Sweating replacing my Motherboard

[Thiudans]

OK---

So suddenly my rock-stable system goes into a hard freeze randomly. The freeze is so hard that even the Magic Key Sequence (Left ALT+Sys Req+ REISUB) doesn't wake it up. Of course, I check out the forums and see that Ubuntu 12.04 has/had some issues with freezing. I update my kernel from 3.2 to 3.5, and it still freezes randomly. I replace the HDD and no change, I run memtest86+ for 8+ hours and the memory is just dandy.... I disable my wireless card and still I get the random freeze. Remove proprietary ATI drivers, system still freezes.

OK, lets try non-Ubuntu distros!

Fedora 18--freeze when running from boot disk. (Uses kernel 3.7, FWIW....)

Debian--kernel 2.6, feeezes.

So, is my motherboard the most likely issue, or something else? I think so, but I don't want to part with my $$$$. :-)

Here is the output from lshw:

kubuntu-64                
    description: Notebook
    product: HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC (WG457AV)
    vendor: Hewlett-Packard
    version: 0486100000242B20000630000
    serial: Guess me
    width: 64 bits
    capabilities: smbios-2.6 dmi-2.6 vsyscall32
    configuration: boot=normal chassis=notebook family=103C_5335KV sku=WG457AV uuid=434E4630-3236-335A-4342-C80AA9DDA16F
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       product: 1440
       vendor: Hewlett-Packard
       physical id: 0
       version: 67.33
       serial: Guess me
       slot: Base Board Chassis Location
     *-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: Hewlett-Packard
          physical id: 0
          version: F.28
          date: 04/11/2011
          size: 1MiB
          capacity: 1984KiB
          capabilities: isa pci pnp upgrade shadowing escd cdboot bootselect int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer acpi usb agp smartbattery biosbootspecification
     *-cpu
          description: CPU
          product: AMD Phenom(tm) II N930 Quad-Core Processor
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: c
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: AMD Phenom(tm) II N930 Quad-Core Processor
          serial: NotSupport
          slot: Socket S1G4
          size: 800MHz
          capacity: 2GHz
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 200MHz
          capabilities: x86-64 fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp 3dnowext 3dnow constant_tsc rep_good nopl nonstop_tsc extd_apicid pni monitor cx16 popcnt lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs skinit wdt nodeid_msr hw_pstate npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save cpufreq
          configuration: cores=4 enabledcores=4 threads=4
        *-cache:0
             description: L1 cache
             physical id: d
             slot: L1 Cache
             size: 512KiB
             capacity: 512KiB
             capabilities: synchronous internal write-back unified
        *-cache:1
             description: L2 cache
             physical id: e
             slot: L2 Cache
             size: 2MiB
             capacity: 2MiB
             capabilities: synchronous internal write-back unified
     *-memory
          description: System Memory
          physical id: f
          slot: System board or motherboard
          size: 8GiB
        *-bank:0
             description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1334 MHz (0.7 ns)
             product: M471B5273CH0-CH9
             vendor: Samsung
             physical id: 0
             serial: 75009BB0
             slot: Bottom - Slot 1 (top)
             size: 4GiB
             width: 8 bits
             clock: 1334MHz (0.7ns)
        *-bank:1
             description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1334 MHz (0.7 ns)
             product: M471B5273CH0-CH9
             vendor: Samsung
             physical id: 1
             serial: 4738C895
             slot: Bottom - Slot 2 (under)
             size: 4GiB
             width: 8 bits
             clock: 1334MHz (0.7ns)
     *-pci:0
          description: Host bridge
          product: RS880 Host Bridge
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: 100
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 66MHz
        *-pci:0
             description: PCI bridge
             product: RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (int gfx)
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pci ht normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             resources: ioport:4000(size=4096) memory:f0300000-f04fffff ioport:d0000000(size=268435456)
           *-display
                description: VGA compatible controller
                product: RS880M [Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Series]
                vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
                physical id: 5
                bus info: pci@0000:01:05.0
                version: 00
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
                configuration: driver=radeon latency=0
                resources: irq:18 memory:d0000000-dfffffff ioport:4000(size=256) memory:f0400000-f040ffff memory:f0300000-f03fffff
        *-pci:1
             description: PCI bridge
             product: RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (ext gfx port 0)
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pm pciexpress msi ht normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:40 ioport:3000(size=4096) memory:f0200000-f02fffff ioport:e0000000(size=268435456)
           *-generic:0
                description: Unassigned class
                product: Illegal Vendor ID
                vendor: Illegal Vendor ID
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
                version: ff
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 66MHz
                capabilities: bus_master vga_palette cap_list rom
                configuration: driver=radeon latency=255 maxlatency=255 mingnt=255
                resources: irq:44 memory:e0000000-efffffff memory:f0200000-f021ffff ioport:3000(size=256) memory:f0240000-f025ffff
           *-generic:1
                description: Unassigned class
                product: Illegal Vendor ID
                vendor: Illegal Vendor ID
                physical id: 0.1
                bus info: pci@0000:02:00.1
                version: ff
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 66MHz
                capabilities: bus_master vga_palette cap_list
                configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=255 maxlatency=255 mingnt=255
                resources: irq:19 memory:f0220000-f0223fff
        *-pci:2
             description: PCI bridge
             product: RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 5
             bus info: pci@0000:00:05.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pm pciexpress msi ht normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:41 memory:f0100000-f01fffff
           *-network
                description: Wireless interface
                product: AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
                vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
                logical name: wlan0
                version: 01
                serial: c4:46:19:77:90:c3
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
                configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath9k driverversion=3.5.0-21-generic firmware=N/A ip=172.17.100.100 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
                resources: irq:17 memory:f0100000-f010ffff
        *-pci:3
             description: PCI bridge
             product: RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 2)
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 6
             bus info: pci@0000:00:06.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pm pciexpress msi ht normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:42 ioport:2000(size=4096) memory:f0600000-f0afffff ioport:f0000000(size=1048576)
           *-network
                description: Ethernet interface
                product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller
                vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
