2005-03-02 18:19:13

by Steffen Michalke

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Strange crashes of kernel v2.6.11

Hi:

I recently upgraded from linux kernel v2.6.10 to v2.6.11.
Some programs like evolution 2.0 and leafnode2 crash the whole system
immediatedly now.

I would like to provide some further information if i could gather them.

The ones I have:

/usr/src/linux/scripts/ver_linux
If some fields are empty or look unusual you may have an old version.
Compare to the current minimal requirements in Documentation/Changes.

Linux pinky 2.6.10 #6 Wed Feb 9 12:14:53 CET 2005 i686 i686 i386
GNU/Linux

Gnu C 3.4.3
Gnu make 3.80
binutils 2.15.91.0.2
util-linux 2.12c
mount 2.12c
module-init-tools 3.1-pre5
e2fsprogs 1.35
jfsutils 1.1.7
reiserfsprogs 3.6.18
reiser4progs line
nfs-utils 1.0.6
Linux C Library 02 02:30 /lib/tls/libc.so.6
Dynamic linker (ldd) 2.3.3
Linux C++ Library 6.0.3
Procps 3.2.3
Net-tools 1.60
Kbd 1.12
Sh-utils 5.2.1
udev 030
Modules Loaded snd_pcm_oss snd_mixer_oss snd_intel8x0 aes_i586
loop floppy psmouse parport_pc lp parport usblp snd_ac97_codec snd_pcm
snd_timer snd soundcore snd_page_alloc md5 ipv6 nfs lockd sunrpc rtc
pcspkr dm_crypt dm_mod joydev sg scsi_mod ide_cd cdrom natsemi crc32
intel_agp agpgart uhci_hcd hw_random usbcore unix

I did not change the configuration except of inserting the sound card
module.

I have never experienced such a disaster before coming out from a kernel
cahnge from one version to its succesor.

Ciaoi
Steffen



2005-03-02 21:34:27

by Andrew Morton

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Strange crashes of kernel v2.6.11

Steffen Michalke <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I recently upgraded from linux kernel v2.6.10 to v2.6.11.
> Some programs like evolution 2.0 and leafnode2 crash the whole system
> immediatedly now.
>
> I would like to provide some further information if i could gather them.

We'd need to see an oops trace. Did nothing hit the kernel logs?

If not, a serial console would be needed. It's a bit of a hassle I'm
afraid.

2005-03-02 21:51:00

by Alexander Nyberg

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Strange crashes of kernel v2.6.11

> I recently upgraded from linux kernel v2.6.10 to v2.6.11.
> Some programs like evolution 2.0 and leafnode2 crash the whole system
> immediatedly now.

You mean when you run evolution the box hangs up completely? (you can't
kill X, switch to another console etc.)

If that is the case, we need the console output when that happens, it
will indicate what goes wrong. Make sure you boot with nmi_watchdog=1
I'm sending you the recommended solution, requires two computers:

===============================================

started by Ingo Molnar <[email protected]>, 2001.09.17
2.6 port and netpoll api by Matt Mackall <[email protected]>, Sep 9 2003

Please send bug reports to Matt Mackall <[email protected]>

This module logs kernel printk messages over UDP allowing debugging of
problem where disk logging fails and serial consoles are impractical.

It can be used either built-in or as a module. As a built-in,
netconsole initializes immediately after NIC cards and will bring up
the specified interface as soon as possible. While this doesn't allow
capture of early kernel panics, it does capture most of the boot
process.

It takes a string configuration parameter "netconsole" in the
following format:


netconsole=[src-port]@[src-ip]/[<dev>],[tgt-port]@<tgt-ip>/[tgt-macaddr]

where
src-port source for UDP packets (defaults to 6665)
src-ip source IP to use (interface address)
dev network interface (eth0)
tgt-port port for logging agent (6666)
tgt-ip IP address for logging agent
tgt-macaddr ethernet MAC address for logging agent (broadcast)

Examples:

linux [email protected]/eth1,[email protected]/12:34:56:78:9a:bc

or

insmod netconsole netconsole=@/,@10.0.0.2/

Built-in netconsole starts immediately after the TCP stack is
initialized and attempts to bring up the supplied dev at the supplied
address.

