".....}.".....|
000000c0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 28 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |........(.......|
000000d0 01 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |....@...........|
000000e0 1b 00 01 00 28 00 00 00 28 00 00 00 18 00 00 00 |....(...(.......|
000000f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000100 03 00 00 00 80 f8 ff ff a1 a5 22 0b 00 00 00 00 |..........".....|
00000110 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000120 38 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 |8...........@...|
00000130 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 07 00 28 00 08 00 |............(...|
00000140 30 00 08 00 18 00 01 00 38 00 58 00 04 00 02 00 |0.......8.X.....|
00000150 4a 39 00 00 00 00 00 00 4a 39 0c 00 00 00 00 00 |J9......J9......|
00000160 f0 95 d4 00 00 00 00 00 90 95 d4 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000170 ae a5 22 0b 00 00 00 00 a1 a5 22 0b 00 00 00 00 |..".......".....|
00000180 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 28 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |........(.......|
00000190 01 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |....@...........|
000001a0 1b 00 01 00 28 00 00 00 28 00 00 00 18 00 00 00 |....(...(.......|
000001b0 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 fe |................|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 30 77 00 00 fe |...........0w...|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff 02 30 77 00 00 38 29 12 00 00 |.......0w..8)...|
000001e0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200

[nZain]

no ideas? If its neither the mainboard, nor the hdd... what component could it be? Or is this a software problem... I don't think so.

[nZain]

Come on - there must be a crack out there... someone that knows more than me (which is not that difficult at all) :popcorn: