: Is kernel oops always a kernel bug ???

Hi all ,

If a kernel oops, then is the problem always with the kernel ? Can't a user proggie ( running as root ) do something insane and make the kernel oops ?

TIA

From: Linux Geek <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, Jan 17, 2003 at 11:33:46AM +0530

That shouldn't happen - it's called DOS (Denial-Of-Service) if a user program can make the kernel oops. Some of these probably still exist in the linux kernel, nothing is perfect :-)

But another option exists: hardware failures. If your memory decides to take a break, you will get an oops also.

Good luck,
Jurriaan

Holed up in your little room, we talk for hour on empty hour,
pacing up and down between the walls that we have built ourselves.
	New Model Army - Long Goodbye
GNU/Linux 2.5.58 SMP/ReiserFS 2x2752 bogomips load av: 0.16 0.61 0.61

At least in theory, there should be *nothing* that can happen in user space that will kill the kernel. However, in practice, if a program is running as root, it can definitely blortch things up. This is mostly due to the assumption that the root user has a clue, and that if they are (for instance) opening /proc/kcore for writing, that they know what they're doing. Similarly, if a program opens /dev/hda1 for writing and scribbles over the superblock, it may be a bit difficult to mount the filesystem.

So in general, yes, the root user can screw things up in the kernel. On the other hand, the root user can also 'rm -rf /' which doesn't require any extraordinary kernel assistance, just the unlink() system call. The only solution here is to not give root to clueless bozos, and to take regular backups. ;)

				Valdis Kletnieks
				Computer Systems Senior Engineer
				Virginia Tech