January 2011 - WLUG - wlug.mailman3.com

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by John Stoffel

>>>>> "Chuck" == Chuck Anderson <cra(a)WPI.EDU> writes: Chuck> On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 11:53:41PM -0500, Andy Stewart wrote: >> When the boxes freezes, I cannot ssh into the box. I cannot switch to a >> text console. It is totally stuck, and the caps lock and scroll lock >> leds are blinking on the keyboard. Chuck> Blinking caps lock & sroll lock means there is a kernel Chuck> panic. Can you set up a serial console or netconsole in advance Chuck> to capture the panic messages to another system when it Chuck> crashes? THat would work the best I suspect. Chuck> If you set up a serial console, you should be able to send a break key Chuck> to access the System Request functionality in the same way but over Chuck> the serial port. >> The trick you mentioned about running tail -f /var/log/messages from >> another system is a good one that I had not considered! I'll try that also. Chuck> I doubt that will work if there is a kernel panic. It's not that it will work *after* the kernel panic, but it will hopefully log to another system and messages dumped to the console when the crash happens. You might also try going into your BIOS and setting the system defaults, esp if you tweaked them in any way or shape previously. I've also found that: cd /tmp wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-2.6.37.tar.bz2 tar xjf linux-2.6.37.tar.bz2 cd linux-<whatever> cp /boot/config-<current kernel> .config fakeroot make deb-pkg works well as an upgrade path from a vendor kernel using Ubuntu. Not always mind you, but usually. Good luck, John

Jan. 19, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Jeff Moyer

Chuck Anderson <cra(a)WPI.EDU> writes: > On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 11:53:41PM -0500, Andy Stewart wrote: >> When the boxes freezes, I cannot ssh into the box. I cannot switch to a >> text console. It is totally stuck, and the caps lock and scroll lock >> leds are blinking on the keyboard. > > Blinking caps lock & sroll lock means there is a kernel panic. Can you > set up a serial console or netconsole in advance to capture the panic > messages to another system when it crashes? > > http://www.av8n.com/computer/htm/kernel-lockup.htm > > http://www.novell.com/communities/node/4753/netconsole-howto-send-kernel-bo… > Or setup kdump to capture a vmcore. Cheers, Jeff

Jan. 19, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Jorden Mauro

On Jan 18, 2011, at 11:53 PM, Andy Stewart <andystewart(a)comcast.net> wrote: > On 01/18/2011 09:42 PM, John Stoffel wrote: >> >> Andy> The computer in question is my server, which doesn't have >> Andy> wireless. It has been a rock for 4-5 years (until I >> upgraded to >> Andy> Kubuntu 10.10). >> >> Try upgrading to 2.6.37 from Kernel org (fakeroot make deb-pkg) using >> your distributions .config file should let you know if it's something >> in Linux which is screwing you over. >> >> And what are you doing watching movies on your server for! It should >> be a nice headless box you just SSH into at need. *grin* >> >> But first Andy, you need to give us more details. Does the entire >> box >> freeze or just the graphics? Can you hit Alt-SysRq-T or other >> combinations to get the system to give you crash info? >> >> Can you have an SSH session open from another system where you tail >> -f >> /var/log/messages and /var/log/system and dmesg so you can see if >> something pops up? >> >> We need more details before we can help! >> >> John > > HI John, > > I am running 2.6.35-24-generic from Kubuntu 10.10. I'll see if I can > upgrade the kernel this weekend. > > When the boxes freezes, I cannot ssh into the box. I cannot switch > to a > text console. It is totally stuck, and the caps lock and scroll lock > leds are blinking on the keyboard. > > I haven't tried the Alt-SysRq key sequence yet...I believe that I have > to enable that functionality. Probably won't work. Das Blinkenlights meanen der kernel panick, and der keyboard probably will be schtuck. Check kerneloops.org and the Linux bugtracker if you rule out the ATI driver. I would just use VGA mode to check that. > > The trick you mentioned about running tail -f /var/log/messages from > another system is a good one that I had not considered! I'll try > that also. > > Until I get more data, I suspect there isn't much anybody can do to > help, but I do appreciate these suggestions for how to gather some of > that data. > > More news later, > > Andy > > -- > Andy Stewart (KB1OIQ) > Founder: Worcester Linux Users' Group > Founder: Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group > President: PART of Westford, MA (WB1GOF) > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug

