# Arbitrary Reboot



## Krang (Sep 12, 2010)

I have a confused problem with FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE-p4 (i386). My FBSD reboot arbitrary the complete system. E.g. I browse with Opera the internet and suddenly I see just a black screen. And after 1-2 second the computer boot my OS :\.

This behavior happen often in the last days, especially if I close the Opera browser or work with the Opera browser. My Opera browser is installed with the Flash plugin from Adobe (work with linux emulators). In additional, the Opera browser and the Flash plugin wrapper use often the SWAP memory because my RAM is full. The SWAP ist encrypted with GELI (the root system too). But the Opera browser has no problem with the SWAP area, all work fine basically.

Another behavoir (TODAY): My Opera browser is open (many hours) and 30 minutes ago I have open the Terminal from Xfce and the FBSD is again arbitrary rebooted :\.

My problem is, I can't trace back this behavior because I have nothing found in the log files (/var/log/messages) what happens during this arbitrary reboot. Has anybody ideas how you can log this behavior? Else I have no possibility find the core problem


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## wblock@ (Sep 12, 2010)

Sounds like it may be a hardware problem, power supply or RAM or heat-related.  Check the simple stuff: fan openings clear, power cables firmly connected.

You can try running Firefox instead of Opera.  If the crashes remain, it's not Opera.


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## Krang (Sep 12, 2010)

wblock said:
			
		

> Sounds like it may be a hardware problem, power supply or RAM or heat-related.  Check the simple stuff: fan openings clear, power cables firmly connected.
> 
> You can try running Firefox instead of Opera.  If the crashes remain, it's not Opera.


Mhh, I don't believe that's a hardware stuff, because I had many years ago used an older FBSD release and windows xp too without this confused behavior. I have firefox, but I like more Opera and it's a little ridiculous avoid the Opera browser :e.


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## Krang (Sep 12, 2010)

(sorry, I have unwanted pushed the Submit button ) ... just because the full OS crash. What do the OS developer if he want find such errors? Exists no log process, debug methods or somethings that I can trace the system and analyse if the OS reboot arbitrary again?


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## jb_fvwm2 (Sep 13, 2010)

1. find .opera/cache (or .opera/cache4 ) somewhere.
2. Write a .sh or something to start opera from
an xterm
3. Write a .sh or something to delete all 
"opr????" files from the cache (or cache4).
4. Every so often, (half hour?) quit and restart
opera, running the script before restart to
delete the cache files.
( I used opera (or firefox) on windows98 and
that method kept it from crashing windows. 
So when I started Freebsd that is the method
I use to start / stop all browsers. )
...
Might not solve the problem but could be.


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## Krang (Sep 21, 2010)

Thanks for the explanation jb_fvwm2, but I have now found another solution. It's a little crazy, but since I have updated to Opera 10.61 (Build 6430) the arbitrary reboot is away. I have tested, open many software so that my SWAP is overspammed, no more arbitrary reboot :e. But that's really crazy, why it's possible that a browser software can reboot my machine in user account (without root rights, just operator for printer and scanner)? Maybe anybody has an explanation for it, else I test 1 week more with Opera 10.61 and if I have no more arbitrary reboots through a browser software, then we can mark this thread as "solved"


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## fronclynne (Sep 21, 2010)

Well, it's dead, anyway, if not solved if you can't replicate the behaviour.  As an aside, many things can cause crashes, especially things that access the accelerated graphics hardware, like media players and games.  I've had some problems with certain Intel chips, for sure.


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