System hangs during shutdown after log-out

Build QH 20080913
Environment Dell Mini 9 BIOS A03

I can reproduce this very reliably on my machine. Marking as confirmed.

It also can be reproduced on 20081121-0 image.
Build QH 20081121-0 image
Environment Dell Mini 9 BIOS A03
We got 2 fail results:
1. Black screen with only one cursor but didn't shutdown.
2. Changed to tty1 mode but didn't shutdown.

Sometimes it can pass to shutdown, fail rate about 50%.

Image: 20081121-0
BIOS: A03
======================
1. not always happens at each shutdown (1 out of 5~6 times)
2. when it did happen, it was always blanking cursor on an empty screen
3. verifying the /var/log/syslog file when the issue happened, the log file stopped at:

ubuntu init: tty2 main process (4015) killed by TERM signal
ubuntu init: tty1 main process (4051) killed by TERM signal

4. while comparing the above with a successful shutdown, there are usually more info logged afterwards, e.x.:
ubuntu avahi-daemon[xxx]: Got SIGTERM, quitting.
ubuntu gdm related messages...
ubuntu exiting on signal 15

Image: 20081121-0
BIOS: A03
===================================
1. when the issue happened, switching to console 1 or 2 and issuing "shutdown -r" would shutdown the system successfully.

2. I found a link talking about a similar issue: http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Ubuntu_7.04/Issues/Hang_on_reboot and I am verifying it to see if it solves the issue.

Confirmed on 20081121 Build with A01 BIOS also.

Please review an assign to dev

Freeze on shutdown is *not* seen in the GM 20080913-2 build with the A01 BIOS, only with A03.

Tested with BIOS A01
I can not reproduce with image 20081121-0

Verified on QH: Fail
Image: belmont-travel-install-usb-20090108-1.img
BIOS: A04
Fail Rate: 12.73%
 (1) No.676: 1 fail / 10 times
 (2) No.667: 1 fail / 10 times
 (3) No.668: 2 fails / 15 times
 (4) SKU2-199: 1 fail / 10 times
 (5) SKU1-68 2 fails / 10 times

Regression from A01 BIOS

Still Fail with A01 BIOS. I think it's OS issue not BIOS issue due to the fail screen is black with a blink cursor.

Image: belmont-travel-install-usb-20090108-1.img
BIOS: A01
Fail Rate: 10%
 (1) No.676: 1 fail / 10 times
 (2) No.667: 2 fail / 10 times
 (3) No.668: 1 fails / 10 times
 (4) SKU2-199: 1 fail / 10 times
 (5) SKU1-68 0 fails / 10 times

Bios A03
Image 20090120

Using the above, I was able to recreate the bug after 11 shutdowns

I have the same problem, but it seems to be a "gdm" problem, not related with acpi nor with "apm"... le te mexplain why:

If i tell it to hybernate it power off at end of it and when powered on again it resumes well.
If i tell it to shutdown it does not power off at end, but hey only if gdm was running when asked.

More detailed:
If gdm is running and i open a terminal window: no way to power off after shutdown, none commands: shutdown, halt --poweroff,... none works
If gdm is running and i press Ctrl+Alt+F2 to go to a console at full screen (text mode), but i let gdm running: no way to power off after shutdown, none commands: shutdown, halt --poweroff,... none works

But, if i press Ctrl+Alt+F2 to go to a console at full screen (text mode), and do:
#sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
So gdm is stopped then after few secconds i can confirm it is stopped with [ps -A | grep gdm], so i ask to shutdown with:
#sudo halt --poweroff
Or with shutdown,... all of them at end turns off the power and power off the notebook correctly.

I have seen on Internet a lot of forums on where they tell something about acpi=force, apm=power-off,... on /boot/grub/menu.lst also about adding apm to modules,... etc. none of that works for me.

And i found that if gdm is not running when calling shutdown it power off correctly.

When i was using Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex and Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope it allways power off correctly, but when i updated to Ubuntu Karmic Koala it starts to not do the final power off when shutdown... now i know the cause is gdm running when calling shutdown.

Maybe it is related in some way with Kernel or with propietary ATI graphics driver...

Also i can see some near identical lines (more than ten) on /var/messages at the end of it with this error:
Kernel: Assertion fail in ../../../../../../../../drivers/2d/lnx/fgl/drm/kernel/hal_rs780.0 at line: 53

I do not know if such error is related with the shutdown problem, but is the last error logged and it is at end ot /var/messages no more lines after it... but i can only see it when not powered off correctly, if i do the trick of stoping gdm it does not appear.

Hope this can help someone to fix-it. Till them i will do the trick of Ctrl+Alt+F2 -> login -> password -> sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop -> sudo halt --poweroff

Note:
After doing such, i powered on again and then after some hours of work i press shutdown by mistake (did not remember ro do the trick "stop gdm then halt --poweroff") but what surprise! it turns off the notebook correctly... so when i have time i will re-check if it was only once or can be reproduced.

I mean:
-Power On, then tell destop menu to shutdown normally and check if it turns off.
-If not force turn off, then turn on again, do the trick of stopping gdm and halt --poweroff, then power on again then tell destop menu to shutdown normally and check if it turns off.

But i will not have time till weekend, so if any one can also check that, it would be great.

SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR ME:
Ctrl+Alt+F2 -> Login -> Password -> sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop -> sudo halt --poweroff