Jan. 19, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Chuck Anderson

On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 11:53:41PM -0500, Andy Stewart wrote: > When the boxes freezes, I cannot ssh into the box. I cannot switch to a > text console. It is totally stuck, and the caps lock and scroll lock > leds are blinking on the keyboard. Blinking caps lock & sroll lock means there is a kernel panic. Can you set up a serial console or netconsole in advance to capture the panic messages to another system when it crashes? http://www.av8n.com/computer/htm/kernel-lockup.htm http://www.novell.com/communities/node/4753/netconsole-howto-send-kernel-bo… > I haven't tried the Alt-SysRq key sequence yet...I believe that I have > to enable that functionality. in /etc/sysctl.conf: # Controls the System Request debugging functionality of the kernel kernel.sysrq = 1 If you set up a serial console, you should be able to send a break key to access the System Request functionality in the same way but over the serial port. > The trick you mentioned about running tail -f /var/log/messages from > another system is a good one that I had not considered! I'll try that also. I doubt that will work if there is a kernel panic.

Jan. 19, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Andy Stewart

On 01/18/2011 09:42 PM, John Stoffel wrote: > > Andy> The computer in question is my server, which doesn't have > Andy> wireless. It has been a rock for 4-5 years (until I upgraded to > Andy> Kubuntu 10.10). > > Try upgrading to 2.6.37 from Kernel org (fakeroot make deb-pkg) using > your distributions .config file should let you know if it's something > in Linux which is screwing you over. > > And what are you doing watching movies on your server for! It should > be a nice headless box you just SSH into at need. *grin* > > But first Andy, you need to give us more details. Does the entire box > freeze or just the graphics? Can you hit Alt-SysRq-T or other > combinations to get the system to give you crash info? > > Can you have an SSH session open from another system where you tail -f > /var/log/messages and /var/log/system and dmesg so you can see if > something pops up? > > We need more details before we can help! > > John HI John, I am running 2.6.35-24-generic from Kubuntu 10.10. I'll see if I can upgrade the kernel this weekend. When the boxes freezes, I cannot ssh into the box. I cannot switch to a text console. It is totally stuck, and the caps lock and scroll lock leds are blinking on the keyboard. I haven't tried the Alt-SysRq key sequence yet...I believe that I have to enable that functionality. The trick you mentioned about running tail -f /var/log/messages from another system is a good one that I had not considered! I'll try that also. Until I get more data, I suspect there isn't much anybody can do to help, but I do appreciate these suggestions for how to gather some of that data. More news later, Andy -- Andy Stewart (KB1OIQ) Founder: Worcester Linux Users' Group Founder: Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group President: PART of Westford, MA (WB1GOF)

Jan. 19, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by John Stoffel

>>>>> "Andy" == Andy Stewart <andystewart(a)comcast.net> writes: Andy> On 01/15/2011 09:20 PM, Eric Martin wrote: >> I had a problem a while ago and most of the folks here told me it was >> probably my wireless drivers. Since I've switched to the ath5k FOSS >> drivers as opposed to madwifi I've had no problems so I'm inclined to >> think that was the problem. If you're running wireless, try leaving it >> up overnight with the wireless drivers unloaded. Andy> The computer in question is my server, which doesn't have Andy> wireless. It has been a rock for 4-5 years (until I upgraded to Andy> Kubuntu 10.10). Try upgrading to 2.6.37 from Kernel org (fakeroot make deb-pkg) using your distributions .config file should let you know if it's something in Linux which is screwing you over. And what are you doing watching movies on your server for! It should be a nice headless box you just SSH into at need. *grin* But first Andy, you need to give us more details. Does the entire box freeze or just the graphics? Can you hit Alt-SysRq-T or other combinations to get the system to give you crash info? Can you have an SSH session open from another system where you tail -f /var/log/messages and /var/log/system and dmesg so you can see if something pops up? We need more details before we can help! John

