# Random System Freeze



## Zircon (Sep 7, 2010)

Been having random system freezes since I built the system in May.  It will run fine for a few days then just freeze with no mention of anything I can use in /var/log/messages or var/crash.  It'll reboot fine, then throw itself into a long fsck.  The fsck will find and fix things as the partitions were forcibly un-mounted.  Then the system runs great.

Hardware components are off-the-shelf and new this year. 

uname-a reads as follows:

```
8.0-RELEASE FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE #0: Sat Nov 21 15:02:08 UTC 2009     root@mason.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC  amd64
```

I am using this rig as a personal workstation.  Gnome is installed @ v2.30 and I have GNOME_ENABLE="YES" in /etc/rc.conf.  Whether I leave the system logged into Gnome or just at the login screen, the problem exists.

I had been getting:

```
kernel: calcru: runtime went backwards from 1327 usec to 1308 usec for pid 1437 (getty)
```

-type of errors, and thought those were the problem.  I got rid of them with the help of DutchDaemon's post in this thread:

http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=2805&highlight=calcru%3A+runtime+backwards

by disabling CPU EIST function in BIOS.  That cleared up the 'calcru: runtime went backwards' errors, but still the freezing occurs.

Some more system info:

```
$ dmesg | grep Timecounter
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000
Timecounter "HPET" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 900
Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec

$ sysctl kern.timecounter.hardware
kern.timecounter.hardware: ACPI-fast
```

So I am thinking that there is a problem with time on this computer.  The computer keeps accurate time, but maybe there is a system-level mis-communication between the BIOS and the OS.  Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks.


----------



## Zircon (Sep 22, 2010)

I think I solved my problem.  Through looking around this great forum, especially here http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=10562 (thanks people!) and off-site, http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=47 I learned that there are issues with my GPU, an EVGA/NVidia GeForce GT 240, and the current ported NVidia Driver for FreeBSD, 195.36.15.  So I went 'out of bounds' to NVidia directly, http://www.nvidia.com/object/freebsd-x64-256.53-driver.html, downloaded version 256.53 for my platform, read the README and installed it as per the README.  

I didn't feel comfortable going outside the ports collection, but I had no other options.  The install worked (installed it with Gnome and X.org NOT running) and my problem seems to have vanished.  So definitely "Thanks All" as I figured this out.  I have to offer a huge 'YMMV' on this and can only recommend this solution if all normal ports installation options just do not work out AND you have the GT 240.

Thanks again,
Z [Solved]


----------



## DutchDaemon (Sep 22, 2010)

It is entirely possible to install the new driver within the ports environment;
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=17922

You're encouraged to (re)do so.


----------

