Bug#1111722: linux-image-6.12.38+deb13-amd64: Intermittent system-wide freezes, both random and triggered by high-resource apps
Control: tags -1 + moreinfo
Hi,
On Thu, Aug 21, 2025 at 01:48:30PM +0100, Ousama Halmous wrote:
> Package: src:linux
> Version: 6.12.38-1
> Severity: grave
> Justification: renders package unusable
> X-Debbugs-Cc: debian-amd64@lists.debian.org, halmousousama@gmail.com
> User: debian-amd64@lists.debian.org
> Usertags: amd64
>
> Description of the Bug:
> The system experiences intermittent, complete freezes that manifest in two distinct scenarios:
>
> Scenario A: Application-induced Freeze
> ---------------------------------------
> When a specific application (e.g., a web browser with many tabs) starts consuming a very high amount of memory or CPU, it can cause the entire system to freeze.
>
> I want to clarify that this is distinct from a recoverable Out-of-Memory (OOM) event. For instance, the attached dmesg log shows a case where the OOM killer successfully terminated the 'lm-studio' process, and the system recovered correctly. The freezes I am reporting are different: the system becomes completely unresponsive and does not recover, requiring a hard reset.
>
> Scenario B: Sudden, Unexplained Freeze
> --------------------------------------
> The system also freezes randomly without any obvious trigger. The effect is identical to Scenario A: the entire screen stops updating (like a paused video), and the system becomes completely unresponsive.
>
> In both scenarios, the only way to recover is a forced shutdown by holding down the power button. No kernel panic is displayed, and Ctrl+Alt F* keys to switch to a console do not work.
>
> Diagnostic Steps Taken:
> I do not currently have logs from the last time either of these freezes occurred.
>
> However, I have now enabled the Magic SysRq key (`kernel.sysrq = 1`). On the next freeze, regardless of the scenario, I will attempt a safe reboot using the `REISUB` sequence. I will then update this bug report with the logs from the previous boot by running `journalctl -b -1`.
>
> Please let me know if there are other diagnostic steps I should take or specific information I can provide the next time this occurs.
Thanks for your report.
First, as the system seems to have OOT virtualbox modules loaded,
please try to reproduce the issue without those modules loaded (even
if you think it is unlikely releated, we will then have a untainted
kernel report to potentially forward upstream).
Secondly, were you able to reproduce the issue and if so can you
please provide full logs from the system when it happends. Ideally you
had already in place enabled magic SysRQ keys and can then issue
SysRq+t as well.
Consider attaching a netconsole to get as well more information before
system freezes.
For time beeing I will tag this moreinfo, please remove the tag once
you can provide the additional information/logs.
Regards,
Salvatore
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