Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 13 Mar 2003 02:13:45 -0500 (EST) | From | William Stearns <> | Subject | Re: Linux BUG: Memory Leak |
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(Response sent to me, bounced back to the list where brighter minds may be able to offer useful suggestions)
> Please don't start the post with a negative tone; focus on a problem in software rather than > on insulting the people from whom you want.
Sorry. And, no, I'm not insulting people. But I do encourage good programming practices. Don't you? :)
>you tell us what kernel version you're using, what modules are loaded,
Sorry. I forgot--2.4.20. Modules: ne2000 network driver, pci; via-rhine, pci; emu10k1, pci; usbcore, uhci, usb mouse; all iptables modules--all of them.
>want to mention what Linux distribution you're using.
Sorry. Slackware 8.1. Won't help.
>kernel yourself.
I compiled the kernel myself. Memory leak located in kernel.
> Does the system pass a night's worth of memtest86 successfully?
Kernel memory leak.
>If we can rule out hardware, that narrows the problem space down some.
cards: emu10k1, via-rhine, pci; ne2000, pci; usb standard, intel. Via chipset, unknown - on another computer right now. but that's *not* the problem.
> Again, it sounds like you're taking an insulting tone. :-)
I am sorry. I'm usually direct. I will try to look for the bug this weekend, but i have a few things to do. Sigh.
> "Acts dead" - what does that mean? Sluggish?
Dead. It's a DOSS over the system. All I did was install this game, hoping to play it, after a few weaks. Anyway, the systems installs, X11-KDE running (140 Megs total by X11 and KDE); Linux installs it, then it gets slower and slower, etc. Finally dead. Even the interrupts die--only keyboards, usb mouse; but the network still works (slowly)).
>seconds, then returns to normal? Swapping madly? For how long?
Swap space will become full. Then the duel-1Ghz with 1 MByte system will die - hardware -- except network - interrupts die.
>lockup, no keys do anything? Does the caps lock key change the state of the caps lock led? Do the caps/scroll/numlock lights flash on and off without keypresses? Does anything show up in the logs on next boot? Can you kill X11 with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace? Can you reboot the box with Ctrl-Alt-Del? Does Sysrq-S force disk activity? Can you ssh in from
>another box when it "acts dead"?
Interrupts are dead on the keyboard and mouse, except for the harddisk and network.
> What are the last few lines from "vmstat 1" when the system freezes?
Ah, i did not use that. not on my box now. sorry. but the ram is 0 free, system is working, but interrupts are crippled.
> Can you make the problem occur with fewer programs, say, just with Mozilla, or just with > Unreal?
Yes. Xine - movie player. I watch a few movies (not completely) and Linux keeps using memory until it acts dead. In other words, I watch Lord of the Rings: Two Towers. Then the system will play the movie slower, slower, until the frames' speed record becomes about 5 to 10 fps. Then i will just stand still - frozen - and some hardware interrupts (keyboard, usb-mouse) will not respond.
>show up? Minutes, hours, days?
This occurs in about 2 hours or less. Not time-dependent, sort of like Stationary states in quantum mechanics.
> If you'd prefer, feel free.
I will try. Fibre optics and school do take time.
>You do remember that the people from whom you're asking help have day jobs too, right? >*grin*
Yea. Why are you working on Linux again?
Don't get offended to anything. I respect those who write for Linux. But I do believe, that If one will write open source software as major as linux, one should not write software if they're not serious -- that is, good at relative, but-free programming -- toward it. Just a thought.
M.C.S
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