Re: [gentoo-user] [Maybe OT]: Instability of system

[Alan Mackenzie]

Hello, Dale.

Sorry for not replying earlier, I've had a rotten week.

On Sun, May 20, 2018 at 17:35:19 -0500, Dale wrote:
> Alan Mackenzie wrote:
> > Hello, Gentoo.

> > I'm having problems with my machine hanging or rebooting spontaneously.
> > It's doing this, perhaps, every three or four weeks.  I think that when
> > I'm in X, the system usually reboots, when I'm on a tty, it hangs.

> > This phenomenon has, up till now, been just below the level at which
> > it's annoying enough to do something about.  But my machine just hung on
> > me a few minutes ago, and now it's definitely reached tha threshold
> > where spending effort fixing it seems justified.

> > My actual Gentoo installation is fine, in fact, so good that I've not
> > needed to post to the list for a long time.  :-)

> > My system is an AMD Ryzen processor on an Asus Prime X370-Pro mainboard,
> > and is just over a year old.  I don't think my RAM is unstable (though
> > it's been a long time since I've run that RAM checking program).

> > I honestly suspect the firmware on the mainboard.  When it was new, the
> > board was practically unusable - with two sticks of RAM installed, it
> > would crash after about 1 - 3 minutes.  With just one stick of RAM, it
> > stayed up long enough to install new firmware (version 0604), which
> > appeared to be stable.

> > Going back to Asus's firmware page, there appear to have been many
> > subsequent versions of the firmware released during the last year.
> > Would it be a good idea for me to download and attempt to install the
> > latest version?  Is this in any way risky?  (My mains supply is
> > reliable.)

> > Other than that, suggestions as to what to do would be welcome.

> > Thanks!



> This is the type of problem that I hate having.  Intermittent problems
> are hard to diagnose.  Just when you think you got it fixed, it does it
> again.  The post from madscientist has some good info including some
> things I've tried successfully in the past, with other peoples
> computers.  The biggest culprit, dust on fans/heat sinks and sometimes
> heat sinks just falling off of chips.  I've had that happen a few times
> on those south bridge type chips.  Usually they are glued on and after
> several years, they can pop off.  When they get hot, they slow down, a
> lot, to protect themselves but make a computer very slow.  Stick the
> heat sink back on, off it goes again.  Still, dust is a huge problem.  I
> take a air hose to mine at least twice a year, spring time for sure to
> be ready for summer heat. 

I will take the cover off of the case and get rid of dust.  The
machine's only really bin in use since ~August 2017, so I don't expect
there to be all that much dust in it.

> For the static, a finger trigger type spray bottle with water and a
> small amount of fabric softener works well, smells good too.

Each to his own.  ;-)

> I haven't tried dish detergent like madscientist mentioned but if he
> says it works and you don't have fabric softener handy, give it a
> try. 

I think I'd stick to the dish detergent (is that what we call "washing
up liquid" in Britain?).

> As to upgrading firmware.  I have a Gigabyte mobo that has that dual
> BIOS thing.  That said, I've never had to resort to the backup.  The
> updates went smoothly and only took a few minutes.  If ASUS has
> something similar, may want to know how to use it just in case.

I don't think the ASUS has a dual BIOS.  If they did, they'd've
mentioned it in the manual under "UNIQUE FEATURES!!!".

> The biggest thing, not losing power during the update.  As
> madscientist mentioned, a UPS comes in handy there.

The power here in Nuremberg is reliable indeed.  Since I've been in my
current flat (~10 years), I can't remember even a single power cut.
What does happen occasionally (every two or three weeks) is that a
circuit breaker trips when I flick on the wall switch prior to powering
up the machine.  Maybe that's something to do with hitting exactly the
wrong spot of the 50Hz sinusoidal wave.  Again it doesn't bother me too
badly.

> In my experience tho, they have always worked fairly well.  The
> biggest thing, now exactly what steps to take before you start. 
> Mistakes could cause issues. 

Yes.  As I said, I updated the BIOS once before.  I think I'll do so
again, though it seems John has had the same experience as me and has
already tried an upgrade, without much luck.

> You mentioned having problems with having more memory installed.  Was
> the firmware upgrade supposed to fix *that* problem?  In other words, is
> it a known issue that needed a fix?

I don't recall seeing it in ASUS's release notes (which, though better
than AMD's, are nothing to write home about).  I upgraded the BIOS as a
last desperate measure before taking the PC back to the shop.

> I ask because of this.  Could it be that your power supply, regardless
> of what rating it claims, isn't quite up to standards and that little
> extra power causes issues?  It's something to think about.  It's hard
> to know what power supplies are really good or not.  Generally, I like
> to find one that has been tested and known to be good.  I'll post
> links at the bottom just in case you are interested. 

My power supply is a 400W "be quiet" STRAIGHT POWER E10 80PLUS Gold.
But I don't think it's the power supply at fault.  If it was, the
machine would crash when all 8 cores were busy building Libre Office.
But it doesn't: the crashes are random, unconnected which large power
draw.

> If you have checked the cooling and such, then it may be time for a
> firmware upgrade if it is supposed to fix this type of problem.  I'd try
> to rule out all else first tho. 

I fear that the problem is a defective processor or mainboard.  :-(

> Some links that may interest you. 

> http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Review_Cat&recatnum=13

I didn't find my power supply in their lists.  But, my, there appear to
be a lot of them (nearly 500 different models).

> https://www.tomshardware.com/t/power-supplies/

> http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/589708-Recommended-PSU-s-True-Tested


> I think somewhere on the overclockers site there is a list of known bad
> power supplies.  They are supplies that people have tested and they
> failed, some in spectacular fashion.  Several included smoke and a few
> some fireworks.  Several just had ripple/noise that was outside the
> limits.  I think the first links has some of those listed too. 

> I hope you find a solution soon.  Random things are aggravating. 

Thanks!

> Dale

> :-)  :-)

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).