lots of pppd (down) stall SMP linux-2.4.x

Hi folks,

I have a pretty nasty problem w/ pppd (2.4.0) on SMP versions of 2.4.x (I've tried 2.4.0.SuSE to 2.4.4).
I am running >25 pppds on a Dual-Pentium933, 3GB, Asus CUR-DLS motherboard (ServerWorks SE). The pppds are running fine (I am using pppoe plugin from Michael Ostrowski, and/or a user process doing the PPPoE). BUT once I try to bring the ppds down to fast (killall is a perfect way) the system stalls, i.e. no Oops, no login etc. however, switching consoles via keyboard works, ping'ing the IP from the net still works. None of the log files hold any useful information...
If I bring the pppds down using a slow loop (one kill per second or slower) the machine does NOT stall.
I'v tried many different SMP related patches from this list (ppp_async, tty) but none of them helped on my problem.
And - of course - the problem does NOT exist on the same box using the same kernel base w/o SMP support!!!

Any help is very much appreciated!
Thanks

Immanuel

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Till Immanuel Patzschke                 mailto: [email protected]
interNetwork AG                         Phone:  +49-(0)611-1731-121
Bierstadter Str. 7                      Fax:    +49-(0)611-1731-31
D-65189 Wiesbaden                       Web:    http://www.internetwork-ag.de

Try your test with "High Memory Support" disabled.

... tried w/o HIGH_MEM support - same result, machine hang-up...

--

Till Immanuel Patzschke                 mailto: [email protected]
interNetwork AG                         Phone:  +49-(0)611-1731-121
Bierstadter Str. 7                      Fax:    +49-(0)611-1731-31
D-65189 Wiesbaden                       Web:    http://www.internetwork-ag.de