gutsy: kernel.log syslog filling up with repeated ata messages

Today, the update-manager downloaded the linux image 2.6.22-9.21 and the problem still occurs.

The problem still occurs with kernel version 2.6.22-9.25 from today.

By the way, I have read that kernel bugd should be filed against linux-source. So I changed the ubuntu indication with linux-source-2.6.22. I hope it is correct.

I just discovered that the problem of bug#95105 is still happening on my system. I incorrectly thought that it was not happening anymore because klogd was not active and consequently the logs did not receive the messages.

The problem might be related to libata, as it does not occur with kernel 2.6.17-11 that I have kept from edgy.

Since upgrading to kernel 2.6.22-11, the situation has changed: I still get the ata error messages on boot, but they are not steadily repeated anymore. So the problem of the logs being continually filled has disappeared, but the ata error probably has not.

kernel 2.6.22-12 behaves like kernel 2.6.22-11: the ata error messages are repeated for less than 1 second.

Hi Francesco,

Thank you for your report and your updated comments. Can you verify the issue still exists in the 2.6.22-14 kernel? Also, the Hardy Heron kernel will be coming out soon as well. Would you mind also testing this that and reporting back your results? Thanks.

The Hardy Heron Alpha2 release will be coming out soon (around Dec 20). It will have an updated version of the kernel. It would be great if you could test with this new release if this issue still exists. I'll be sure to update this report when Alpha2 is available. Thanks!

I have the same problem w the 2.6.22-14 kernel both the generic and RT versions....

uname -r
2.6.22-14-rt

Syslog Entry
Dec 24 10:49:09 dad-desktop kernel: [ 3236.538169] ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
Dec 24 10:49:09 dad-desktop kernel: [ 3236.538188] ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:20/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0 cdb 0x0 data 0
Dec 24 10:49:09 dad-desktop kernel: [ 3236.538190] res 40/00:03:00:00:20/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
Dec 24 10:49:14 dad-desktop kernel: [ 3241.581611] ata2: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0x90)

Hardy Heron Alpha2 was recently released. It contains an updated version of the kernel. You can download and try the new Hardy Heron Alpha2 release from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/hardy/alpha-2/ . You should be able to then test the new kernel via the LiveCD. If you can, please verify if this bug still exists or not and report back your results. General information regarding the release can also be found here: http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/hardy/alpha2 . Thanks!

I've tried the Hardy Alpha 2 Live CD for 24 hours w/ put a problem. However I'm not sure that this in meaningful. After some additional digging and experimentation it seems that the the error message documented above correlates to the hald-addon-storage polling ( i.e killing the hald-addon-stroage process stops the messages). Since booting from the Live CD disables polling I can not be sure that the issues is fixed or simply masked by the new kernel.

Additional, I've also tried replacing the libATA drives w/ the older ide_generic drivers in the gutsy kernel, w/o killing hald-addon-storage. This too will eliminate the problems, but seriously limits performance as the piix drivers are no longer available.

I just upgraded from gutsy to hardy alpha 2 and I am using the generic kernel 2.6.24.2-2.8.

Unfortunately, the problem is still present; even worse: while previously the situation had improved and the error message stopped after booting, they now continue to be repeated. (as was the case at the beginning of the problem)

Hi Francesco,

As rrbrand mentioned, can you try killing the 'hald-addon-storage' process and verify if the messages stop? Thanks.

"ps auwx | grep hald" gave me among others:
root 5344 0.0 0.2 3692 1164 ? D 22:16 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/scd0 (every 2 sec)
root 5347 0.0 0.2 3692 1168 ? D 22:16 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/scd1 (every 2 sec)

scd0 is a combo; model: Toshiba DVD-ROM SD-R1002
scd1 is a CD-RW; model: HL-DT-ST GCE-8240B

After killing hald-addon-storage, the messages stop.

The issue also occurs with kernel 2.6.24.3 of today.

username:~$ ps auwx | grep hald
106 5229 0.0 0.9 7140 4692 ? Ss 14:23 0:00 /usr/sbin/hald
root 5294 0.0 0.2 3596 1180 ? S 14:23 0:00 hald-runner
root 5310 0.0 0.2 3688 1232 ? S 14:23 0:00 hald-addon-input: Listening on /dev/input/event1 /dev/input/event4 /dev/input/event5
106 5317 0.0 0.1 2224 916 ? S 14:23 0:00 hald-addon-acpi: listening on acpid socket /var/run/acpid.socket
root 5352 0.0 0.2 3688 1160 ? S 14:23 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/scd0 (every 16 sec)
root 5355 0.0 0.2 3688 1160 ? S 14:23 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/scd1 (every 16 sec)
frafu 7587 0.0 0.1 3004 756 pts/0 R+ 14:38 0:00 grep hald
username:~$ uname -a
Linux UbuntuDesktop 2.6.24-4-generic #1 SMP Mon Jan 14 17:30:39 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

The bug is marked as incomplete. Could you please tell me what information you need?

