[clue-tech] Lockups from screen blanking

[Jed S. Baer]

Hi Folks.

I have, every so often done some web searches looking for a
cause/solution to this issue, but keep coming up empty. I've been
suspicious of the apci calls, because I've heard of laptop issues with
hibernate being blamed on non-std bios tables, or something like that.

My system isn't a laptop. But I wonder if some of the same issues might
not be present in some BIOSes (or wherever APCI lives) for desktop
machines.

The problem is that when xscreensaver turns the screen display off, the
whole system locks up. This used to be intermittent, but seems to be
happening more often. When I was briefly running gnome-screensaver after
the jaunty upgrade, it happened once or twice as well, and I assume it's
the same apci call. This has been happening pretty much ever since I
built this machine, so it isn't dependent on any particular kernel
release.

The system locks up tightly enough that even the emergency sysreq
shortcuts don't get me back to being able to alt-Fn to a console.

The mobo is a Gigabyte GA-G31MX-S2, with Award BIOS. Intel ICH7 chipset.

I note that some of what I'm reading indicates that it isn't a BIOS issue
at all, since Linux doesn't make BIOS calls. Well, OK. Whatever it is
that responds to APCI/APM stuff.

I note that issuing an 'xset dpms force off' works for turning the
display off, and doesn't lock the system.

TIA.
jed