The remote host can run either 'netcat -u -l -p <port>' or syslogd.

WARNING: the default target ethernet setting uses the broadcast
ethernet address to send packets, which can cause increased load on
other systems on the same ethernet segment.

NOTE: the network device (eth1 in the above case) can run any kind
of other network traffic, netconsole is not intrusive. Netconsole
might cause slight delays in other traffic if the volume of kernel
messages is high, but should have no other impact.

Netconsole was designed to be as instantaneous as possible, to
enable the logging of even the most critical kernel bugs. It works
from IRQ contexts as well, and does not enable interrupts while
sending packets. Due to these unique needs, configuration can not
be more automatic, and some fundamental limitations will remain:
only IP networks, UDP packets and ethernet devices are supported.


2005-03-04 12:19:54

by Steffen Michalke

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Strange crashes of kernel v2.6.11

Am Mittwoch, den 02.03.2005, 22:34 +0100 schrieb Alexander Nyberg:
> > I recently upgraded from linux kernel v2.6.10 to v2.6.11.
> > Some programs like evolution 2.0 and leafnode2 crash the whole system
> > immediatedly now.
>
> You mean when you run evolution the box hangs up completely? (you can't
> kill X, switch to another console etc.)

Thank you for your hints.

When I looked into that problem recently, I remarked that the system
does not actually crash but is locked totally:

I use the device-mapper modules for encrypting files (loopback devices
with aes-i586-encryption). They can be set up in the usual manner, but
filesystem operations now lock the accessing processes, which cannot be
killed afterwards.
If the kernel has been compiled with preemption the system slows down
considerably after those operations; enabling prempting The Big Kernel
Lock locks the whole system at filesystem access (that looked like a
system crash). That's why I could not find any messages in the logs.

If I use a non-preemptive v2.6.11-kernel (vanilla, by the way) the
system keeps on running the normal way, but every process which tries to
work with files in device-mapped directories is unkillable locked.

It seems to be a problem with the dm-*- or loop-modules.

I enclosed the ouput of dmesg and ver_linux.

Kind regards
Steffen


Attachments:
dmesg (11.80 kB)
ver_linux (1.17 kB)
Download all attachments

2005-03-04 12:28:39

by Alexander Nyberg

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Strange crashes of kernel v2.6.11

> > > I recently upgraded from linux kernel v2.6.10 to v2.6.11.
> > > Some programs like evolution 2.0 and leafnode2 crash the whole system
> > > immediatedly now.
> >
> > You mean when you run evolution the box hangs up completely? (you can't
> > kill X, switch to another console etc.)
>
> Thank you for your hints.
>
> When I looked into that problem recently, I remarked that the system
> does not actually crash but is locked totally:
>
> I use the device-mapper modules for encrypting files (loopback devices
> with aes-i586-encryption). They can be set up in the usual manner, but
> filesystem operations now lock the accessing processes, which cannot be
> killed afterwards.
> If the kernel has been compiled with preemption the system slows down
> considerably after those operations; enabling prempting The Big Kernel
> Lock locks the whole system at filesystem access (that looked like a
> system crash). That's why I could not find any messages in the logs.
>
> If I use a non-preemptive v2.6.11-kernel (vanilla, by the way) the
> system keeps on running the normal way, but every process which tries to
> work with files in device-mapped directories is unkillable locked.
>
> It seems to be a problem with the dm-*- or loop-modules.

Ok, let's try without preempt. Under the kernel config make sure you
select the following:
kernel hacking => kernel debugging => magic sysrq key

Also increase the kernel log buffer at, set it to 17 just to be safe
general setup => kernel log buffer size

Do what you do so that the processes become unkillable, then press
AltGr+SysRq+t 2-3 times and send the dmesg over here.
(sysrq normally being on the same key as 'print screen', at least on my
keyboards).

This should tell us what is going on.

Thanks!