Raspi freezes when I run apt-get update

[killkrt]

Hi!

I'm experiencing a strange problem. It seems that each time I try to make a

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update

the Raspberry freezes!

My Raspi is working perfectly all day long (I'm using it with a webcam as video surveillance system), but when I connect to it (using ssh from a remote shell) and I try to run the update it freezes often when it reaches the last step, or in the middle or sometimes during the followind apt-get upgrade.
Webcam led switches off, and there is no way to de-freeze, but shutdown and restart it!

I use Raspi also with PureData as a mini-audiosynth and it seems to very stable even if CPU is working at 75% and CPU temperature is around 57°C, but if I try to update/upgrade it almost freezes every time!

Few information about my system:

• System info: Linux raspberrypi 3.6.11+ #512 PREEMPT Sat Jul 27 19:08:54 BST 2013 armv6l GNU/Linux
  No overclock
  Wi-Fi: D-Link System DWA-131 [Realtek RTL8192SU]
  Webcam: Logitech C310
  Power supply bought on RSComponents
  No HDMI screen connected
  No USB HUB connected

In past I experienced some instability problems, probably they were due to class 8 SD card (that I substitute with a class 4) and mini-audio USB card, since when I disconnected/substituted them the system seems to be more stable.

Thank you.

P.S.:
This the output that I get when it freezes:

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Linux raspberrypi 3.6.11+ #512 PREEMPT Sat Jul 27 19:08:54 BST 2013 armv6l

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
Last login: Tue Aug  6 21:31:48 2013 from imac-di-kill.local
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get update
Hit http://raspberrypi.collabora.com wheezy Release.gpg                        
Hit http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy Release.gpg                      
Hit http://archive.raspberrypi.org wheezy Release.gpg                
Get:1 http://apt.puredata.info wheezy Release.gpg [876 B]            
Hit http://raspberrypi.collabora.com wheezy Release                   
Hit http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy Release                 
Hit http://apt.puredata.info wheezy Release                           
Hit http://archive.raspberrypi.org wheezy Release                     
Ign http://apt.puredata.info wheezy Release                           
Hit http://raspberrypi.collabora.com wheezy/rpi armhf Packages                 
Hit http://apt.puredata.info wheezy/main armhf Packages              
Hit http://archive.raspberrypi.org wheezy/main armhf Packages        
Ign http://apt.puredata.info wheezy/main Translation-en_GB                     
Ign http://raspberrypi.collabora.com wheezy/rpi Translation-en_GB              
Ign http://apt.puredata.info wheezy/main Translation-en              
Ign http://archive.raspberrypi.org wheezy/main Translation-en_GB     
Ign http://raspberrypi.collabora.com wheezy/rpi Translation-en       
Ign http://archive.raspberrypi.org wheezy/main Translation-en
Get:2 http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/main armhf Packages [7,414 kB]
Hit http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/contrib armhf Packages
Hit http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/non-free armhf Packages
Hit http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/rpi armhf Packages               
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/contrib Translation-en_GB        
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/contrib Translation-en
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/main Translation-en_GB
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/main Translation-en
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/non-free Translation-en_GB
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/non-free Translation-en
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/rpi Translation-en_GB
Ign http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org wheezy/rpi Translation-en
100% [2 Packages bzip2 0 B] <------------ And here comes the freeze!!!

[rpdom]

How long have you left it in the "frozen" state? apt-get update does take a long time to get past that stage of the update as it is very CPU intensive.

What it is doing is unzipping the compressed files that it has just downloaded.

Another thing that could cause a "hang" at that point is lack of free space on the card. Have you run the "Expand root filesystem" option on raspi-config as recommended? How much space is available in the root filesystem? (run: df -h / )

[killkrt]

Hi!

I've tried to left in frozen status for about 5 minutes, without any results. As I said when it hangs the led of webcamera switches off (as the Wi-Fi dongle). If I try to ping it (using another shell) the ping fails with a bad "Host is down" message.

Anyway sometimes I'm able to update the system, but I have to try at couple of times in order to successfully go through all the process.

I have already expanded the root filesystem and I have about 2GByte of free space.

There is any log in the /var folder (or elsewhere) where I can find any useful information?

Thank you.

[rpdom]

Ok, so it's not a problem with free space, and it is a definite crash/hang situation.

It sounds like it could be a power issue, with the webcam turning off. Are the webcam and wifi connected to a USB hub with its own power supply? It could be that the Pi is borderline on power if those are both connected directly and the CPU is made to work hard. Perhaps try without the webcam connected.

You may find messages in /var/log/syslog, but I suspect the Pi is just freezing suddenl and won't be able to log anything.