2.6.7-ck5: System hangs under constant load

Hello everybody!

I'm using a 2.6.7 kernel with the ck5 patch (gentoo ck-sources). But the problem I have may not directly be related to this kernel version, because I had it a few times already with other 2.6.x kernels.

When I put the machine under constant load (e.g. emerge of kde 3.3beta2), it works for some hours without problems. But then the machine suddenly hangs. "Hang" means that no keyboard or mouse input works (even SysRq doesn't work), the screen freezes and the cpu seems to go into a loop. The system is a laptop and I hear the fan spin loudly. And the fan doesn't stop to spin nor turns down the sound, even after some hours. (Well, I start the emerge and then let the computer alone for some hours, in the hope that it finishes it ... when I come back, it hangs)

The X Server (tested XFree and X.org) was always running, but I also tried it with the virtual console 1 (ALT-STRG-F1) active, to see if some kernel oops or something gets printed out. But no message apeared :(

Because my laptop sometimes gets to hot and then does a "hard" poweroff, I've written a small script which throttles the CPU down when it gets to hot. I don't know if this may be related, but I've attached the script I use for this.

The kernel is tainted by the VMware modules. But VMware was not running, so I don't think that it is related to this problem.

Any idea what could be the reason for this? What can I try?

cu,
Emmy

P.S.: There is some badness reported in the log file about the atmel module and it's kobject usage. I don't think this is a real problem, is it?

P.P.S.: Please CC me, I'm not on the list.

Interesting, as I'm having also a problem with random hangs since kernel 2.6.6 (2.6.5 and before worked fine), also on a laptop. Which laptop do you have? I'm using a Compaq EVO N1020v, with this hardware:

00:00.0 Host bridge: ATI Technologies Inc RS200/RS200M AGP Bridge [IGP 340M] (rev 02) 00:01.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc PCI Bridge [IGP 340M]
00:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: ALi Corporation M5451 PCI AC-Link Controller Audio Device (rev 02) 00:07.0 ISA bridge: ALi Corporation M1533 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV]
00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI4410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 02) 00:0a.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments PCI4410 FireWire Controller (rev 02) 00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 20) 00:0c.0 Communication controller: Conexant HSF 56k HSFi Modem (rev 01)
00:10.0 IDE interface: ALi Corporation M5229 IDE (rev c4)
00:11.0 Bridge: ALi Corporation M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU]
00:13.0 USB Controller: NEC Corporation USB (rev 41)
00:13.1 USB Controller: NEC Corporation USB (rev 41)
00:13.2 USB Controller: NEC Corporation USB 2.0 (rev 02)
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon IGP 340M

Frederik

Am Sonntag, 25. Juli 2004 22:57 schrieb Frederik Himpe:

I've got a Xeron laptop with this hardware:

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS645DX Host & Memory & AGP Controller (rev 01)
0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] Virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge (AGP)
0000:00:02.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS962 [MuTIOL Media IO] (rev 14)
0000:00:02.1 SMBus: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]: Unknown device 0016 0000:00:02.3 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] FireWire Controller
0000:00:02.5 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] 0000:00:02.6 Modem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AC'97 Modem Controller (rev a0)
0000:00:02.7 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] Sound Controller (rev a0)
0000:00:03.0 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f)
0000:00:03.1 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f)
0000:00:03.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f)
0000:00:03.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 Controller
0000:00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
0000:00:0c.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB1410 Cardbus Controller 0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon R250 Lf [Radeon Mobility 9000 M9] (rev 01)

Xeron has some base laptop motherboards and cases and you can specify which components (CPU, RAM, Harddisk) you like to have in the laptop. They then build the laptop as you ordered.

cu,
Emmy

[...]

Thanks, it seems especially the network chip (Realtek 8139) is similar, and both have a graphics chip based on radeon (although this one is an integrated thing).

I have put more detailed information (dmesg, lsmod,
config, lspci -v) on http://users.telenet.be/fhimpe/kernelbug/ . Maybe you could also make it available somewhere?

Is there a kernel hacker who could give us any clue about what we can do to get more information to find the exact cause and to solve this problem?

Frederik

Hmm, I don't really think that the Realtek causes the problem. It's not connected to a network cable, so it shouldn't be used. It's AFAIK also very common, so problems with this network adapter should be detectable and reproducable by other people very fast.

Ok, my files are here:
http://www.rototor.de/sonstiges/

cu,
Emmy