Ubuntu
linux-restricted-modules-2.6.20 package

feisty, madwifi random system freeze

Bug #114480 reported by Justin
4
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux-restricted-modules-2.6.20 (Ubuntu)
Invalid
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: linux-restricted-modules-2.6.20-15-generic

I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop M45-S169. It has a built in Atheros AR5005G chip. I'm using Feisty with all the most recent updates. The problem i have is that sometimes when connected to an AP through the Atheros connection the system will completely lock up. Mouse and keyboard is unresponsive, anything on the screen is frozen. When i hit caps lock, the light doesn't come on. I have to hard power cycle. It happens randomly: Yesterday, i left my laptop on and connected all night, with no issues. But today I restarted (couldn't reestablish connection), and had a crash moments after connecting. Started again, and had another crash. I'm posting this on the same connection, and so far it's been fine. (Yes, i know i'm skirting the line between bravery and stupidity ;)

When I try to use ethernet, it works just fine. no lock ups. I also have a D-Link USB Wifi adapter (DWL-G122) i happened to have from when i did local tech support, and when i use that it works, through after a while it stops wanting to stay connected (separate issue; if i get Atheros working right i honestly don't care about the D-Link). no hard crashes with that.

the only other time i have a problem is logging out of KDE with ATI nonfree driver, but I already isolated that to this bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-restricted-modules-2.6.20/+bug/94370

i'm using the default madwifi shipped with feisty. BTW, i had the same problem in openSuSE 10.2, BTW, using compiled madiwifi (0.9.3 IIRC)

via these insructions: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DebuggingSystemCrash i already did the memory test. I am waiting for another crash before i try the SysRq instructions.

i'll attach some helpful files, but bear with me because i'm an noob with this bug system.

Revision history for this message
Justin (justin-moser) wrote :

for the record, the DLink comes up as wlan0, and the Atheros comes up as ath0. i noticed both come up in the logs so i hope i don't confuse anyone.

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Justin (justin-moser) wrote :
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Justin (justin-moser) wrote :
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Justin (justin-moser) wrote :
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Justin (justin-moser) wrote :

i don't know what else might be helpful

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Justin (justin-moser) wrote :

After getting frustrated, switching to Ndiswrapper, having it freeze again (but only once and by no means as frequently), and having it freeze on the Dlink once, I'm suspecting that it's not so much a Madwifi problem, as much as a problem with a wifi or network software somewhere higher up in the stack. In fact, i had some Network-manager related messages in my syslog just before the last crash. so, for now i'm running without Knetworkmanager nor the deamon, if i don't have any crashes for a while, i'll post back here that this bug can be closed.

i wouldn't expect a non-kernel item to cause such a systemic failure. that's why i could never figure this out.

I'll attach the bit of syslog right before the last crash i experienced, just in case.

Revision history for this message
Justin (justin-moser) wrote :

This bug can be closed. I set the kernel option "noapic" in my grub menu.lst, and haven't seen a freeze every since.

Tim Gardner (timg-tpi)
Changed in linux-restricted-modules-2.6.20:
status: New → Invalid
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