0

Built a new PC: 10700k, z490 MSI board, 32gb Ram etc. Running Ubuntu 20.04 and getting an MCE (Machine Check Error): kernel: [ 0.185888] mce: CPU0: Thermal monitoring enabled (TM1).

The PC is just running the Game boost from the MSI Bios, and not manually overclocked. Using a Corsair H115 2*140mm cooler, with temperatures on idle being at most 32 degrees per core.

Apart from getting these MCE errors, sometimes the PC completely freezes when left on idle. A force restart is the only option. What could this be?

Matthew Vella
  • 13

1 Answers1

0

memtest

Go to https://www.memtest86.com/ and download/run their free memtest to test your memory. Get at least one complete pass of all the 4/4 tests to confirm good memory. This may take many hours to complete.

BIOS

MSI-Z490 Gaming Edge Wifi

You have BIOS version 1.00.

There's a newer BIOS available that might help solve your problem, version 1.30, dated 10/14/2020, and can be downloaded here.

Note: Confirm that I have the correct web page for your motherboard model #.

Note: Have good backups before updating the BIOS.

/swapfile

Even though you have a lot of memory, a swap partition or /swapfile is still recommended. Let's create a fresh /swapfile...

Note: Incorrect use of the dd command can cause data loss. Suggest copy/paste.

In the terminal...

sudo swapoff -a           # turn off swap
sudo rm -i /swapfile      # remove old /swapfile

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/swapfile bs=1M count=4096


sudo chmod 600 /swapfile  # set proper file protections
sudo mkswap /swapfile     # init /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile     # turn on swap
free -h                   # confirm 32G RAM and 4G swap

Confirm this /swapfile line at the end of /etc/fstab... and confirm no other “swap” lines...

To edit, use sudo -H gedit /etc/fstab or sudo pico /etc/fstab

/swapfile  none  swap  sw  0  0

reboot                    # reboot and verify operation

vm.swappiness

Since you have 32G RAM, to minimize swapping, let's change this value...

Set vm.swappiness=10 (based on 32G RAM and 4G SWAP), this way...

sudo -H gedit /etc/sysctl.conf # edit this file

Search for an existing vm.swappiness= entry...

CTRL+f vm.swappiness

  • If found, edit it to say vm.swappiness=10

  • If not found, add vm.swappiness=10 at the end of the file

Save your edits and quit gedit

sudo sysctl -p

Update #1:

Set intel_idle.max_cstate=1 in /etc/default/grub, and then sudo update-grub and reboot solved the problem.

heynnema
  • 73,649