Kernel Panic - Not syncing + Linux Freezing Problems

SirSub42

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Aug 31, 2013
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So I have been attempting to diagnose this intermittent problem with my Linux OS (Running Kali as a permanent installation with whonix virtual systems running on top of that). Every now and again, my whole screen will freeze, and it will look like little droplets of rain (in random colors) across my screen, only way to get around it is to do a hard restart.

Problem is, nothing shows up in my kernel logs, unless I am looking in the wrong place, so if anyone knows the logging system of Linux, and can suggest a specific location. However, when I try to load up Ultimate Boot CD, and run any program under the CPU section results in the loadup process stopping with this error message: "Kernel panic - not syncing: attempted to kill init! exitcode=0x00000009".

I have come across separate articles on this forum, and others, where Kernel panics are the result of faulty memory. However I have replaced my original 2x2GB sticks of DDR1600 with a 1x4GB stick of DDR1600, with the same problem occurring. I have also ran Memtest for hours on the new memory, and a combo of the new and old with 0 errors. Next I figured since the kernel panic error only shows when I load up the CPU programs, maybe the CPU is defective. So I replaced that this morning, but was just greeted with the same screen freezing and kernel panic errors. I know it is not the hard drive since I had the same problem running Tails OS, and UBCD which are ran directly from memory. So the only piece I have yet to replace is the motherboard, which I will do next once I return the CPU I just purchased.

Here are the specs of the computer itself.
CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 Processor
RAM: Corsair DDR3 800 MHz(DDR1600) 4 GB
Motherboard: Asus M4N68T-M

It may take about a week for my motherboard replacement to come, but in the mean time, has anyone experienced similar problems, or can you recommend a section of the logging system to check that would contain system errors such as the OS freezing up. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this long post and for any advice you guys can throw my way.
 


A Linux kernel panic is the equivalent of a Windows Blue Screen of Death. It can be caused by any number of things including buggy drivers, buggy programs that probe the hardware directly (rather than going through drivers which add failsafes), and of course hardware failure.

Out of curiosity, is your Athlon II X4 640 one of the Phenom II X6 models that can be unlocked? If you've tried to do this, it can cause problems.
 

SirSub42

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Aug 31, 2013
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The Athlon is not over clocked as far as I know. I received it for free from my company about 2 years ago, and have since formatted and reset the bios several times over.

I figure since the same problem occurs on two different operating systems, the odds of it being a software or driver issue are quite unlikely, or am I wrong? And do you know how to decode the kernel panic error to to what exitcode=0x00000009 references. And where is the log file for this sort of thing? I remember I used to use bluescreenview at work for their windows machines to decode the blue screens of death, is there an equivalent program for Linux that you are aware of?
 

kthx

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Feb 21, 2015
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I had a similar problem trying to boot tails... I fixed it.

Exact same message, only different offset - although I am sure its different on different machines.

Wild guess... Are you using unetbootin? I was trying to use "unetbootin" to flash it to my USB, because when I flashed the exact same ISO with "Universal USB Downloader" it detected viruses that it hadn't after using "unetbootin".

What worked for me was this:
Burn the ISO to a DVD, boot off it, and then install to the USB inside of tails with the tails installer


Let me know if it works...

~ nJoy :)