help please with kernel panic

[retiredtraveller]

Thank you for patience with me as I am a beginner.

Hello all, I apparently have a "kernel panic" if I am correct ? from trying so far to figure this out and don't exactly know what to do here next.
The laptop turns on fine then just the CapsLock button blinks steadily and that is it and the laptop will/does not boot up normally.
Everything was fine until the 23rd of JAN 25 when I did an update via terminal with: "sudo apt-get update" then followed it with "sudo apt-get dist-upgrade".
I have not had any issues before this with Spiral whatsoever and now am on a snapshot (I think) which lets me log in and get online.

Kernel: 6.11.10+bpo-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Desktop: Xfce
v: 4.18.1 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)

21CM005CUS v: ThinkPad X13 Gen 3
Info: 8-core model: AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U

[MartinHemma]

Do you get a GRUB menu when booting?

For me the latest kernel update failed and if I boot without manual intervention the system does not come up. All is fine, however, if I go for one of the older kernels in the GRUB menu. I don't think I have kernel panic situation but rather a case of failed configuration.

/Martin

[retiredtraveller]

So far if I have figured this out correctly ? I have a "kernel panic" as my CapsLock keeps steadily blinking.
But yes the menu does initially come up so I do get a chance to choose "snapshots" and click the latest one and that is how I am online.

[marwenius]

On January 21st the kernel version linux-image-6.12.9+bpo-amd64 was released for stable-backports.

Maybe it's the same problem described there (since your ThinkPad model has an AMD graphics card, as far as I can see): Kernel 6.12.9 (backports) won't boot.

If you want to restore the last stable snapshot:
https://github.com/SpiralLinux/SpiralLinux-project/wiki#working-with-btrfs-snapshots-and-rollbacks

[retiredtraveller]

YEAH !!!!! I DID IT ! thanks so much marwenius ! I was able to use the Snapper and get it fixed and now it starts up regular again ! I SUPER appreciate your help !
(Maybe this seemed easy to others but I have never used it before and was very confused)

[marwenius]

Congratulations :-)

If it was the kernel and there is currently no reason for you to update to a newer kernel, you could also mark it as "hold":

sudo apt-mark hold linux-image-amd64 linux-headers-amd64
sudo apt-mark showhold

This means that the kernel and other associated components are not automatically updated during an update. You can still initiate the update manually or remove the holdback in the future:

sudo apt update
sudo apt intall linux-image-amd64 linux-headers-amd64

or:

sudo apt-mark unhold linux-image-amd64 linux-headers-amd64
sudo apt-mark showhold

More on this topic:

• https://manpages.debian.org/unstable/apt/apt-mark.8.en.html

[MartinHemma]

I have tested these instructions (rollback followed by apt-mark hold) on my side-kick computer. I was mostly successful. It now boots just fine without manual intervention.

My next action was to try to de-install the troubling 12.9 kernel. No luck with that. I am told this fails due to broken package. My attempts at package repairing (using Synaptic) also fails.

How do I clean up?

/Martin
(Btw, neither computer has AMD graphics...)

[marwenius]

I would try the following commands (possibly several times / in different order):

sudo apt autoclean
sudo apt-get check
sudo apt --fix-broken install
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt autoremove linux-image-6.12.9+bpo-amd64
# or: sudo apt autoremove linux-image-6.12.9*
# or: autopurge instead of autoremove

[retiredtraveller]

I still cannot do a "sudo apt-get update" followed by a "sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" without my CapsLock button blinking steadily and getting the kernel panic and though I have tried three times after each time I still have to do a Snapper rollback to get back to normal again.

How do I know if I have broadcom-sta packages ?
Should I also uninstall "broadcom-sta-common" and "broadcom-sta-dkms" ?
How do I do this exactly please IF I should ? I really REALLY don't wanna screw up my laptop.

If I wait long enough will this just all be corrected by a new update eventually ?

[marwenius]

You could try: apt list -a broadcom*

Which should give you something like:

Listing... Done
broadcom-sta-common/stable 6.30.223.271-23 all
broadcom-sta-dkms/stable 6.30.223.271-23 all
broadcom-sta-source/stable 6.30.223.271-23 all

If one or more of the packages are installed, it will look like this:

Listing... Done
broadcom-sta-common/stable 6.30.223.271-23 all [installed]
broadcom-sta-dkms/stable 6.30.223.271-23 all
broadcom-sta-source/stable 6.30.223.271-23 all [installed]

In this case, you could simply do sudo apt remove broadcom-sta-* to get rid of the packages.

The worst case i can think of is, that your wireless adapter stops working, because it is manufactured by Broadcom and depends on these specific drivers.

[retiredtraveller]

Okay, thanks so much, here is what came back in terminal when I pasted that:

Listing... Done
broadcom-sta-common/stable,stable,now 6.30.223.271-23 all [installed]

broadcom-sta-dkms/stable,stable,now 6.30.223.271-23 all [installed]

broadcom-sta-source/stable,stable 6.30.223.271-23 all

I guess then I can't ? Or shouldn't ? remove those as I absolutely have to have my wifi to work as I am on the road lots and need to have working wifi.I need wifi desperately for multiple reasons.

[geckolinux]

Please post the output of this command (to figure out what WiFI hardware you have): sudo inxi -b

[retiredtraveller]

System:
Host: P24 Kernel: 6.11.10+bpo-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: Xfce
v: 4.18.1 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 21CM005CUS v: ThinkPad X13 Gen 3
serial:
Mobo: LENOVO model: 21CM005CUS v: SDK0T76530 WIN serial: L1HF37T0014
UEFI: LENOVO v: R22ET61W (1.31 ) date: 03/21/2023
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 55.3 Wh (100.0%) condition: 55.3/54.7 Wh (101.1%)
CPU:
Info: 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U with Radeon Graphics [MT MCP]
speed (MHz): avg: 462 min/max: 400/4768
Graphics:
Device-1: AMD Rembrandt [Radeon 680M] driver: amdgpu v: kernel
Device-2: Syntek Integrated Camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 driver: X: loaded: amdgpu
unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: amdgpu
resolution: 1920x1200~60Hz
API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: AMD Radeon Graphics (rembrandt
LLVM 15.0.6 DRM 3.59 6.11.10+bpo-amd64)
Network:
Device-1: Qualcomm QCNFA765 Wireless Network Adapter driver: ath11k_pci
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 476.94 GiB used: 13.24 GiB (2.8%)
Info:
Processes: 397 Uptime: 3h 8m Memory: 14.41 GiB used: 1.89 GiB (13.1%)
Shell: Sudo inxi: 3.3.26

[marwenius]

Qualcomm and Broadcom are two different manufacturers. Therefore, removing the broadcom packages should not be a problem.

[retiredtraveller]

YES ! That was it ! Thanks everybody for your help big time ! I removed the Broadcom from Terminal, and then restarted, and then did "sudo apt-get update" and "sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" and restarted up successfully.

The problem is (finally !) taken care of ! Then I did "sudo apt-get autoremove" and "sudo apt-get autoclean" and restarted successfully again and everything works fine. I appreciate all your help everyone !

[MartinHemma]

Glad it worked for you too.

/Martin