We're going to need to analyse the hung gnome-shell process. Please try to do this:
1. Install openssh-server: sudo apt install openssh-server 2. Using a second machine, log into the offending machine via SSH: ssh <USERNAME>@<HOSTNAME> where <USERNAME> is your username, and <HOSTNAME> is either hostname or the machine's IP address. 3. Reproduce the freeze. 4. From your ssh login, run: killall -TRAP -u $USER gnome-shell 5. Look in /var/crash for a newly created file, something like '_usr_bin_gnome-shell.1000.crash' 6. Upload the crash file using this command or similar: ubuntu-bug /var/crash/_usr_bin_gnome-shell.1000.crash 7. Tell use the new bug ID that was created. ** Changed in: gnome-shell (Ubuntu) Status: New => Incomplete -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to gnome-shell in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1725932 Title: gnome-shell freezes randomly Status in gnome-shell package in Ubuntu: Incomplete Bug description: +++UBUNTU RELEASE+++ Description: Ubuntu 17.10 Release: 17.10 +++PACKAGE VERSION+++ gnome-shell: Installed: 3.26.1-0ubuntu5 Candidate: 3.26.1-0ubuntu5 Version table: *** 3.26.1-0ubuntu5 500 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful-proposed/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 3.26.1-0ubuntu4 500 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/main amd64 Packages First found this bug when I copied some files into /opt/ via root access nautilus. After clicking on another window, Ubuntu froze. This happened again and possibly recreated by performing root operations and navigating around gnome. Here is something I found interesting in the /var/log/syslog: Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS kernel: [ 9031.695578] traps: gnome- shell[1813] general protection ip:7f91e14a6de2 sp:7ffd8ed31070 error:0 in libgobject-2.0.so.0.5400.1[7f91e1471000+52000] This ^ was about the time when it froze the laptop. Also it should be noted that this keeps repeating over and over: Oct 22 19:03:13 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: WARNING: addSignalMethods is replacing existing [0x564478e7a990 Gjs_ShowAppsIcon.dash-item-container] connect method Oct 22 19:03:13 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: WARNING: addSignalMethods is replacing existing [0x564478e7a990 Gjs_ShowAppsIcon.dash-item-container] disconnect method Oct 22 19:03:13 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: WARNING: addSignalMethods is replacing existing [0x564478e7a990 Gjs_ShowAppsIcon.dash-item-container] emit method Oct 22 19:03:13 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly. Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: message repeated 60 times: [ unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly.] Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: [AppIndicatorSupport-DEBUG] Reload detected, destroying old watchdog Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly. Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: message repeated 568 times: [ unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly.] Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-session[1763]: gnome-session-binary[1763]: dconf-CRITICAL: unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly. Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-session-binary[1763]: dconf-CRITICAL: unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly. Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly. Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: message repeated 30 times: [ unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Permission denied. dconf will not work properly.] Oct 22 19:03:14 hiruna-ubuntu-XPS gnome-shell[1813]: unable to create file '/run/user/1000/dconf/user': Too many open files. dconf will not work properly. I will attach a syslog below. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10 Package: gnome-shell 3.26.1-0ubuntu5 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-16.19-generic 4.13.4 Uname: Linux 4.13.0-16-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Sun Oct 22 19:18:47 2017 DisplayManager: gdm3 InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-05-24 (151 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.04 "Zesty Zapus" - Release amd64 (20170412) SourcePackage: gnome-shell UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to artful on 2017-10-19 (2 days ago) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/+bug/1725932/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp