Kernel Panic, Flashing Caps Lock Light

[ov10fac]

I have searched all over and not found an answer to this question. It seems to be a problem in Ubuntu and Fedora, so I am thinking a kernel problem.

I run F12 and F13 Beta on a Thinkpad T41 Pent M with 1.9 MHz speed. I have 1.2 GB ram and a 120GB drive. Both F12 and F13 will run fine, sometimes for hours, then all of a sudden a black screen and a cursor that will not move. The only other indication is a flashing Caps Lock Light.

From what I have read, this indicates a kernel panic and seems to be a problem with the wifi module, but I haven't found a definitive fix for Fedora.

Anyone else having this problem, or have it solved?

Thanks in advance.

John

[BugRocks1]

From what I read those blinking lights are a sign of hard lock of the kernel and mostly caused by some buggy driver not necessarely the wifi one.

It can send messages to:

/var/log/messages
/var/log/dmesg

About kernel panics for the MAC's but most reasons are valid for Linux too.
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html

Current top 10 issues
http://www.kerneloops.org/

How to debug kernel oops. This could help you narrow it down
http://kernelpanic.blogspot.com/2007...rnel-oops.html

[ov10fac]

Thank you.

I checked both logs, nothing. I have read this is typical of this failure. The failure happens so fast and so completely that no logs get written.

I will check the other links later today.

John

[droidhacker]

That's what makes kernel crashes so hard to deal with.....
Unfortunately, the simplest way to track this problem may be by swapping out HARDWARE -- I'll explain this; knowing that this problem is specific to YOUR machine and doesn't seem to affect others, and also knowing that it is across TWO distros, you can be fairly sure that there is something unique/broken about your HARDWARE that triggers it. By swapping part by part, you can track the specific component that triggers it, which may allow you to adjust the driver for it, or look up if other people are having similar issues with the same component. Yes, I know you have a laptop -- though generally more like a "single item", there are many removable components.

Also note: a very likely cause for kernel problems is actually BAD RAM. A general kind of sudden lockup really does point to this possibility. If you have access to more (compatible) ram, I would try that first.

[ov10fac]

That's what makes kernel crashes so hard to deal with.....
Unfortunately, the simplest way to track this problem may be by swapping out HARDWARE -- I'll explain this; knowing that this problem is specific to YOUR machine and doesn't seem to affect others, and also knowing that it is across TWO distros, you can be fairly sure that there is something unique/broken about your HARDWARE that triggers it. By swapping part by part, you can track the specific component that triggers it, which may allow you to adjust the driver for it, or look up if other people are having similar issues with the same component. Yes, I know you have a laptop -- though generally more like a "single item", there are many removable components.

Also note: a very likely cause for kernel problems is actually BAD RAM. A general kind of sudden lockup really does point to this possibility. If you have access to more (compatible) ram, I would try that first.

I can do that. I have two ram modules and I am using a PCM/CIA wireless card. So I can do some swapping to see what happens.

Thanks for the suggestions.

John

[sammyboy]

T41 with 1.6ghz and onboard Atheros AR5212 802.11

Since I upgraded my ubuntu installation to 10.04 I've had identical symptoms.

I've been experiencing the same kernel loop as you and always when I was using the internet.

Strange thing is I've worked around it by switching from Google Chrome to Firefox. Haven't had a crash since?!?!? I know this sounds strange but... ...well it's what happened.

Hope this helps.

[Infinye]

I dont know if tis helps anyone, but I was experincing a similar problem in a fresh Fedora 17 install. My problem was due to a hardware issue as DroidHacker correctly explained. I was lucky enough to find it, mine was easy. The box that I installed Fedora 17 onto had a fairly decent graphics card, which contained only two outputs, both DVI. I was going to use the Fedora box as a websever so I just dug out an old crap monitor to use on it, assuming most of the time I'd be using SSH or VNC. Well the crap monitor, while still s fsirly nre flatscreen (not HD) monitor, it onlu had inputs for VGA and S-video. I bought an adaper DVI-VGA, and connect them, DVI from Linuz Source to VGA input on old monitor. Now I experice random crashes where my keyboard lights flash (Kernel Panic.) I labored for days tring to fin the logs and determine the cause. Often when presented any quandry, the simplest solution is almost always the right one so Just went ahead and used the exact same cable /w DVI to VGA on one end and VGA on the other and connected it to a different monitor, newer and slightly better (This new one DOES support HD) and it's workd like a charm. I know the analog VGA cable can not transfer High Def, and I've used the exact same chord, so I'm not sure where the problem ever truly was but it is resolved. Moral of the story, rule out the most simple/apparent and likely cases first. Your issue is most likely dues to something FAR less complecated then you may believe.