Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Thu, 13 Mar 2003 02:03:10 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Thu, 13 Mar 2003 02:03:10 -0500 Received: from 101.24.177.216.inaddr.g4.Net ([216.177.24.101]:3214 "EHLO sparrow.stearns.org") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Thu, 13 Mar 2003 02:03:08 -0500 Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 02:13:45 -0500 (EST) From: William Stearns X-X-Sender: wstearns@sparrow Reply-To: "M. Soltysiak" To: ML-linux-kernel cc: "M. Soltysiak" , William Stearns Subject: Re: Linux BUG: Memory Leak In-Reply-To: Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 4054 Lines: 113 (Response sent to me, bounced back to the list where brighter minds may be able to offer useful suggestions) > Please don't start the post with a negative tone; focus on a problem in software rather than > on insulting the people from whom you want. Sorry.? And, no, I'm not insulting people.? But I do encourage good programming practices.? Don't you? :) >you tell us what kernel version you're using, what modules are loaded, Sorry.? I forgot--2.4.20.? Modules: ne2000 network driver, pci; via-rhine, pci; emu10k1, pci; usbcore, uhci, usb mouse; all iptables modules--all of them. >want to mention what Linux distribution you're using. Sorry.? Slackware 8.1.??Won't help. >kernel yourself. I compiled the kernel myself.? Memory leak located in kernel. > Does the system pass a night's worth of memtest86 successfully? Kernel memory leak. >If we can rule out hardware, that narrows the problem space down some. cards: emu10k1, via-rhine, pci; ne2000, pci; usb standard, intel.? Via chipset, unknown - on another computer right now.? but that's *not* the problem. > Again, it sounds like you're taking an insulting tone. :-) I am sorry.? I'm usually direct.? I will try to look for the bug this weekend, but i have a few things to do.? Sigh. > "Acts dead" - what does that mean? Sluggish? Dead.? It's a DOSS over the system.? All I did was install this game, hoping to play it, after a few weaks.? Anyway, the systems installs, X11-KDE running (140 Megs total by X11 and KDE); Linux installs it, then it gets slower and slower, etc.? Finally dead.? Even the interrupts die--only keyboards, usb mouse; but the network still works (slowly)). >seconds, then returns to normal? Swapping madly? For how long? Swap space will become full.? Then the duel-1Ghz with 1 MByte system will die - hardware -- except network - interrupts die. >lockup, no keys do anything? Does the caps lock key change the state of the caps lock led? Do the caps/scroll/numlock lights flash on and off without keypresses? Does anything show up in the logs on next boot? Can you kill X11 with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace? Can you reboot the box with Ctrl-Alt-Del? Does Sysrq-S force disk activity? Can you ssh in from >another box when it "acts dead"? Interrupts are dead on the keyboard and mouse, except for the harddisk and network. > What are the last few lines from "vmstat 1" when the system freezes? Ah, i did not use that.? not on my box now.? sorry.? but the ram is 0 free, system is working, but interrupts are crippled. > Can you make the problem occur with fewer programs, say, just with Mozilla, or just with > Unreal? Yes.? Xine - movie player.? I watch a few movies (not completely) and Linux keeps using memory until it acts dead.? In other words, I watch Lord of the Rings: Two Towers.? Then the system will play the movie slower, slower, until the frames' speed record becomes about 5 to 10 fps.? Then i will just stand still - frozen - and?some hardware interrupts (keyboard, usb-mouse) will not respond. ?>show up? Minutes, hours, days? This occurs in about 2 hours or less.? Not time-dependent, sort of like Stationary states in quantum mechanics. > If you'd prefer, feel free. I will try.? Fibre optics and school do take time. >You do remember that the people from whom you're asking help have day jobs too, right? >*grin* Yea.? Why are you working on Linux again? Don't get offended to anything. I respect those who write for Linux.? But I do believe, that If one will write open source software as major as linux, one should not write software if they're not serious -- that is, good at?relative, but-free programming -- toward it.? Just a thought. M.C.S ________________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/