Jan. 19, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Jorden M

switching VTs still works on Ubuntu, you can just do C-A-F1 and get a tty. however sometimes this still doesn't work if X is really stuck. sad that such a thing can happen on linux. On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 2:54 PM, Randall Mason <clashthebunny(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Has anybody who is experiencing these problems tried 'ssh'ing into the > box? It would help you figure out if it's really locked up or if it's > the display server. > > Also, ctrl-alt-backspace was disabled on Ubuntu, maybe try enableing > it and waiting for the next freeze... > > You can also use the Magic SysRq Key: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_SysRq_key > > Look up 'K' and make sure that it's all set up and wait for the next freeze... > > Randall Mason > > > > On Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 8:45 AM, Andy Stewart <andystewart(a)comcast.net> wrote: >> On 01/16/2011 06:25 AM, Jason Couture wrote: >>> Have you tried the nonfree nvidia drivers? Or perhaps the free ones if >>> the nonfree are in use? >> >> Hi Jason, >> >> My graphics chip is the ATI Radeon RV280 (Radeon 9200 PRO), and it is >> running the Free Software driver. There is nothing proprietary in use >> for the video. I don't generally like to use the proprietary drivers, >> but perhaps I could try it to see if it makes any difference. >> >> Thanks, >> >> Andy >> >> -- >> Andy Stewart (KB1OIQ) >> Founder: Worcester Linux Users' Group >> Founder: Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group >> President: PART of Westford, MA (WB1GOF) >> _______________________________________________ >> Wlug mailing list >> Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org >> http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >> > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

Jan. 18, 2011

Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Kevin Paetzold

In case no one made the connection between my previous messagesubject and this thread..... They are the same. I believe that the fix i pointed out is the cause of these "unstable" linux's. Certainly the fix worked for me. When I first booted with one of the fixed kernels it ran for a wk (before i rebooted). Previously my machine was hanging at least once per day and at some points every hour or so. And in answer to previous question, the machine was hung such that it was not possible to ssh into it or make it respond in any way. Indeed after using the power switch to turn off the machine I still had to pull the AC plug to get it to be able to reboot. On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 8:25 AM, kevin.paetzold <kevin.paetzold(a)gmail.com> wrote: > I meant to say that I am now running vmlinuz-2.6.35.10-77.fc14.i686 > from fedora 14 koji. Both the above kernel and > vmlinuz-2.6.35.10-75.bz667459.fc14.i686 > seem to resolve the issue. > > http://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/packages/kernel/2.6.35.10/77.fc14/ > > In fedora this problem seemed to show up with the 10-72 kernel and was > perhaps even worse with 10-74 kernel. > > >

Jan. 17, 2011

Re: [Wlug] Unstable Linux in recent releases

by Randall Mason

Has anybody who is experiencing these problems tried 'ssh'ing into the box? It would help you figure out if it's really locked up or if it's the display server. Also, ctrl-alt-backspace was disabled on Ubuntu, maybe try enableing it and waiting for the next freeze... You can also use the Magic SysRq Key: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_SysRq_key Look up 'K' and make sure that it's all set up and wait for the next freeze... Randall Mason On Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 8:45 AM, Andy Stewart <andystewart(a)comcast.net> wrote: > On 01/16/2011 06:25 AM, Jason Couture wrote: >> Have you tried the nonfree nvidia drivers? Or perhaps the free ones if >> the nonfree are in use? > > Hi Jason, > > My graphics chip is the ATI Radeon RV280 (Radeon 9200 PRO), and it is > running the Free Software driver. There is nothing proprietary in use > for the video. I don't generally like to use the proprietary drivers, > but perhaps I could try it to see if it makes any difference. > > Thanks, > > Andy > > -- > Andy Stewart (KB1OIQ) > Founder: Worcester Linux Users' Group > Founder: Chelmsford Linux Meetup Group > President: PART of Westford, MA (WB1GOF) > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug >

Jan. 17, 2011

hanging kernels #2

by kevin.paetzold

I meant to say that I am now running vmlinuz-2.6.35.10-77.fc14.i686 from fedora 14 koji. Both the above kernel and vmlinuz-2.6.35.10-75.bz667459.fc14.i686 seem to resolve the issue. http://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/packages/kernel/2.6.35.10/77.fc14/ In fedora this problem seemed to show up with the 10-72 kernel and was perhaps even worse with 10-74 kernel.

Jan. 17, 2011