Problem: my desktop system hangs. Question: what to do next

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Wed, Jul 25, 2012 at 07:25:50AM -0400, Mel Wilson wrote:
> I have a desktop system that can't get through a build of gdb-7.4.1
> without locking up the desktop, and, apparently, all other processing.
> 
> System is MSI G41M-P26
> memory 3.9 GB, dual-processor Intel Pentium 4 3.20GHz
> 
> O/S  Ubuntu 10.04, kernel 2.6.32-41-generic-pae, GNOME 2.30.2
> 
> I check that it's running with a system monitor window on top, and
> watching the crawl of the CPU usage graph.  After the crawl stops, the
> system also stops responding to the mouse and keyboard.  The last run I
> also had an ssh process open from another machine, and it froze at the
> same time everything else did.  Pinging the dead system claimed that the
> destination was unreachable, and that persisted until the hung system
> had been rebooted.
> 
> Memory doesn't seem to be a problem, usually only about 10% gets used.
> 
> After the reboot, I can't find anything in syslog or messages that look
> like trouble, but I could be failing to recognize something.

If it hangs, the error won't have a chance to get logged.

> I wonder if it couldn't be an over-temp problem.  The build makes heavy
> use of both processors, and often (though not always) hangs with both
> CPUs pinned at 100%.  The retailer says the system is fine, but it
> occurs to me that he has very pleasant air conditioning in the shop, and
> I have none here at home.  Any good packages for monitoring CPU
> temperature?  Tomorrow I'll be able to say whether doing the build at
> night helps (No.  Tried again at 5AM.  Toronto Island said 19C. Same story.)  
> ISTR seeing ./configure options somewhere that would limit
> the number of simultaneous processes forked by the build, but I don't
> see anything like that as an option for this gdb build.

Certainly could be.  Pentium 4's are after all among the worst things
for heat ever made.

Unstable dying power supply could also have issues with heavy loads.

By default it will almost certainly not do parallel builds.  Generally
you have to ask for it when you run make.  configure has nothing to do
with it.

> The system usually seems rock solid doing light work like reading news,
> web surfing, or drafting email.
> 
> All hints appreciated.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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