freeze at startup

does booting with the extra kernel parameter
acpi=off
help?

I have the same problem and also have an ATI Radeon Express 200.

acpi=off bypasses the problem but the system seems to hang when starting X.

I confirm this issue on a clean install of Dapper.
acpi=off bypasses the problem but then we get another error:

[4294669.603000]BIOS bug, local APIC #0 not detected!...

I cant even install Dapper on my machine see:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1086600&postcount=4

for more details and people getting the same problems.

Please try booting with these combinations to see if any help:

pci=noacpi
noapic
noapic nolapic
noacpi noapic
noacpi noapci nolapic

Thanks for your time, here is the info that you requested.

noapic nolapic
---------------------
freezes after this error messages:

Uncompressing Linux...Ok, booting the kernel.
..MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC

noacpi noapci nolapic
-------------------------------
freezes after this error messages:

Uncompressing Linux...Ok, booting the kernel.
..MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC
IOAPIC[0] Invalid Reference to IRQ 0

pci=noacpi & noapic & noacpi noapic
-----------------------------------------------------
all of them freeze after this error messages:

Uncompressing Linux...Ok, booting the kernel.
Mounting root file system

so bottom line no go with any of that options, here are my hardware specs:

Asus A8R-MVP
Opteron 170
Western Digital 230G SATA

I'm having this same problem "MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer..." hang after upgrading from Breezy to Dapper.
My system is a ST20G5.

acpi=off: bypasses the above error, but then it appears to hang while loading X-windows.,
pci=noacpi: bypasses the above error, but then it appears to hang while loading X-windows.
noapic: causes a; "<0>Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!" error.
noapic nolapic: causes a; "<0>Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!" error
noacpi noapic: causes a; "<0>Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!" error.
noacpi noapci nolapic: bypasses the above errors, but then it appears to hang while loading file system.

My system is now a brick after upgrading. How do fix this?

Additional info:

'acpi=off' - does work as I AM ABLE to Telnet into the box, but there is absolutely NO GUI. Unfortunate since I am running the Desktop and not the Server version.

The video subsystem on the Shuttle ST20G5 is on board and is the "ATi RADEON XPRESS 200" which I know caused issue with Breezy. Perhaps that is the problem.

This will work for me for now, as I mostly already Telnet into the box, but I will need the GUI at some point.

Please attach the output of sudo dmidecode to this bug.

Thanks

Here you go....

# dmidecode 2.7
SMBIOS 2.3 present.
47 structures occupying 1376 bytes.
Table at 0x000F0000.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 20 bytes.
BIOS Information
        Vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
        Version: 6.00 PG
        Release Date: 02/14/2006
        Address: 0xE0000
        Runtime Size: 128 kB
        ROM Size: 512 kB
        Characteristics:
                ISA is supported
                PCI is supported
                PNP is supported
                APM is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                BIOS ROM is socketed
                EDD is supported
                5.25"/360 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/720 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                AGP is supported
                LS-120 boot is supported
                ATAPI Zip drive boot is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported

Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 25 bytes.
System Information
        Manufacturer: Shuttle Inc
        Product Name: ST20V10
        Version:
        Serial Number:
        UUID: Not Present
        Wake-up Type: Power Switch

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 8 bytes.
Base Board Information
        Manufacturer: Shuttle Inc
        Product Name: FT20V10
        Version:
        Serial Number:

Handle 0x0003, DMI type 3, 17 bytes.
Chassis Information
        Manufacturer:
        Type: Desktop
        Lock: Not Present
        Version:
        Serial Number:
        Asset Tag:
        Boot-up State: Unknown
        Power Supply State: Unknown
        Thermal State: Unknown
        Security Status: Unknown
        OEM Information: 0x00000000

Handle 0x0004, DMI type 4, 35 bytes.
Processor Information
        Socket Designation: Socket 939
        Type: Central Processor
        Family: Athlon 64
        Manufacturer: AMD
        ID: 7A 0F 00 00 FF FB 8B 07
        Signature: Extended Family 0, Model 7, Stepping A
        Flags:
                FPU (Floating-point unit on-chip)
                VME (Virtual mode extension)
                DE (Debugging extension)
                PSE (Page size extension)
                TSC (Time stamp counter)
                MSR (Model specific registers)
                PAE (Physical address extension)
                MCE (Machine check exception)
                CX8 (CMPXCHG8 instruction supported)
                APIC (On-chip APIC hardware supported)
                SEP (Fast system...

