Author Topic: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.  (Read 10732 times)

Ibrahim Hakeem

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Please move if I've posted in the wrong board...

Hey all, I'm running into a pretty serious data loss situation with my X220 and was hoping to see if anyone could give me some input.
If I had to describe it, I'd say data is simply not persisting across reboots more times than not, it seems to be simply dropping any changed configuration settings instead of saving them whilst shutting down. There are also incidents where my data will corrupt, including system files at times. Additionally, I'll occasionally have incidents in which my desktop environment will freeze up and I'll have to kill and reload the workplace shell after which point visual corruption of the interface starts to occur. It's happened multiple times with different drives, both on fresh and heavily configured setups - I'm at the point where I feel I must be missing something extremely vital or basic as this can't be the status quo.

Sincerest thanks in advance

David Graser

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2019, 02:47:59 pm »
Since the installation of ArcaOS 5, has this always been the case or is this a recent development?

If this is a recent development, have you tried to install an earlier backup?  I always create a backup after I have made major changes to my system.

Are you using a feature enhancement program like XIT?  I have found that this program causes system hangs from time to time.  Some of its features must conflict with XWP.

Are you using the latest Firefox or Seamonkey?  Earlier versions could hang the system.

When the system hangs, does the cntrl, alt, del take you to the TOP screen or does this key sequence do nothing?

Are you using the OS4 kernel or the OS/2 kernel?

Since the kernel still uses single input que, there can be system hangs.

One of the things I have found is that when my system hangs, if I hit cntrl, alt, delete and nothing happens, I keep repeating the sequence and eventually the system will reboot with no loss of data.  However, if I had made graphic changes I would lose them.  Very seldom do I have to turn the computer off and back on.

I run ArcaOS on 2 partitions.  If I have problems on one, I can continue to operate until I can solve whatever problem I have created for myself on the other partition.  Yes, I am always trying various things.

I have seen some of your problem on one of my ArcaOS partitions when I rebooted.  None of my graphic changes were saved when the computer was rebooted or the system is started back up.  I found that if I restarted the WPS, my graphic changes were saved, even after I restarted the computer.

With the JFS, I have seen very little date corruption with system hangs.

The X220 I believe is an old notebook.  I wonder is the hard drive is weak and could be going out.  Do you operate Windows on the same notebook and if so, are you seeing problems with Windows?
« Last Edit: June 09, 2019, 02:52:17 pm by David Graser »

Matt Walsh

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2019, 05:26:28 pm »
Sounds like a hardware issue.  Could be your drive or your ram-CPU.  Might try a new Drive first with a clone of system as drives are cheap.
HTH
Matt

Ibrahim Hakeem

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2019, 05:48:05 pm »
Since the installation of ArcaOS 5, has this always been the case or is this a recent development?

If this is a recent development, have you tried to install an earlier backup?  I always create a backup after I have made major changes to my system.

Are you using a feature enhancement program like XIT?  I have found that this program causes system hangs from time to time.  Some of its features must conflict with XWP.

Are you using the latest Firefox or Seamonkey?  Earlier versions could hang the system.

When the system hangs, does the cntrl, alt, del take you to the TOP screen or does this key sequence do nothing?

Are you using the OS4 kernel or the OS/2 kernel?

Since the kernel still uses single input que, there can be system hangs.

One of the things I have found is that when my system hangs, if I hit cntrl, alt, delete and nothing happens, I keep repeating the sequence and eventually the system will reboot with no loss of data.  However, if I had made graphic changes I would lose them.  Very seldom do I have to turn the computer off and back on.

I run ArcaOS on 2 partitions.  If I have problems on one, I can continue to operate until I can solve whatever problem I have created for myself on the other partition.  Yes, I am always trying various things.

I have seen some of your problem on one of my ArcaOS partitions when I rebooted.  None of my graphic changes were saved when the computer was rebooted or the system is started back up.  I found that if I restarted the WPS, my graphic changes were saved, even after I restarted the computer.

With the JFS, I have seen very little date corruption with system hangs.

The X220 I believe is an old notebook.  I wonder is the hard drive is weak and could be going out.  Do you operate Windows on the same notebook and if so, are you seeing problems with Windows?

I'm afraid it's happened with both X220s that I've owned, however it's only recently popped up again on my latest X220 only as I started to use it more often as a daily driver. One of the first things I do is install the Arca Noae provided kernel with any new installation and yes, ctrl+alt+delete does open the TOP which is what I was using to kill and restart WPS.

Dave Yeo

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2019, 06:28:07 pm »
Hi Ibrahim. My first thought would be hardware, but if it is happening on 2 machines, perhaps not.
What is your usual usage? As in what programs do you run? And how much free memory do you have when things go wonky?
You can check the memory by running "mem -v" without the quotes. Even if you do CAD and press C for a command line.
And do you do any INI file cleaning?

Pete

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2019, 10:35:14 pm »
Hi All

Does the x220 have cpu and case vent fans? If "Yes" good chance they need cleaning/replacing.


Regards

Pete

Doug Bissett

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2019, 04:24:54 am »
One possible cause, would be having Hyper-threading enabled, in the BIOS. It is under the CPU settings in my T510. Hyper-threading doesn't seem to get along with the OS/2 threading model, at all.

David Graser

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2019, 04:28:36 am »
I have a X220 machine with ArcaOS 5 on it.  I don't see the corruption issue.  I don't use it much anymore except to verify things.  One can use the XCenter widget CPU temperature indicator to monitor the CPU temp.   Mine runs around 150 degrees F.  It runs hotter with the power cord plugged in.  It runs in the 120s with the power cord unplugged.  It has only one CPU and running FF maxes the CPU out.  Another reason why I don't use this machine much.  Mine has 4 GB of RAM with 80% of it free.

My Panorama driver is set at 1366x768 at 256 colors.

I am using the os4 kernel instead of the OS/2 kernel.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2019, 05:06:25 am by David Graser »

Fahrvenugen

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2019, 04:38:49 am »
Hi,

As mentioned, check to make sure that hyperthreading is turned off in the BIOS.

Also, since you've mentioned a graphic lockup, which graphic driver are you using?  If you're using either Panaroma or SNAP, try the other one and see if the problem persists?  I've found on a lot of older hardware (and some newer hardware) I have better luck with SNAP

Ibrahim Hakeem

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2019, 12:48:35 pm »
I'm not all too certain on why, but with the OS/4 kernel an disabling hyperthreading, the issues I've mentioned seemed to have totally stopped. Thanks a whole lot! Once again I've been helped towards a smooth OS/2 experience by you guys  ;D

David Graser

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2019, 05:09:49 pm »
I'm not all too certain on why, but with the OS/4 kernel an disabling hyperthreading, the issues I've mentioned seemed to have totally stopped. Thanks a whole lot! Once again I've been helped towards a smooth OS/2 experience by you guys  ;D
On my notebook, I use the OS4 kernel with hypertreading enabled and it works great.

Dave Yeo

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2019, 07:04:10 am »
On my notebook, I use the OS4 kernel with hypertreading enabled and it works great.

That's interesting. Wonder how much work they've done on the scheduler? Our scheduler is ancient and on modern hardware, is likely sub-optimal to buggy in the case of hyper-threading (its not really buggy, just makes wrong assumptions).

Tuure Linden

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Re: Near-constant data loss and corruption, system is unusable.
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2019, 01:19:43 pm »
CPU overheating is a common problem with x220's. And that often explains very strange behaviour and hang ups. Have you checked your cpu temperature? The fan might be failing or the thermal grease might have dried up and doesn't function anymore.