                logical name: eth0
                version: 03
                serial: c8:0a:a9:dd:a1:6f
                size: 10Mbit/s
                capacity: 1Gbit/s
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
                configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half firmware=rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s
                resources: irq:43 ioport:2000(size=256) memory:f0004000-f0004fff memory:f0000000-f0003fff memory:f0010000-f001ffff
        *-storage
             description: SATA controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 11
             bus info: pci@0000:00:11.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: storage ahci_1.0 bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ahci latency=64
             resources: irq:19 ioport:5038(size=8) ioport:504c(size=4) ioport:5030(size=8) ioport:5048(size=4) ioport:5010(size=16) memory:f0508000-f05083ff
        *-usb:0
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 12
             bus info: pci@0000:00:12.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: ohci bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:18 memory:f0507000-f0507fff
        *-usb:1
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 12.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:12.2
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:17 memory:f0508600-f05086ff
        *-usb:2
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 13
             bus info: pci@0000:00:13.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: ohci bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:18 memory:f0506000-f0506fff
        *-usb:3
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 13.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:13.2
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:17 memory:f0508500-f05085ff
        *-serial UNCLAIMED
             description: SMBus
             product: SBx00 SMBus Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 14
             bus info: pci@0000:00:14.0
             version: 41
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             configuration: latency=0
        *-multimedia
             description: Audio device
             product: SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 14.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:14.2
             version: 40
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=64
             resources: irq:16 memory:f0500000-f0503fff
        *-isa
             description: ISA bridge
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 14.3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:14.3
             version: 40
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: isa bus_master
             configuration: latency=0
        *-pci:4
             description: PCI bridge
             product: SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 14.4
             bus info: pci@0000:00:14.4
             version: 40
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pci subtractive_decode bus_master
        *-usb:4
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 14.5
             bus info: pci@0000:00:14.5
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: ohci bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:18 memory:f0505000-f0505fff
        *-usb:5
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 16
             bus info: pci@0000:00:16.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: ohci bus_master
             configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:18 memory:f0504000-f0504fff
        *-usb:6
             description: USB controller
             product: SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
             vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
             physical id: 16.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:16.2
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:17 memory:f0508400-f05084ff
     *-pci:1
          description: Host bridge
          product: Family 10h Processor HyperTransport Configuration
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: 101
          bus info: pci@0000:00:18.0
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:2
          description: Host bridge
          product: Family 10h Processor Address Map
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: 102
          bus info: pci@0000:00:18.1
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:3
          description: Host bridge
          product: Family 10h Processor DRAM Controller
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: 103
          bus info: pci@0000:00:18.2
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:4
          description: Host bridge
          product: Family 10h Processor Miscellaneous Control
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: 104
          bus info: pci@0000:00:18.3
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          configuration: driver=k10temp
          resources: irq:0
     *-pci:5
          description: Host bridge
          product: Family 10h Processor Link Control
          vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
          physical id: 105
          bus info: pci@0000:00:18.4
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-scsi:0
          physical id: 1
          logical name: scsi0
          capabilities: emulated
        *-disk
             description: ATA Disk
             product: ST9500424AS
             vendor: Seagate
             physical id: 0.0.0
             bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
             logical name: /dev/sda
             version: 0001
             serial: 5WS47L8Y
             size: 465GiB (500GB)
             capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
             configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=0000f886
           *-volume:0
                description: EXT4 volume
                vendor: Linux
                physical id: 1
                bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,1
                logical name: /dev/sda1
                logical name: /
                version: 1.0
                serial: f91cd778-44ba-4fbd-8b65-bb14c3701d3f
                size: 458GiB
                capacity: 458GiB
                capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files dir_nlink recover extents ext4 ext2 initialized
                configuration: created=2013-01-07 10:39:25 filesystem=ext4 lastmountpoint=/ modified=2013-01-07 10:52:28 mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,data=ordered mounted=2013-01-16 09:59:01 state=mounted
           *-volume:1
                description: Extended partition
                physical id: 2
                bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,2
                logical name: /dev/sda2
                size: 7930MiB
                capacity: 7930MiB
                capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
              *-logicalvolume
                   description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
                   physical id: 5
                   logical name: /dev/sda5
                   capacity: 7930MiB
                   capabilities: nofs
     *-scsi:1
          physical id: 2
          logical name: scsi1
          capabilities: emulated
        *-cdrom
             description: DVD-RAM writer
             product: BDDVDRW CT21L
             vendor: hp
             physical id: 0.0.0
             bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0
             logical name: /dev/cdrom1
             logical name: /dev/cdrw1
             logical name: /dev/dvd1
             logical name: /dev/dvdrw1
             logical name: /dev/sr0
             version: 1.02
             capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
             configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
  *-battery
       product: MU09093
       vendor: Conexant (Rockwell)
       physical id: 1
       version: Unknown
       serial: Unknown
       slot: Primary
       capacity: 8400mWh
       configuration: voltage=11.1V
ebreiss@kubuntu-64:~$