Good news, I was able to fix the X server black screen issue as well.

Like I mentioned I had experienced a similar GUI issue with Breezy and managed to fix it by installing some alternative drivers from X.org, 'fglrx' drivers I believe, but my memory is vague about this.

When I upgraded to Dapper, these drivers didn't get included in the upgrade proces as they are in the Universe package location and therefore not part of the default "legal" Ubuntu package locations for Dapper.

I fixed this by adding the "Universe" package locations to my sources.lst file followed by a apt-get update/upgrade process and now I have GUI.

I attached my xorg.conf file for perusal in case anyone else needs this info.

~P

I just installed that kernel too and withouth acpi=off I can't boot either. (noapic and nolapic is given to).

output of dmidecode
# dmidecode 2.7
SMBIOS 2.4 present.
63 structures occupying 2846 bytes.
Table at 0x000F7170.

Handle 0xDA00, DMI type 218, 251 bytes.
OEM-specific Type
 Header and Data:
  DA FB 00 DA B2 00 0D 5F 0F 37 40 7D 00 00 00 00
  00 7E 00 02 00 00 00 40 00 04 00 01 00 41 00 04
  00 00 00 90 00 05 00 00 00 91 00 05 00 01 00 92
  00 05 00 02 00 65 00 06 00 00 00 66 00 06 00 01
  00 5E 00 07 00 01 00 5F 00 07 00 00 00 F1 00 08
  00 00 00 F2 00 08 00 01 00 F3 00 08 00 02 00 0F
  00 09 00 00 00 11 00 09 00 01 00 05 00 09 00 02
  00 12 00 09 00 03 00 06 00 09 00 04 00 31 00 0A
  00 00 00 32 00 0A 00 01 00 33 00 0A 00 02 00 34
  00 0A 00 03 00 35 00 0A 00 04 00 07 00 0B 00 00
  00 0B 00 0B 00 01 00 0C 00 0B 00 02 00 0D 00 0B
  00 03 00 89 01 0C 00 00 00 8A 01 0C 00 01 00 42
  00 0D 00 01 00 43 00 0D 00 00 00 55 00 0E 00 00
  00 6D 00 0E 00 01 00 98 01 0E 00 02 00 0A 01 0F
  00 01 00 0B 01 0F 00 00 00 2D 00 10 00 02 00 27
  01 10 00 03 00 FF FF 00 00 00 00

Handle 0xDA01, DMI type 218, 251 bytes.
OEM-specific Type
 Header and Data:
  DA FB 01 DA B2 00 0D 5F 0F 37 40 6E 00 10 00 01
  00 2E 00 10 00 00 00 11 01 11 00 00 00 10 01 11
  00 01 00 F0 00 12 00 01 00 ED 00 12 00 00 00 41
  01 13 00 01 00 40 01 13 00 00 00 4A 01 14 00 00
  00 4B 01 14 00 01 00 52 01 15 00 01 00 53 01 15
  00 00 00 80 01 16 00 01 00 7F 01 16 00 00 00 7C
  01 17 00 01 00 7B 01 17 00 00 00 7E 01 18 00 01
  00 7D 01 18 00 00 00 92 01 19 00 00 00 91 01 19
  00 01 00 94 01 1A 00 00 00 93 01 1A 00 01 00 86
  01 1B 00 01 00 85 01 1B 00 00 00 82 01 1C 00 01
  00 81 01 1C 00 00 00 84 01 1D 00 01 00 83 01 1D
  00 00 00 9B 01 1E 00 00 00 9C 01 1E 00 01 00 9D
  01 1E 00 02 00 9E 01 1E 00 03 00 8D 01 1F 00 00
  00 8E 01 1F 00 01 00 EA 00 20 00 00 00 EB 00 20
  00 01 00 EC 00 20 00 02 00 28 00 21 00 00 00 29
  00 21 00 01 00 FF FF 00 00 00 00

