Frequent lockups :(

[ToddAndMargo]

On 03/28/2016 06:11 AM, brian wrote:
>
> Is there anybody else out there using Debian Jessie 64-bit and XFCE on
> an AMD PC who, for the 3 or 4 days, has been seeing frequent lockups
> of their PC? The crashes seem to occur when I'm using a browser, and
> using Iceweasel is worse than using Chromium. When it happens, that's
> it, everything locks solid, mouse cursor won't move, the keyboard
> doesn't appear to work, the display clock stops, the only thing I can
> do is to use the reboot switch. The only thing I notice is that the
> drive access light is still flickering (once every 5-10 seconds) and
> there's been a disk repair needed every time I've had to reboot.
>
> I know there was an amd64-microcode package in the last bunch of
> updates, it's for AMD processors other than mine (a Phenom II 6-core)
> so I uninstalled that, with no apparent effect on the problem.
>
> The 'about XFCE' dialog gives the version as "4.10, distributed by
> Debian".
>
> Anybody have any ideas, please? The lockups are happening every couple
> of hours or so.
>
> Thanks.

Hi Brian,

Sorry for the late response.  I did not read through many of the other
responses, so I do not know if I am repeating what others have
mentioned.

I see this in Windows machines all the time.  When the issue isn't
Windows itself (don't get me started), it is usually caused by
the fan on the video card seizing up.

The symptom is one of the the straw that broke the camel's back.
Everything seems okay, until the graphics processor get a task,
then mouse, keyboard, monitor freeze.  Whatever was on your screen
stays there like a permanent painting.

Open your case and check all your fans.  If you blow out your fans,
remember to not let the blades spin as it will generate a current
(fans are reservable generators) and burn your PWM or other
circuits out.

Hope this helps,
-T