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On Thursday 12 September 2013 09:49:07 Dr. Jennifer Nussbaum wrote: > Im running an up-to-date Wheezy on a newish desktop box. In the past the > machine would crash with apparent kernel panics on occasion, but in the > last week or 2 the machine is crashing almost every day. Ill step back to > it and there will be a crash screen with a timestamp log beginning "cut > here" and some sort of "kernel BUG at....", followed by a lot of glop. > Apparently i can only fix it by powercycling it. > > I dont know where these messages is being logged or Id show a whole one: > they do change though, its not the same one every time. > > I know this isn't much to go on, but could someone tell me how to evaluate > whats going on, or how to give more detail so someone can help? Its getting > very difficult to deal with. > > Thanks. > > Jen
Most kernel panic situations of this kind are caused by bad hardware. Especially if the errors are spurious.
Check your machine's memory, disk drive(s), drive cabling, cooling and power supply. The latter cause is often completely overlooked. "Checking" mostly means "swap it for something known good".
You say that the box is "newish". Try to boot one of the Debian Live CDs or with Knoppix. If it still crashes then take it back to the vendor.
More rarely: Depending on your location and what appliances are connected to the same power grid in your house/office, it sometimes turns out to be caused by a flawed installation of ground and protective ground wiring. Especially if the neutral wire is also used as a protective ground. which is lamentably still done to save some cents. You might not be aware of the kind of installation you got. Any new appliances installed lately? Defective fluorescents, dimmers or touch-switches?
If it is always the same error (there you need to have a look into the log) it might be a recently installed driver or firmware. The log may give you an idea which one. Do you use binary blobs like video drivers? Has there been a recent update? Any new hardware installed? Again, starting with a live CD might rule out the usual hardware suspects or confirm it.
Sorry, I can suggest only these general hints.
-- Eike Lantzsch ZP6CGE |