Handle 0xDA02, DMI type 218, 239 bytes.
OEM-specific Type
 Header and Data:
  DA EF 02 DA B2 00 0D 5F 0F 37 40 2A 00 21 00 02
  00 2B 00 22 00 00 00 2C 00 23 00 00 00 E7 00 24
  00 01 00 E6 00 24 00 00 00 0E 01 25 00 01 00 0F
  01 25 00 00 00 9B 00 26 00 01 00 9C 00 26 00 00
  00 87 00 27 00 01 00 88 00 27 00 00 00 D1 00 28
  00 01 00 D2 00 28 00 00 00 E8 00 29 00 01 00 E9
  00 29 00 00 00 51 01 2A 00 00 00 50 01 2A 00 01
  00 12 01 2B 00 01 00 13 01 2B 00 00 00 87 01 2C
  00 00 00 88 01 2C 00 01 00 01 01 2D 00 00 00 02
  01 2D 00 01 00 04 01 2D 00 02 00 45 01 45 01 01
  00 44 01 44 01 00 00 00 80 00 80 01 00 00 A0 00
  A0 01 00 05 80 05 80 01 00 76 01 76 01 01 00 75
  01 75 01 01 00 9F 01 9F 01 00 00 A0 01 A0 01 01
  00 01 F0 01 F0 00 00 02 F0 02 F0 00 00 03 F0 03
  F0 00 00 04 F0 04 F0 00 00 FF FF 00 00 00 00

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 24 bytes.
BIOS Information
 Vendor: Dell Inc.
 Version: A01
 Release Date: 03/23/2006
 Address: 0xF0000
 Runtime Size: 64 kB
 ROM Size: 576 kB
 Characteristics:
  ISA is supported
  PCI is supported
  PC Card (PCMCIA) is supported
  PNP is supported
  BIOS is upgradeable
  BIOS shadowing is allowed
  Boot from CD is...

OK I installed the latest stable kernel from kernels.org ( 2.6.17.7), installed the latest fglrx driver from ATI and all now works on the Radeon Express 200.

Looking through the kernel changelogs I think this issue was fixed in 2.6.16. Anyway, this problem should be resolved if/when Dapper moves up to a newer kernel release.

Dapper will not be updated to a new kernel release. However, if you can pinpoint the changeset that fixes this problem it can possible be backported into dapper.

Edgy has 2.6.17, so assuming fixed there.

With the Shuttle XPC ST20G5 the kernel peramiters I had to pass to install were:

acpi=off

and

irqpoll (fixed the mounting root file system freeze)

Hope this helps

I too have a motherboard with the ATI xpress 200 chipset. I attempted lasercat's settings and tried "acpi=off irqpoll" with no success on Edgy Eft which uses the 2.6.17 kernel. As of 2.6.16, there are some fixes with IRQ issues being resolved but the problem as a whole still exists with ACPI.

Ubuntu Edgy Eft Knot 1: acpi=off irqpoll

MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC
PCI Cannot allocate resource region 3 of device

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I've added egdy kernel to the list. However, I am not absolutely sure that this isn't a BIOS bug, since it seems to affect mainly ASUS mother boards.

I am also running an Shuttle ST20G5. After adding clock=pit to the boot parameters, the BIOS bug message is shown, but the boot process continues.

The Ubuntu 6.06 install CD does the 8254 timer error for me as well. I'm running on an Abit AT8 series motherboard with an AMD64 Athlon.

I have the exact same problem with lockups during installation of Edgy i386 on a HP Pavilion AMD64 PC.

The computer has an Amethyst motherboard and Phoenix
BIOS, so the problem is not restricted to ASUS motherboards.

