After Adding RAM modules, Random Screen freeze/lockup

dominicwood · January 11, 2011, 6:14pm

Hi, any help would be appreciated. Basically when I add more than a single 2gb RAM module, my computer starts randomly crashing every half hour or so, the screen freezes with no response. I have tested the RAM with memtest 86+, it only happens when there is more than one module. The system is openSuse 11.2 64bit and it had a single 2gb RAM module when I first installed it, and removing all but this seemingly fixes the issue.

The following is the error message I get when the system crashes, It seems to continue messaging after the initial visual lockup.

Jan 11 16:34:50 eddie kernel: 3129.580690] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:50 eddie kernel: 3129.584688] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:50 eddie kernel: 3129.876650] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:50 eddie kernel: 3130.191608] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:51 eddie kernel: 3130.739536] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:51 eddie kernel: 3130.995502] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:51 eddie kernel: 3131.263467] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:52 eddie kernel: 3131.531431] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:52 eddie kernel: 3131.787399] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:53 eddie kernel: 3132.635287] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:54 eddie kernel: 3133.743141] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:54 eddie kernel: 3133.939115] SysRq : HELP : loglevel(0-9) reBoot Crash terminate-all-tasks(E) memory-full-oom-kill(F) fGldbg kill-all-tasks(I) thaw-filesystems(J) saK show-backtrace-all-active-cpus(L) show-memory-usage(M) nice-all-RT-tasks(N) powerOff show-registers(P) show-all-timers(Q) unRaw Sync show-task-states(T) Unmount show-blocked-tasks(W) dump-ftrace-buffer(Z)
Jan 11 16:34:54 eddie kernel: 3134.139089] SysRq : This sysrq operation is disabled.
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908001] BUG: soft lockup - CPU#0 stuck for 61s! [Xorg:1533]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] Modules linked in: nfs lockd fscache nfs_acl auth_rpcgss sunrpc ip6t_LOG xt_tcpudp xt_pkttype ipt_LOG xt_limit af_packet vboxnetadp vboxnetflt vboxdrv snd_pcm_oss snd_mixer_oss snd_seq hwmon_vid edd cpufreq_conservative cpufreq_userspace cpufreq_powersave powernow_k8 ip6t_REJECT nf_conntrack_ipv6 ip6table_raw xt_NOTRACK ipt_REJECT xt_state iptable_raw iptable_filter ip6table_mangle nf_conntrack_netbios_ns nf_conntrack_ipv4 nf_conntrack nf_defrag_ipv4 ip_tables ip6table_filter ip6_tables x_tables fuse nls_iso8859_1 nls_cp437 vfat fat loop dm_mod snd_usb_audio snd_usb_lib snd_rawmidi snd_seq_device gspca_stv06xx arc4 ecb cryptomgr aead pcompress crypto_blkcipher crypto_hash crypto_algapi snd_hda_codec_atihdmi snd_hda_codec_via ath5k mac80211 ath snd_hda_intel snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep snd_pcm snd_timer snd snd_page_alloc cfg80211 rfkill processor thermal thermal_sys pcspkr i2c_piix4 sg gspca_zc3xx gspca_main ppdev videodev parport_pc sr_mod cdrom fglrx(P) r8169 wmi v4l1_
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: compat amd64_edac_mod button v4l2_compat_ioctl32 edac_core joydev asus_atk0110 serio_raw parport ext4 crc16 jbd2 ide_pci_generic atiixp ide_core ata_generic pata_atiixp [last unloaded: preloadtrace]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] CPU 0:
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] Modules linked in: nfs lockd fscache nfs_acl auth_rpcgss sunrpc ip6t_LOG xt_tcpudp xt_pkttype ipt_LOG xt_limit af_packet vboxnetadp vboxnetflt vboxdrv snd_pcm_oss snd_mixer_oss snd_seq hwmon_vid edd cpufreq_conservative cpufreq_userspace cpufreq_powersave powernow_k8 ip6t_REJECT nf_conntrack_ipv6 ip6table_raw xt_NOTRACK ipt_REJECT xt_state iptable_raw iptable_filter ip6table_mangle nf_conntrack_netbios_ns nf_conntrack_ipv4 nf_conntrack nf_defrag_ipv4 ip_tables ip6table_filter ip6_tables x_tables fuse nls_iso8859_1 nls_cp437 vfat fat loop dm_mod snd_usb_audio snd_usb_lib snd_rawmidi snd_seq_device gspca_stv06xx arc4 ecb cryptomgr aead pcompress crypto_blkcipher crypto_hash crypto_algapi snd_hda_codec_atihdmi snd_hda_codec_via ath5k mac80211 ath snd_hda_intel snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep snd_pcm snd_timer snd snd_page_alloc cfg80211 rfkill processor thermal thermal_sys pcspkr i2c_piix4 sg gspca_zc3xx gspca_main ppdev videodev parport_pc sr_mod cdrom fglrx(P) r8169 wmi v4l1_
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: compat amd64_edac_mod button v4l2_compat_ioctl32 edac_core joydev asus_atk0110 serio_raw parport ext4 crc16 jbd2 ide_pci_generic atiixp ide_core ata_generic pata_atiixp [last unloaded: preloadtrace]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] Pid: 1533, comm: Xorg Tainted: P 2.6.31.14-0.6-desktop #1 System Product Name
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] RIP: 0010:<ffffffffa02088b0>] <ffffffffa02088b0>] _ZN7PM4Ring4wptrEv+0x0/0x20 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] RSP: 0018:ffff880228d7bba0 EFLAGS: 00000292
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] RAX: ffffffffa02860d0 RBX: 00000001002d9671 RCX: 0000000000000000
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffffc9001233d020 RDI: ffffc90012d21c80
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] RBP: ffffffff8100d10e R08: ffffc9001233d940 R09: 0000000000000043
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] R10: ffff880109db9870 R11: 0000000000003246 R12: ffff880228d7bba8
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] R13: ffffc9001233db10 R14: ffff880228d7bba8 R15: ffff8802276e8000
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] FS: 00007fb6cf3dc6f0(0000) GS:ffff88000904a000(0000) knlGS:00000000f699d970
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] CR2: 00007fb6b5d95000 CR3: 0000000228000000 CR4: 00000000000006f0
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000ffff4ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] Call Trace:
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa020c0f4>] _ZN4Asic16Is_WPTR_equ_RPTR19ConditionSuccessfulEv+0x24/0x60 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa020b3ff>] _ZN4Asic9WaitUntil15WaitForCompleteEv+0x1f/0xb0 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa0210bb2>] _ZN8AsicR60016ASICIdleInternalEN4Asic15idle_WaitMethodE+0xa2/0x1e0 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa0209db5>] _ZN4Asic7PM4idleENS_15idle_WaitMethodE+0x55/0x90 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa0203246>] _ZN15QS_PRIVATE_CORE7PM4idleEN4Asic15idle_WaitMethodE+0x26/0x50 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa01f0759>] _ZN10QS_PRIVATE11synchronizeEv+0x29/0x30 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa01f9a55>] Z8uCWDDEQCmjjPvjS+0x3d5/0xe00 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa01aff54>] firegl_cmmqs_CWDDE_32+0x334/0x440 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa01ae9e0>] firegl_cmmqs_CWDDE32+0x70/0x100 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa018df5a>] firegl_ioctl+0x1ea/0x250 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffffa0182244>] ip_firegl_ioctl+0x24/0x40 [fglrx]
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffff8115e65c>] vfs_ioctl+0x9c/0xd0
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffff8115e7d0>] do_vfs_ioctl+0x90/0x410
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffff8115ebe9>] sys_ioctl+0x99/0xb0
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <ffffffff8100c702>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b
Jan 11 16:35:33 eddie kernel: 3172.908002] <00007fb6cd459547>] 0x7fb6cd459547

I don’t know what the problem is, but from searching the web it could be a number of problems, the memory is not being allocated correctly or it maybe there’s some conflict no between my ATI HD card/driver (latest driver from ATI repo). I really don’t know and would appreciate some suggestions on how to diagnose/fix.

DenverD · January 11, 2011, 7:10pm

dominicwood wrote:
> Hi, any help would be appreciated. Basically when I add more than a
> single 2gb RAM module, my computer starts randomly crashing …
>
> I don’t know what the problem is

my guess is one of three things:

your motherboard does not like the RAM you have…either the wrong
speed or buffering or something (not all 2GB sticks are usable in all
computers, or the motherboard (MB) won’t take the combo you try to
install…like, maybe (who knows, you didn’t say) you have one 2GB
stick and two 2GB sticks and your MB won’t allow that–get a copy of
your exact MB’s owners manual and look up the exact requirements for
RAM (speed, stick combo, etc etc etc, and which RAM slots are to be
used in what order)…this might be as easy as you bought the wrong RAM…
the RAM is faulty: i know you said you tested with memtest, but for
how long? run it 12 hours minimum and if you have any error, you
have too many…
something is wrong with one or more of the RAM slots…if, for
example the number two slot is faulty you will always have problems
with RAM in that slot–fill the board with known-good ram to test…

probably some other things i’m forgetting now…

wait, what is an “eddie kernel”

–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

caprus · January 11, 2011, 8:46pm

I’d be surprised if the problem is any more complicated than mismatched memory modules. Contrary to what I read from time to time it’s never a good idea to mix mismatched modules.

the timing of the RAM must match up from module to module, and
the timing of the modules must be compatible with both the motherboard’s design and the design of the CPU chip.

You can sometimes get away with mixing “nearly identical” modules, but the result is so often an unstable PC that it’s just not worth taking the chance (IMHO). The symptoms you describe are just those I’ve often seen with mismatched RAM modules, and the problems almost always disappear when the modules are changed.

Tip: if you’re stuck with the mismatched modules you can sometimes get better results by swapping the modules around between slots. Not an optimal solutions, but worth trying.

Also, DenverD is very right in saying the there may be something wrong with a RAM slot. One possibility is, if the slot’s been previously unused, there can be a little crud that’s built up on the little gold contacts over a period of time. If that’s the case you can often remedy the problem by simply inserting and removing the module a couple of times (carefully).

DenverD · January 11, 2011, 11:16pm

caprus wrote:
> you can often remedy the problem by simply inserting and removing
> the module a couple of times (carefully).

this is absolutely correct. and sometimes a gentle rub with a pencil
eraser on the contacts of the RAM module will solve occasional
kernel panics…and, other errors… (which can be cause by
intermittent electrical connectivity problems…

there is also sprays to clean contact surfaces…google “Blue Stuff”…

–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

caprus · January 11, 2011, 11:56pm

I’d forgotten that trick. Thanx for the reminder.

A-D4M · January 12, 2011, 1:27am

Please provide some hardware info,

If its a laptop, make/model
If its a desktop, make/model
If its a custom built system, motherboard make/model

And Make/model of both ram modules

dominicwood · January 12, 2011, 7:07pm

As for system details:

Motherboard: ASUS m4a78lt-m
CPU: AMD Phenom X2 550
RAM: 4x GEIL 2gb DDR3 1333Mhz (on asus manual recommended list in manual with DIMM support for “2 pairs of of modules”)
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD5400

Kernel: 2.6.31.14-0.6-desktop
Gnome 2.28.2
Graphics Driver: fglrxG02 8.762-33.1 (Latest from openSuse ATI repo)

The reason I thought it was a software issue was I started with 1x 2gb module which worked fine, but then added 1 further 2gb module of exactly the same make model. This caused random crashes as described. Eventually I ditched the second memory module thinking it was faulty despite memtest okay (Which admittedly I only ran for a couple of hours). Then I bought new ram, again the same make/model and added that. When I take it out it works fine, Also when I use the my windows xp partition (32bit) it has not crashed, though I don’t use it often, might be a time issue.

I suppose I could have bought multiple faulty memory units :(. I think the memory slot point was a good one. I’ll do some further testing.

nb: Eddie is the computer name (Hitchhiker’s ref)

A-D4M · January 12, 2011, 11:13pm

See if you can get 2x2GB stable, raise your memory voltage settings, try adding 0.05v

Memtest this as well for a few hours.

brunomcl · January 13, 2011, 3:10am

I had a similar problem once with an ASUS M3A78-EM. It would work nicely with any one of two identical 1GB memory modules in any of the two first memory sockets (it has four, but the second pair requires two modules). But it wouldn’t even boot with both modules installed.

After much tinkering it turned out that the memory configuration created by the bios wouldn’t be completely remade on boot-up, i.e., as the first boot was made with one memory module only, it would expect only one and, with the second module in place, it would trow a nice black screen after beeping “memory error”.

The solution was to reset the bios with a CLRCMOS, after disconnecting the power cable and removing the battery. Chek your m/b manual for precise instructions.

Alternatively, a bios upgrade may solve the issue.