The issue is still present in 2.6.24.4.

This report will remain open against the actively developed kernel and is being closed against linux-source-2.6.22. Thanks!

Leann, could you please give us a link to the corresponding bug against the actively developed kernel? Thanks.

The issue still occurs with kernel 2.6.24.5:

user1@UbuntuDesktop:~$ ps auwx | grep hald
106 5224 0.0 0.9 7332 4748 ? Ss 17:14 0:00 /usr/sbin/hald
root 5289 0.0 0.2 3596 1184 ? S 17:14 0:00 hald-runner
root 5305 0.0 0.2 3688 1224 ? S 17:14 0:00 hald-addon-input: Listening on /dev/input/event1 /dev/input/event4 /dev/input/event5
106 5312 0.0 0.1 2224 908 ? S 17:14 0:00 hald-addon-acpi: listening on acpid socket /var/run/acpid.socket
root 5347 0.0 0.2 3688 1160 ? D 17:14 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/scd0 (every 2 sec)
root 5350 0.0 0.2 3688 1160 ? D 17:14 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/scd1 (every 2 sec)
user1 13061 0.0 0.1 3004 768 pts/0 S+ 17:44 0:00 grep hald
user1@UbuntuDesktop:~$ uname -a
Linux UbuntuDesktop 2.6.24-5-generic #1 SMP Thu Jan 24 19:45:21 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux
user1@UbuntuDesktop:~$

Result for 2.6.24-7:

user@UbuntuDesktop:~$ ps auwx | grep hald
106 5328 0.1 0.9 7200 4684 ? Ss 14:12 0:00 /usr/sbin/hald
root 5393 0.0 0.2 3592 1184 ? S 14:12 0:00 hald-runner
root 5409 0.0 0.2 3684 1232 ? S 14:12 0:00 hald-addon-input: Listening on /dev/input/event1 /dev/input/event4 /dev/input/event5
106 5415 0.0 0.1 2224 916 ? S 14:12 0:00 hald-addon-acpi: listening on acpid socket /var/run/acpid.socket
root 5443 0.0 0.2 3684 1160 ? S 14:12 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/hdc (every 16 sec)
root 5446 0.0 0.2 3684 1160 ? S 14:12 0:00 hald-addon-storage: polling /dev/hdd (every 16 sec)
user 6240 0.0 0.1 3000 736 pts/0 R+ 14:17 0:00 grep hald
user@UbuntuDesktop:~$ uname -a
Linux UbuntuDesktop 2.6.24-7-generic #1 SMP Thu Feb 7 01:29:58 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux
user@UbuntuDesktop:~$

Feb 8 14:23:06 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 722.398428] parport0: FIFO is stuck
Feb 8 14:23:06 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 722.439017] parport0: BUSY timeout (1) in compat_write_block_pio
Feb 8 14:23:17 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 732.445810] DMA write timed out
Feb 8 14:24:27 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 802.441411] parport0: FIFO is stuck
Feb 8 14:24:27 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 802.493388] parport0: BUSY timeout (1) in compat_write_block_pio
Feb 8 14:24:37 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 812.500266] DMA write timed out
Feb 8 14:25:47 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 882.495843] parport0: FIFO is stuck
Feb 8 14:25:47 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 882.543883] parport0: BUSY timeout (1) in compat_write_block_pio
Feb 8 14:25:57 UbuntuDesktop kernel: [ 892.558614] DMA write timed out

I just checked again: the repeated ata messages I posted in the first post of this bug report are not present anymore. (kernel 2.6.24.7.12)

Maybe that we should close this bug and open a new about the repeated DMA write time out messages.

Hi Francesco,

If you want to open a new bug report that would be fine. Otherwise it would be good if you could at least update the title and description of this existing report. If you do open a new report, please post a comment here with a reference your new bug report you are opening. As you did with this report, in your new report be sure to attach the information as outlined here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies. Hope that helps. Thanks!

Hi Francesco,

Just want to let you know we are going to go ahead and close this report. If you'd please open a new bug report regarding the new messages you are seeing that would be great. Thanks!

Sorry for the delay; I was quite busy.

You can find the bug concerning the new messages here:
https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/193822