Crash problem - just bought Zorin 15 ultimate - help please

My laptop is an old Dell Lattitude 6400 with 4 GB ram and 320 GB HDD.

Zorin 15 installed quickly and easily. Over the month since I've been using it it keeps crashing more and more.

This is what it does:-
- sometimes it just freezes and I have to turn off at the switch
- sometimes it just freezes the browser I'm in, and I can kill with the sysmon
- sometimes it loses all open apps and returns to the login screen
- sometimes I get a black screen (slightly like the terminal) with some text that disappears before I can read it

The fault seems related to the demand on the system. I could use a text editor all day, but on facebook or video sites like youtube, the CPU usage gets up to 90-100% and it's also in those scenarios that crashes occur. However, I've studied the resource usage and the drop outs can occur with 60% CPU and 50% memory utilisation. Memory utilisation never goes above 60%. Trying to watch a video on youtube and it will be OK initially but then any slight change like an advertisement refreshing of a update notification will become a crash/freeze.

Can anybody give suggestions.

many thanks

Can you check your error log- post contents of log?
We can start with the one in home, .xsession-errors
You can navigate to /var/crash/ and check that folder for contents.

I've just checked the folder home.....computer..../var/crash and it's empty.
I will recheck immediately after a crash.

I've just checked the folder home.....computer..../var/crash and it's empty.
I will recheck immediately after a crash.

If it is empty- then there is no current record. I wouldn't think one would appear, now.
You do have high usage, which is unusual. I wonder if Ultimate Lite (XFCE) would serve you better?

Just had another crash - crash folder is empty still.
Checking the specifications for Lite, it seems I probably haven't used anything outside its install.
I have a stick with the latest Ubuntu on, would you think that would be any help with this issue?

Just had another crash - crash folder is empty still.
Checking the specifications for Lite, it seems I probably haven't used anything outside its install.

I am confused by this statement. Are you saying that you are currently running Ultimate Lite?
Can you try the following:
This command is to install gdb, though it probably came with your Zorin install:

Code:

sudo apt-get install gdb

Then

Code:

gdb xournalpp

and paste the resutls here?

NOTE* It can take a while to run

EDIT: You may also test for memory leak
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/help-tes ... 4-lts/5251

And you may check your Kernel version

Code:

uname -a

I am on 5.3.0-45
You May be experiencing kernel panic. You could try using a different kernel and see if that resolves the issue.

dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$ sudo apt-get install gdb
[sudo] password for dude:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
gdb is already the newest version (8.1-0ubuntu3.2).
gdb set to manually installed.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
linux-headers-5.3.0-40 linux-headers-5.3.0-40-generic
linux-image-5.3.0-40-generic linux-modules-5.3.0-40-generic
linux-modules-extra-5.3.0-40-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 2 not to upgrade.
dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$

dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$ sudo apt-get install gdb
[sudo] password for dude:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
gdb is already the newest version (8.1-0ubuntu3.2).
gdb set to manually installed.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
linux-headers-5.3.0-40 linux-headers-5.3.0-40-generic
linux-image-5.3.0-40-generic linux-modules-5.3.0-40-generic
linux-modules-extra-5.3.0-40-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 2 not to upgrade.
dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$

Sorry, I just edited post above while you were making this one. It's late here almost 2am and my own brain is experiencing high CPU usage

dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$ gdb xournalpp
GNU gdb (Ubuntu 8.1-0ubuntu3.2) 8.1.0.20180409-git
Copyright (C) 2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Type "show copying"
and "show warranty" for details.
This GDB was configured as "x86_64-linux-gnu".
Type "show configuration" for configuration details.
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/>.
Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:
<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>.
For help, type "help".
Type "apropos word" to search for commands related to "word"...
Reading symbols from xournalpp...(no debugging symbols found)...done.
(gdb)
(gdb)

I can't figure out if this is still running or not ???????? It's been like this for 1/2 hour.

dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$ gdb xournalpp
GNU gdb (Ubuntu 8.1-0ubuntu3.2) 8.1.0.20180409-git
Copyright (C) 2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Type "show copying"
and "show warranty" for details.
This GDB was configured as "x86_64-linux-gnu".
Type "show configuration" for configuration details.
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/>.
Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:
<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>.
For help, type "help".
Type "apropos word" to search for commands related to "word"...
Reading symbols from xournalpp...(no debugging symbols found)...done.
(gdb)
(gdb)

So, no help there... Let's try rolling back your kernel, then?

dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$ uname -a
Linux dude-Latitude-E6400 5.3.0-45-generic #37~18.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 27 15:58:10 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$

dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$ uname -a
Linux dude-Latitude-E6400 5.3.0-45-generic #37~18.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 27 15:58:10 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
dude@dude-Latitude-E6400:~$

This is the latest kernel that Zorin has released.
If you would like to try rolling back the kernel:

Code:

sudo apt install --install-recommends linux-generic

Code:

sudo update-grub

Reboot and open the "Advanced options" submenu of the bootloader to boot with the 4.15 kernel.

So, today I coded CTRL ALT M to the system monitor and on one occasion after a freeze I was able to use the system monitor to shut down the application successfully.

I've done this:-

Code:

sudo apt install --install-recommends linux-generic

Code:

sudo update-grub

But I cannot figure this out:-

Reboot and open the "Advanced options" submenu of the bootloader to boot with the 4.15 kernel.

After I hit F12 and go into the options - there is no "advanced options".

EDIT:- I HAVE DONE IT (SHIFT KEY)...........NOW RUNNING WITH THE 4.15 KERNEL.

EDIT 2:- SEEMS BETTER. BEEN RUNNING AN HOUR SO AND ONLY HAD ONE FREEZE. DIDN'T REQUIRE A HARD BOOT.

Please update when you can test if it helps to resolve your problem.

Please update when you can test if it helps to resolve your problem.

Well I've still got my problem, whether I'm running the older kernel or the latest. Sometimes it seems better with the older one, but sometimes not so. Another thing I need to do it pull my RAM sticks out and clean the contacts. I seem to recall I might have fixed a similar problem previously, on an earlier version of zorin, on my desktop, by doing that.

BTW, thanks heaps for all the help you've given so far.

Please update when you can test if it helps to resolve your problem.

Well I've still got my problem, whether I'm running the older kernel or the latest. Sometimes it seems better with the older one, but sometimes not so. Another thing I need to do it pull my RAM sticks out and clean the contacts. I seem to recall I might have fixed a similar problem previously, on an earlier version of zorin, on my desktop, by doing that.

BTW, thanks heaps for all the help you've given so far.

Cleaning and also testing the RAM may be a good idea since your O.P. showed a possible memory leak. If it was me, I'd do an electronic test of the RAM before going to all the trouble of taking things apart.
Because once it is done, there is still a good chance of seeing no difference. You would rather have a good idea if it is worth the trouble, first. If you fail some RAM tests, then a go ahead would be in order.
But- if there is a memory leak and you are crashing-that is suggestive of it being more likely software than hardware.

This could get tricky- But I wonder if you would be willing to install Zorin O.S.Core on a separate partition, for testing. This can be removed after- OR just overwritten with a new clean install.
But if you install Zorin OS Core on a partition, then boot up into that and try running your machine as normal. See if you still get high memory use, crashing and the like. If Not- then that suggests that the problem is something in the install of Zorin OS Ultimate.
Let's say that there is- if it was me, I would do a back up and then a re-install of Ultimate. That may resolve. IF not... It may be something included with Ultimate that is conflicting and we can try to suss out what that is.

Well, first thing this morning I had a couple of freezes and after the second shutdown I thought I'd pull the RAM out anyway. Took both strips out, then got my CO2 contact cleaner and sprayed the slots liberally. Then I got a saucer of metho and used a cotton bud to wipe the contacts on each stick both sides. I've been using it for about 4 hours since then and have had no glitches at all. During that time I have had both processors running at 100% for long periods. RAM usage never goes above 60%. I've also installed lm-sensor and running that showed my CPUs are at 53C and good. I propose to continue as-is for a day or so and see if it stays good. Next step would be possibly to install Zorin O.S. Core as you suggested.

Thanks again for support and patience.

Sounds like you know your machine
I hope it works.