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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Problematic computer (feddit.uk)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

25 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I have been using a company computer running Ubuntu 22.04. There are frequent and unexplained problems, like segmentation faults, stack errors, files disappearing, computer freezing or not booting, or turning off immediately after I turn it on. I don't know what to do. The IT staff came to my office to check the computer and said "it was all good." I am not allowed to boot from a USB stick or enter BIOS or open the case. I ran a command line memory check several times with no errors. There is an NVIDIA card, but it's running X.org and usually headless. I mostly set up tasks via SSH.

What would you do?

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (7 children)

Segmentation and stack errors are most certainly bad memory, I'm 99% sure of it, reboot and run mem test from GRUB if you have the option. The "stack" is the non-dynamically allocated space your program is assigned to run in. Stack errors mean some pointers somewhere are likely getting corrupted and it's trying to access addresses beyond what it's allowed to access.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (6 children)

I can't run memtest unfortunately. The option isn't there and I don't have permission to boot from a USB stick.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

If you have root you could theoretically add Memtest86+ to the boot order. There's tools that allow adding boot entries in EFI. You could probably place a Memtest86+ binary in your EFI partition and register it with the EFI firmware. But I'm not suggesting to do it since you could make the machine unbootable and the problem might be on the storage path. I'm just thinking of should be possible.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I can sudo. Last time I looked into this, Memtest86+ version 6 was required to work with UEFI but it wasn't available for Ubuntu 22.04. Now it seems that 24.04 has it, so I might update and see if I can get the test running. Thanks for the suggestion!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You can get the binary from the project's website. Still not suggesting to f around with it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

They should be able to put memtest on the boot partition and then break to an EFI shell on boot and Ioad it manually.

There will be a bit of swearing and googling required but it's doable in a way that doesn't mess with the current boot arrangement.

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