Random freezes on AMD X2 when multiprocessing enabled

[John Pierce]

On Nov 13, 2007 9:53 PM, Hunter McDaniel <oxothuk.maps at 4dv.net> wrote:
> Configuration summary: ASUS A8V motherboard (socket 939), AMD 3800 X2
> dual core processor,  nVidia 5500 AGP video card, 1 GB DDR400 memory
>
> I've installed Fedora 8 twice on this machine, both the i686 and x86_64
> versions and had the same result both ways.  The machine boots up fine,
> but within a minute or two after logging on to Gnome (I haven't tried
> KDE) I will get a hard freeze - mouse pointer freezes, no response to
> keyboard (including CTRL-ALT-F1), and pings to the machine go
> unreturned. Adding 'nosmp' to the kernel boot options makes the problem
> go away, but that's a bit like having an SUV that conks out and has to
> be towed if you engage 4WD.
>
> FWIW, booting from the x86_64 live CD gives pretty much the same
> symptoms - hard freeze within a minute or so after logon.  With the i686
> live CD I can't even get through startup - the machine freezes right
> after getting an OK from the Starting udev.... step.
>
> I've been running previous Fedora releases (back to FC5 at least) on
> this machine for years with smp enabled without ever having any problems
> like this, so I don't THINK it's a hardware issue.  Still, I haven't
> seen anyone else post similar symptoms so I have to wonder.  I've seen
> some references to freezes with the nvidia binary drivers, but that's
> not my problem - I only have the default 'nv' drivers.
>
> I've tried a couple of other boot options that seemed like they might be
> relevant - noapic, nomce - but neither one made any difference.
>
> I'd appreciate any suggestions on
> a) what I should try next
> b) other diagnostic information that would be useful
> c) other places I should ask
>

FWIW, I am running the x86_64 version of fedora 8 an an HP dv9208nr
Turion 64 X2 and have not had a single issue with lockups.  You might
look to ASUS for a possible BIOS update.

As a side note, I have a desktop machine based on an ASUS M2NPV with a
3800 64 X2 and was considering update it to the x86_64 fedora, I might
just wait now.

-- 
John
Registered Linux User 263680, get counted at
http://counter.li.org