I previously had to install dapper with -nodma, to avoid
lockups when mounting CD-ROMs.

I have the same problem as some other peopel in this thread. If i am try to install dapper i get this message:

Uncompressing Linux... Ok, bootin the Kernel.
[17179571.480000].. MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC
[17179571.860000] PCI: Cannot allocate resource region 3 of device 0000:00:00.0

If i am start with "acpi=off" (or a similar bootoption) i get only the third message. I've tried lot of other bootoptions but nothing has an positiv effekt.

My Motherboard: Asus P4RD1 with a *******Ati Xpress 200 onboard graphic

Could people who are hitting this on edgy please try the following two kernel parameters (one at a time and both together)

acpi_skip_timer_override
enable_8254_timer

and let me know if they change anything? It would be especially helpful to know if enable_8254_timer makes your clock run twice as fast as it should.

Both boot-options removes the freeze at first, and I get to the
next installation stage with the graphical splash, where the
installation hangs at "mounting live-user" or similar.

The first boot-option produces the output at tty0:
cannot allocate region 3 of device 0000:00:00.0

and the second boot-option produces:
MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC
cannot allocate region 3 of device 0000:00:00.0

Ok. Can you boot with the acpi_skip_timer_override argument and without the splash argument, then see what happens?

After booting with "acpi_skip_timer_override" there appears
to be a problem with the CDROM driver at the second stage
(probably caused by some IRQ problems - I also tried booting
with "nodma", but that went even worse).

The CDROM drive makes a sounds like the CDROM media
might be damaged and the installation halts, so I burned a new imaged and checked the md5sum - and the install CD is fine.

I attached a screendump, but I doubt it's helpful.

Booting with the "enable_8254_timer" option seems to screw up the CDROM driver even worse, and the annoying sound starts already while loading the ramdisk image.

I had the same probleme !

Computer : Acer Aspire 5024 WLMI (turion)
ubuntu version : Edgy Eft knot 2
Can't boot with traditionnal options ...

But the computer boots with these options :
acpi=off
irqpoll
xforcevesa

But : i've got a black screen. Gnome seems to open because i can hear the music ... but no image even in safe graphic mode !

So i had to switch for another console and make a dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg with vesa solution ... AND IT WORKED !

@Matthew Garrett

Nothing changed if i try the both bootoptions.

btw: If i try to install Ubuntu 5.10 it skip the error... and everything is well. But i would like to install dapper drake...

Edgy Knot3 : same probleme
... and the computer boots with these options :
acpi=off
irqpoll
xforcevesa
... but it seems xforcevesa does not "work" ...
with a dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg, choosing vesa graphic driver, it works...

Acer Ferrari 4005 AMD Turion 64 with ATI mobility radeon X700
Knot 3 & all updates.
Last tried 7:30 p.m. EST.

Error message
12.105122
MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC
kernel direct mapping
tables up to fee 01000 @ 8000-8000

Now, having said that, I did modify the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file to include the line:

Option "MonitorLayout" "LVDS,AUTO"

I always do this. Laptop monitor doesn't work otherwise.

Guessing this is the same as the MP-BIOS bug, in which case it should be fixed in edgy, and in dapper-proposed.

Guessed wrong. I have the latest edgy, and it was NOT fixed
until yesterday. Now it is patch-fixed somehow, but Edgy
gets stuck and loads VERY VERY slowly. I am in a library
computer far from home as I read this, but will send bug
reports this evening.
Susan Cragin

As of Edgy kernel 2.6.17.9.23 on AMD64, the bootup error message flashes the following message:

8254 timer not connected

and then goes very slowly and grinds to a halt with the following message:

[22.xxxxxx] irq 233: nobody cared (try booting with the "irqpoll" option
[22.xxxxxx] handlers:
[22.xxxxxx] [<ffffffff881110c0>]
(ohchi_irq_handler*0x0/0x7ff [ochi 1394]
[22.xxxxxx] Disabling IRQ #233

and then starts again.