[oshunluvr]

Check your power supply voltages and total wattage requirements vs. power supply rating.

Typically, if you're getting hard lock-ups without any warning (like desktop acting funky just prior) and/or nothing in log files, it's almost always hardware.

In my experience, I suspect things in this order:

PSU (both voltage and overloading)
RAM
Cooling
CPU
Motherboard

I've never had a bad video card cause a hard-lock, just a poor or no image. Overheating your CPU will definately cause it to lock. Motherboards do die, but not usually without cause.

[Thiudans]

Thanks!

I don't think it is a heating issue, as mu CPU temps all look good. I have not replaced the CPU, but it is just about as expensive as the mobo.....

RAM was memtest86+sed to death. :-) At some point I think I have to believe the test. Power supply is a power brick with an internal battery. It is possible the interface with the mobo is bad though--which means I need a mobo. :-)

So, I think I will bite the bullet and hope it is not the CPU.

Again, thanks--I just wanted a sanity check so I don't feel like I am wasting money.

Check your power supply voltages and total wattage requirements vs. power supply rating.

Typically, if you're getting hard lock-ups without any warning (like desktop acting funky just prior) and/or nothing in log files, it's almost always hardware.

In my experience, I suspect things in this order:

PSU (both voltage and overloading)
RAM
Cooling
CPU
Motherboard

I've never had a bad video card cause a hard-lock, just a poor or no image. Overheating your CPU will definately cause it to lock. Motherboards do die, but not usually without cause.

[jlittle]

Check your power supply...
In my experience, I suspect things in this order:

PSU (both voltage and overloading)
RAM
Cooling
CPU
Motherboard

+1...

Regards, John Little

[sithlord48]

[other comments no longer valid]

then i noticed this. : "HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC"
they are well known for heat issues and one of the more common problems is that the video card will pop off the mobo if the video card is removed when hot this will cause a lock up. yea BGA soldering problem is they dump so much heat into the board that it will cook away flux in the solder causing brittle solder connections .

[Thiudans]

[other comments no longer valid]

then i noticed this. : "HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC"
they are well known for heat issues and one of the more common problems is that the video card will pop off the mobo if the video card is removed when hot this will cause a lock up. yea BGA soldering problem is they dump so much heat into the board that it will cook away flux in the solder causing brittle solder connections .

Ha!

Well. I replaced the mobo, and so far so good..... Hoping for no lockup.

And the video card could well cause the problem.

[blackpaw]

Sweaty caps maybe? on the old motherboard did any of the capacitors have swollen heads?

[Thiudans]

Sweaty caps maybe? on the old motherboard did any of the capacitors have swollen heads?

No, I didn't see anything obvious--and I used to be an electronics technician, so I know what to look for. I suspect a cold solder joint or fatigue due to heating, but I was unable to locate it.