Public bug reported: I'm a developer, so I often run two IDEs, have music playing (either flash or via rhythmbox), 15 or 20 chromium tabs open, postgres running, and one or two java webapps running. As you can imagine, this can create high load. Once I hit "99% load" (as indicated by the CPU monitor screenlet, at least), my system effectively freezes up; the mouse stops moving (it becomes laggy anywhere over 95%), music stops playing, the hard disks stop spinning/seeking (at least audibly), windows dim (showing that they're inactive), and my PC effectively becomes a brick. I've waited 10 or 15 minutes under these circumstances with nothing resurrecting itself; the only reliable way to recover is to sysrq eub (which always works, so this is not a kernel lock of some sort).
Just to preempt a possible response, I don't think "do less" is an acceptable answer here. I have a quad core PC with 4GB of RAM and a 512MB GPU; it's not the most recent machine ever, but it's not shabby either. (I also experience the same issue on my dual core laptop with SSDs.) It's the 21st century; I shouldn't be experiencing freezeup by pushing my computer to the max; if this isn't a bug (which it may well be), then it should be a high priority feature to make process management better on the desktop. The UI should always take priority on desktop installs. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10 Package: xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7.1 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-15.26-generic-pae 3.0.13 Uname: Linux 3.0.0-15-generic-pae i686 NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia .proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0' .proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: "" .proc.driver.nvidia.version: NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module 280.13 Wed Jul 27 16:55:43 PDT 2011 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.1 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3) .tmp.unity.support.test.0: ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4 Architecture: i386 CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,compiztoolbox,imgpng,resize,place,regex,snap,grid,move,mousepoll,vpswitch,gnomecompat,session,animation,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,wall,fade,ezoom,scale,workarounds,switcher] CompositorRunning: compiz Date: Fri Feb 3 08:12:26 2012 DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-10-15 08:14:39.895118 DistroCodename: oneiric DistroVariant: ubuntu EcryptfsInUse: Yes ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, whatever it takes to get this fixed in Ubuntu GraphicsCard: nVidia Corporation G92 [GeForce 8800 GT] [10de:0611] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device [3842:c800] InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427.1) JockeyStatus: xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use) xorg:nvidia_173_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use) xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use) xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use) MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name ProcEnviron: PATH=(custom, no user) LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SHELL=/bin/bash ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-15-generic-pae root=UUID=ae823574-8ab0-4e39-8f17-afc96a359d1f ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 SourcePackage: xorg UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-15 (110 days ago) dmi.bios.date: 03/17/2008 dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD dmi.bios.version: ASUS P5N-E SLI ACPI BIOS Revision 1002 dmi.board.name: P5N-E SLI dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC. dmi.board.version: 1.XX dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 123456789000 dmi.chassis.type: 3 dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvrASUSP5N-ESLIACPIBIOSRevision1002:bd03/17/2008:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP5N-ESLI:rvr1.XX:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion: dmi.product.name: System Product Name dmi.product.version: System Version dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6 version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1 version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3 version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3 version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7.1 version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13 version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1 version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2.1 version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1 ** Affects: xorg (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: apport-bug compiz-0.9 i386 oneiric ubuntu -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/926042 Title: Graphical environment becomes laggy and then freezes under high load To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/926042/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs