Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

switching2Devuan · Yesterday 18:24:03

Hello everybody,

I've been using Chimaera 4.0 on a laptop for about 3.5 years now and the reason why I have hardly visited this forum to look for help was because the system has been rockstable and a dependable basis for my daily tasks.
At least until about 4-6 weeks ago.

First off the specs:
- Toshiba Satellite laptop (from 2009)
- Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU T4300 @ 2.10GHz
- Intel Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller
- 4 GB RAM
- 500 GB HD
- DE is LXDE
- Dual-boot setup (Devuan Chimaera and Win 7)

Starting around mid november, I experienced irregular complete freezings of the whole system without a chance of recovering.
Sound playback would be repeated with the last second in an infinite loop and the keyboard would not react whatsoever, which left me unable to drop to a terminal to see what was going on.
The only solution to this is pressing the power button for a few seconds.

The first time this happened, I was playing a game over WINE.
After this freeze had happened a few times I thought that it had to do with WINE.
But then it also happened while playing another game natively and also when I was just watching a video with vlc.
So I figured that it could have to do with the integrated graphics chipset until it also happened when I was just listening to music with audacious.
Otherwise the system is stable and solid as always and will run many hours a day without hiccup.

OOM does not seem to be an issue as I've had those freezes with as little as 600 MB of RAM being used and well over 2 GB of free RAM.
Lockups/freezes when playing a game or listening to music are very irregular and can occur anywhere between a few minutes to well over an hour. Sometimes I can play for 1,5 hours and nothing freezes at all.

The funny thing is that I have done all of the now suspected activities within the last 3+ years without any problem.
As I update my system from time to time, it could theoretically be that some program/library was updated that's been causing problems on my system.

What I have done so far:
- After being frozen, I let the system run for more than an hour to see if it might recover --> no change though
- I ran Memtest to check for faulty memory --> no errors after 2+ hours and 2 complete passes
- I monitored cpu-temperatures on the desktop --> freezes occured even at a very low 43 °C (temperatures close to 60 °C when running Memtest were not a problem)

My question now is what else I should look into to find the cause of this erratic system behavior.
If someone wants to take a look at some log, I will be happy to provide it.

Any support is appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

kapqa · Yesterday 18:30:53

one good thing about those older laptop is that often the CPUs are socketed;

if you happen to open the laptop for inspection, you could wish for a faster CPU;

have upgraded several laptop, also one running Chimaera (fujitsu) , that one from a dual-core to a quad-core cpu;
it had howeever already a tast T9900 cpu installed;

the T4300 is probably a bit lame (please dont take it personally) for 2026,

you could check your specs and see if it would accept the highest rated CPU it once shipped with (maybe it could be T7500 or simiilar)

best wishes.

switching2Devuan · Yesterday 18:42:11

the T4300 is probably a bit lame (please dont take it personally) for 2026,

No worries.

I could look into upgrading the cpu of course (although the speed is sufficient for what I am using this laptop for) but I just have the feeling that a different cpu won't solve the current problem.

Last edited by switching2Devuan (Yesterday 18:44:35)

greenjeans · Yesterday 20:29:42

Can you narrow down when this started with respect to package upgrades (if any)?

If you haven't updated recently and the problems just started out of the blue, then I suspect that's old hardware giving up the ghost slowly.

I have a 2005 lappy, old Athlon chip and 1 gb of ram that i've nursed along for quite a few years, but it started doing something similar and then just got worse until one day it simply would not power up.

rbit · Yesterday 20:31:44

My first suspicion was possible overheaing, and I would recommend blowing out any buildup of dust from the vents, but you seem to have ruled that out already with temperature monitoring.

Next, following this line...

switching2Devuan wrote:

As I update my system from time to time, it could theoretically be that some program/library was updated that's been causing problems on my system.

check your /var/log/apt/history.log and see if there was anything added/updated around the time the issue started.

greenjeans · Yesterday 20:45:18

Check your other thread OP, this may be related to: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo … ug=1123750

It's the same kernel that's giving you problems, just manifests differently maybe.

switching2Devuan · Yesterday 21:42:43

Can you narrow down when this started with respect to package upgrades (if any)?

With the hint from "rbit", I searched the logs. As the freezes started occuring sometime by the end of november, I only looked for entries that occured in november (starting november 1st):

Start-Date: 2025-11-01  12:51:04
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: xserver-xorg-core:amd64 (2:1.20.11-1+deb11u16, 2:1.20.11-1+deb11u17), python-pip-whl:amd64 (20.3.4-4+deb11u1, 20.3.4>
End-Date: 2025-11-01  12:51:53

Start-Date: 2025-11-04  12:51:18
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: gimp-data:amd64 (2.10.22-4+deb11u3, 2.10.22-4+deb11u4), libdcmtk15:amd64 (3.6.5-1+deb11u4, 3.6.5-1+deb11u5), gimp:amd64 (2.10.22-4+deb11u3, 2.10.22-4+deb11u4), libgimp2.0:amd64 (2.10.22-4+deb11u3, 2.10.22-4+deb11u4)
End-Date: 2025-11-04  12:52:00

Start-Date: 2025-11-05  19:27:50
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: bind9-host:amd64 (1:9.16.50-1~deb11u3, 1:9.16.50-1~deb11u4), bind9-dnsutils:amd64 (1:9.16.50-1~deb11u3, 1:9.16.50-1~deb11u4), bind9-libs:amd64 (1:9.16.50-1~deb11u3, 1:9.16.50-1~deb11u4)
End-Date: 2025-11-05  19:28:06

Start-Date: 2025-11-05  20:39:39
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Install: vectoroids:amd64 (1.1.0-15+b1)
End-Date: 2025-11-05  20:39:46

Start-Date: 2025-11-05  20:43:09
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Install: torus-trooper-data:amd64 (0.22.dfsg1-12, automatic), libbulletml0v5:amd64 (0.0.6-7, automatic), torus-trooper:amd64 (0.22.dfsg1-12+b1), libgphobos1:amd64 (10.2.1-6, automatic)
End-Date: 2025-11-05  20:43:15

Start-Date: 2025-11-14  18:24:25
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: libarchive13:amd64 (3.4.3-2+deb11u2, 3.4.3-2+deb11u3), firefox-esr-l10n-de:amd64 (140.4.0esr-1~deb11u1, 140.5.0esr-1~deb11u1), firefox-esr:amd64 (140.4.0esr-1~deb11u1, 140.5.0esr-1~deb11u1)
End-Date: 2025-11-14  18:25:00

Start-Date: 2025-11-18  17:34:05
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: gstreamer1.0-gl:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), thunderbird:amd64 (1:140.4.0esr-1~deb11u1, 1:140.5.0esr-1~deb11u1), libgstreamer-gl1.0-0:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), gstreamer1.0-alsa:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), gir1.2-gst-plugins-base-1.0:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), gstreamer1.0-x:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), gstreamer1.0-plugins-base:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0:amd64 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4), libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0:i386 (1.18.4-2+deb11u3, 1.18.4-2+deb11u4)
End-Date: 2025-11-18  17:34:56

Start-Date: 2025-11-23  11:53:44
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-4.0:amd64 (2.48.5-1~deb11u1, 2.50.1-1~deb11u1), gir1.2-webkit2-4.0:amd64 (2.48.5-1~deb11u1, 2.50.1-1~deb11u1), libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18:amd64 (2.48.5-1~deb11u1, 2.50.1-1~deb11u1), libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37:amd64 (2.48.5-1~deb11u1, 2.50.1-1~deb11u1)
End-Date: 2025-11-23  11:54:06

Start-Date: 2025-11-23  21:44:17
Requested-By: mt (1074)
End-Date: 2025-11-23  21:44:18

Start-Date: 2025-11-23  21:44:45
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Remove: python3-pyparsing:amd64 (2.4.7-1), python3-packaging:amd64 (20.9-2), python3-gpg:amd64 (1.14.0-1+b2), torbrowser-launcher:amd64 (0.3.3-6)
End-Date: 2025-11-23  21:45:05

