Ubuntu
linux-source-2.6.17 package

random /dev/hdd accesses and system hang

Bug #85628 reported by Laurentiu Pancescu on 2007-02-16

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	linux-source-2.6.17 (Ubuntu)	Won't Fix	Undecided	Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.17-11-generic

After upgrading to 2.6.17-11, I noticed accesses to /dev/hdd (the CD writer, I also have a DVD-ROM on /dev/hdc, but it isn't touched) at random intervals, varying between 5 seconds and 20-30 minutes. There is no CD in the drive, and the system freezes completely for about two seconds, while the CD writer engine spins up. I also got a complete hang of the system in such a moment - I waited 15 minutes, but it remained frozen (it didn't even answer to the power button pressed shortly, which normally triggers a shutdown). The system was idle at the time. There is no entry in the logs about the failed hdd accesses; after going back to 2.6.17-10, the problems disappeared completely: no random accesses and no hang, in the last week (I also used 2.6.17-10 before, for months, and it never did such accesses, and it never hanged).

Hardware: Athlon Thunderbird 1100MHz on an Asus A7V133.

Revision history for this message

Cristian Aravena Romero (caravena) wrote on 2007-02-19:

Thanks for taking the time to report this bug. Unfortunately we can't fix it, because your description didn't include enough information.

Please include the following additional information, if you have not already done so (please pay attention to lspci's additional options), as required by the Ubuntu Kernel Team:
1. Please include the output of the command "uname -a" in your next response. It should be one, long line of text which includes the exact kernel version you're running, as well as the CPU architecture.
2. Please run the command "dmesg > dmesg.log" and attach the resulting file "dmesg.log" to this bug report.
3. Please run the command "lspci -vvnn > lspci-vvnn.log" and attach the resulting file "lspci-vvnn.log" to this bug report.

For your reference, the full description of procedures for kernel-related bug reports is available here: <http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingKernelProblems> Thanks!

Revision history for this message

Laurentiu Pancescu (plaur-27) wrote on 2007-02-19:

System information and kernel logs Edit (9.0 KiB, application/x-tar)

I forgot to mention: my kernel is tainted by kqemu, so I understand if you don't want to look into it further.

I attached the logs you asked for, and the kernel log around the hang. It happened on Feb 14th, around 8:10 (when I pushed the reset button). I see some hdd messages in the log around the crash time. When I tried to use tail -f /var/log/messages during normal usage, when the CD writer was accessed, there was nothing appearing in the logs. During such an access, the CD writer led becomes on, and the system freezes for 1-2 seconds (music stops, mouse won't move during that time, keyboard doesn't answer) - but only with 2.6.17-11. I opened the case yesterday, while running 2.6.17-10, and I can hear short clicks in the CD writer (not a full motor spin), every now and then, but the CD writer led won't go on, and the system doesn't seem to stop, like with 2.6.17-11.

Revision history for this message

Laurentiu Pancescu (plaur-27) wrote on 2007-05-13:

I noticed that if I remove the power and data cables from the CD writer, and put them back in, the problem doesn't happen in the next hours or days. I got exactly the same symptoms with the 2.6.18 kernel from Debian Etch, even when running from the netinst CD (just busybox). I permanently removed the CD writer a few weeks ago, and the problem didn't appear since then. Probably damaged hardware, not kernel bug.

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Andrew Starr-Bochicchio (andrewsomething) wrote on 2008-04-25:

Hi Laurentiu,

The 18 month support period for Edgy Eft 6.10 has reached it's end of life. As a result, we are closing the linux-source-2.6.17 Edgy Eft kernel task. However, Hardy Heron 8.04 was recently released. It would be helpful if you could test the new release and verify if this is still an issue - http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . You should be able to test your bug using the LiveCD. If the issue still exists, please add the Hardy kernel "linux" task to the bug report. This can be done by clicking on the "Also affects distribution" link in the Actions area on left hand side of the bug report. Select "Ubuntu" as the Distribution and type in "linux" for the Source Package Name. Thanks.