I was told on a MEPIS web site that my problem MIGHT be PARTLY that my BIOS should be upgraded from S3A19 to 3A23, but I have not tried this yet.

That message on its own isn't necessarily a problem. Can you boot in
rescue mode and see if there's any other relevant looking output?

--
Matthew Garrett | <email address hidden>

Also output from "lspci -vv" and "lspci -vvn" (attached, not pasted in comments) would be helpful to see what devices are on that IRQ (besides the firewire controller).

Ubuntu edgy knot 3 - daily build (september 26th, 2006)

FIXED !!!

...but still have the graphic problem (black screen event hough i have selected xforcevesa ...

You can find in attachment a lspci-vv.txt file for my Acer Aspire 5024WLMI

Here is the lspci -vv

here is the lspci -vvn
These files are from my Acer Ferrari. All Edgy updates current as of this moment.
No other problems except that the kernel doesn't load the bcmw.... to run the wireless. But I'll report that elsewhere.

Motherboard:
    CPU Type Intel Pentium 4 630, 3600 MHz (15 x 240)
    Motherboard Name DFI LANParty 925X-T2 (3 PCI, 2 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Dual Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
    Motherboard Chipset Intel Alderwood i925X
    System Memory 1024 MB (DDR2-533 DDR2 SDRAM)
    BIOS Type Award (07/28/04)
    Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
    Communication Port Bluetooth Communications Port (COM3)
    Communication Port Bluetooth Communications Port (COM4)

   Display:
    Video Adapter RADEON X800GT Secondary (256 MB)
    Video Adapter RADEON X800GT (256 MB)
    3D Accelerator ATI Radeon X800 GT PCI-E (R423)
    Monitor ViewSonic VA902 [19" LCD] (PSS060772063)

   Multimedia:
    Audio Adapter Creative SB X-Fi XtremeMusic/Platinum Sound Card

   Storage:
    IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 266F
    Storage Controller D346PRT SCSI Controller
    Storage Controller Intel(R) ICH6R SATA RAID Controller
    Storage Controller VAX347S SCSI Controller
    Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
    Disk Drive ST3200822AS (200 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA)
    Disk Drive WDC WD800JB-00FMA0 (74 GB, IDE)
    Optical Drive LITE-ON COMBO LTC-48161H (DVD:16x, CD:48x/24x/48x DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
    Optical Drive LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1673S (DVD+R9:4x, DVD+RW:16x/8x, DVD-RW:16x/6x, DVD-ROM:16x, CD:48x/24x/48x DVD+RW/DVD-RW)
    SMART Hard Disks Status Unknown

ubuntu at startup showw this screen -->
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/martakakis/IMG_0010.jpg

I had the exact same problem and i managed to fix it by randomly changing my PCI-Express BIOS settings
I spent weeks trying to figure out why it was freezing loading ubuntu, even from the livecd, then i tried unpluging my pci-express card and pluging in the integrated graphics and it worked! so i thought it was my graphics card (ati) so i changed it for my mums just to test it but still locked up. so i thought.. must be a pci-express problem.

heres how i fixed it.

1. restart and go into the BIOS settings (usually F2 or del)

2. go to the advanced options > Chipset Configuration > PCI Express Configuration

3. then disable the option 'Compliance Test Pattern

4. you may still get the
4294671.433000] PCI: Cannot allocate resource of region 3 of device 0000:00:00.0
[4294671.433000] PCI: Cannot allocate resource of region 3 of device 0000:01:00.0
[4294671.433000] PCI: Cannot allocate resource of region 0 of device 0000:02:00.0

errors flicker on the screen but at least mine booted and worked sweet after i did that

hope it helped

I get the message but it doesn't freeze anything. Hardy & 2.6.24-17-generic & Fujitsu Siemens L1310G laptop (see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam/FujitsuAmiloL1310G)

[4294671.433000]..MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC

Adding 'noapic' in the GRUB startup line removes the error (as suggested for example here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=166212&highlight=MP-BIOS+bug) but I don't know if it causes some other issues.

btw, is https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.20/+bug/91279 a duplicate of this?