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Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!simtel!news.kei.com!newshost.marcam.com!zip.eecs.umich.edu!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!europa.chnt.gtegsc.com!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!svc.portal.com!news1.best.com!shell1.best.com!not-for-mail From: rcarter@best.com (Russell Carter) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Subject: Re: two crash problems, anyone have any ideas? (similar experiences?) Date: 8 Jul 1995 20:44:23 -0700 Organization: Best Internet Communications, Inc. (info@best.com) Lines: 49 Distribution: world Message-ID: <3tnjan$35g@shell1.best.com> References: <3tfjvp$hbe@blob.best.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: shell1.best.com In article <3tfjvp$hbe@blob.best.net>, Matt Dillon <dillon@best.com> wrote: >Configuration: > > 128M memory, 130+ users, three SCSI disks (barracudas), load averages > around 10, NCR PCI SCSI controller, Etherlink III (ISA) ethernet. > pentium-90. > > FreeBSD 2.0.5-RELEASE-BEST (SHELL) #4: Thu Jun 29 01:57:18 PDT 1995 > (with last set of patches patched in). > >Problem #1: > > Heavily loaded machine is running along. Then, for no good reason, > anything requiring disk I/O comes to a screaming halt... if I happen > to have a vmstat running, it continues to go, but attempting to do > anything (such as ^C or run a program from an existing shell prompt) > blocks forever. > > The vmstat shows a large number of processes blocking, virtually none > running, and disk I/O going to zero. > > It is possible that some paging still works... I am able to send a packet > to my little rebooter daemon (which was swapped out and managed to swap > itself in) and it responds that it is calling reboot(), and at that > point the kernel is able to sync its disks, but is UNABLE to dump ... > just freezes solid. > > So, unfortunately, it is impossible to get a crash dump out of the > situation. Worse, the machine doesn't panic, and it is impossible > to reboot it without hitting the hard reset. > > The machine lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to a day and a half before > crashing and burning. > Precise symptoms duplicatable on my lightly loaded P54C-100, 64 MB, ncr+cdrom +st32550N+conner4326 DAT *WHENEVER* I try to backup 1GB+ of stuff to the DAT *AND* the DAT is living inside the case. I have watched the tps/s go to zero using ncrcontrol, then the file systems just *ping* vanish. Any further access causes an input/output error. My solution: pull the DAT out of the case. Your possible problem: a drive overheating? Don't have any ideas about Problem #2, though. If you find the solution to #1 I'm interested in hearing it. Regards, Russell