Start-Date: 2025-11-23  22:34:01
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Install: python3-pyparsing:amd64 (2.4.7-1, automatic), python3-packaging:amd64 (20.9-2, automatic), python3-gpg:amd64 (1.14.0-1+b2, automatic), torbrowser-launcher:amd64 (0.3.3-6)
End-Date: 2025-11-23  22:34:11

Start-Date: 2025-11-29  12:15:19
Requested-By: mt (1074)
Upgrade: cups-filters:amd64 (1.28.7-1+deb11u3, 1.28.7-1+deb11u4), libsnmp-base:amd64 (5.9+dfsg-4+deb11u1, 5.9+dfsg-4+deb11u2), libsnmp40:amd64 (5.9+dfsg-4+deb11u1, 5.9+dfsg-4+deb11u2), libqt5core5a:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), qt5-gtk-platformtheme:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libqt5network5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libfontembed1:amd64 (1.28.7-1+deb11u3, 1.28.7-1+deb11u4), libwbclient0:amd64 (2:4.13.13+dfsg-1~deb11u6, 2:4.13.13+dfsg-1~deb11u7), libssh-gcrypt-4:amd64 (0.9.8-0+deb11u1, 0.9.8-0+deb11u2), libqt5dbus5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libsmbclient:amd64 (2:4.13.13+dfsg-1~deb11u6, 2:4.13.13+dfsg-1~deb11u7), libqt5test5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libqt5widgets5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), cups-filters-core-drivers:amd64 (1.28.7-1+deb11u3, 1.28.7-1+deb11u4), libqt5gui5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libqt5printsupport5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libqt5xml5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libqt5opengl5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libqt5sql5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), cups-browsed:amd64 (1.28.7-1+deb11u3, 1.28.7-1+deb11u4), libsdl2-2.0-0:amd64 (2.0.14+dfsg2-3+deb11u1, 2.0.14+dfsg2-3+deb11u2), libsdl2-2.0-0:i386 (2.0.14+dfsg2-3+deb11u1, 2.0.14+dfsg2-3+deb11u2), samba-libs:amd64 (2:4.13.13+dfsg-1~deb11u6, 2:4.13.13+dfsg-1~deb11u7), libqt5sql5-sqlite:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u2), libcupsfilters1:amd64 (1.28.7-1+deb11u3, 1.28.7-1+deb11u4)
End-Date: 2025-11-29  12:17:05

Except for the manual installation of 2 games that i wanted to try out, everything else was installed via "aptitude update" and "aptitude upgrade".

...then I suspect that's old hardware giving up the ghost slowly

While I cannot completely exclude this possibility, I dare to say that it's neither cpu nor RAM-related, as the system has been running for many hours now without any hitch. But then again, I haven't run any games nor watched any videos or listened to music.

...and I would recommend blowing out any buildup of dust from the vents

That's another thing that I have done about 3 weeks ago.
In one way it is a good thing that this apparently was not the cause (...hoping that the issue is software-related).

It's the same kernel that's giving you problems, just manifests differently maybe.

I really DO wish it was the kernel. Because that would be very easy to solve.
But the issues started well before the installation of that kernel (which never showed up on the boot menu anyway).

kapqa · Yesterday 21:42:55

you still could check if on the windows 7 side you have similar problems;

on myz fujutsu am practically stuck with w7 (next to linux) since with w10 it would immediatelz crash thanks to a buggy nvidia-card or driver issues; on windows 7 it is quite rock-stable only would shutdown if would tax the nvidia-graphics heavy heavily which i don't , but with win10 it would crash immedtaley.

EDIT: ah sorry, crosspost, the laptop in question is still running devuan 3.0, not devuan 4.0; (thanks to nvidia-driver issues).

Last edited by kapqa (Yesterday 21:46:08)

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#1 Yesterday 18:24:03

Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#2 Yesterday 18:30:53

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#3 Yesterday 18:42:11

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#4 Yesterday 20:29:42

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#5 Yesterday 20:31:44

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#6 Yesterday 20:45:18

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#7 Yesterday 21:42:43

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

#8 Yesterday 21:42:55

Re: Chimaera started freezing completely under certain occasions

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