[Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed by hitting ENTER at console!

Dear all,

Recently one of our servers randomly stop responding, but it does not hang.

When the problem happens, all the network services stop responding, but
the server is still running. Then many processes are queued up and cause the
avg no. of process running sky to over 100 in 10min! If I was connecting an
ssh to the server, it just stop response but the connection is still there.
ping also has response.

The most strange thing is, when I press an ENTER key at the console, the
problem solved instantly and everything back to normal. Even my ssh connection
will have response again.

Our server's config:

Hardware: Dual P3-700Mhz, 640M RAM, 2 x 10G IDE HDD running Software RAID-1
OS: RedHat Linux 8.0
kernel: kernel-2.4.18-14smp

Special config:
- freeswan-1.99_x509_0.9.15_2.4.18_14 installed

Do you know what happens and kindly give me any suggestions? Thanks!


Best Regards,
Charles

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Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed by

Hi Charles,

Try stoping the APMD service and see if it solves your problem.


George Iosif

>>> "Charles" 07/21/04 11:51 AM >>>
Dear all,

Recently one of our servers randomly stop responding, but it does not
hang.

When the problem happens, all the network services stop responding, but
the server is still running. Then many processes are queued up and cause
the
avg no. of process running sky to over 100 in 10min! If I was connecting
an
ssh to the server, it just stop response but the connection is still
there.
ping also has response.

The most strange thing is, when I press an ENTER key at the console, the
problem solved instantly and everything back to normal. Even my ssh
connection
will have response again.

Our server's config:

Hardware: Dual P3-700Mhz, 640M RAM, 2 x 10G IDE HDD running Software
RAID-1
OS: RedHat Linux 8.0
kernel: kernel-2.4.18-14smp

Special config:
- freeswan-1.99_x509_0.9.15_2.4.18_14 installed

Do you know what happens and kindly give me any suggestions? Thanks!


Best Regards,
Charles

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Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed by

On Wed, 2004-07-21 at 04:51, Charles wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> Recently one of our servers randomly stop responding, but it does not hang.
>
> When the problem happens, all the network services stop responding, but
> the server is still running. Then many processes are queued up and cause the
> avg no. of process running sky to over 100 in 10min! If I was connecting an
> ssh to the server, it just stop response but the connection is still there.
> ping also has response.
>
> The most strange thing is, when I press an ENTER key at the console, the
> problem solved instantly and everything back to normal. Even my ssh connection
> will have response again.

If this is a server/BIOS/kernel/module combo that has been running
without this problem for a while, my guess is you have have failing
hardware. Feels like an interrupt problem (kernel/module can't clear an
interrupt, keyboard interrupt kicks things along??). What cpu usage
like?

You might try rebuilding/installing the kernel/modules (good excuse to
upgrade to latest 2.4), and if the problem persists I'd pin it on the
hardware. Could be a bus device or something on the mainboard.

This might be enough of a brain-teaser that you could post it on the
kernel list and not get ridiculed.

CD





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Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed byhitting ENTER at console!

Dear All,

Thank you for your suggestions.

No, apmd is not running at the server, but if APM is turned on at the BIOS will it have any effects? (I have to goto check it)
Actually the problem does not happens everyday, so I'm not sure if it is related to power management issue.

CPU usage is quite normal, at least always has IDLE cpu time. As of now in top:
3:56pm up 9 days, 2:35, 1 user, load average: 0.91, 1.09, 1.38
120 processes: 119 sleeping, 1 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
CPU0 states: 19.0% user, 18.0% system, 0.0% nice, 62.0% idle
CPU1 states: 11.0% user, 8.0% system, 0.0% nice, 80.0% idle
Mem: 642740K av, 514852K used, 127888K free, 0K shrd, 53480K buff
Swap: 530040K av, 91420K used, 438620K free 282576K cached

Actually the server has strange "no response" problem for over half year for a few times already, I just discovered I can "fix" it with "ENTER" key at the console login screen recently. If it looks like interrupt problem, I may try to find hardware to replace it and give it a try.

btw, will a IDE Software RAID-1 create this problem? (both disks running UltraDMA mode already)
Motherboard is ASUS P2B-D, Dual P3-700Mhz Slot-1


Best Regards,
Charles

----- Original Message -----
From: "George Iosif"
To:
Cc:
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 9:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed byhitting ENTER at console!


> Hi Charles,
>
> Try stoping the APMD service and see if it solves your problem.
>
>
> George Iosif
>
> >>> "Charles" 07/21/04 11:51 AM >>>
> Dear all,
>
> Recently one of our servers randomly stop responding, but it does not
> hang.
>
> When the problem happens, all the network services stop responding, but
> the server is still running. Then many processes are queued up and cause
> the
> avg no. of process running sky to over 100 in 10min! If I was connecting
> an
> ssh to the server, it just stop response but the connection is still
> there.
> ping also has response.
>
> The most strange thing is, when I press an ENTER key at the console, the
> problem solved instantly and everything back to normal. Even my ssh
> connection
> will have response again.
>
> Our server's config:
>
> Hardware: Dual P3-700Mhz, 640M RAM, 2 x 10G IDE HDD running Software
> RAID-1
> OS: RedHat Linux 8.0
> kernel: kernel-2.4.18-14smp
>
> Special config:
> - freeswan-1.99_x509_0.9.15_2.4.18_14 installed
>
> Do you know what happens and kindly give me any suggestions? Thanks!
>
>
> Best Regards,
> Charles
>
> ----------------------------------------
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Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed byhittingENTER at console!

I have seen linux hang if the sysrq key gets pressed. Is it possible that
that is happening? If you are using a serial console, a break signal emulates
sysrq.

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004, Charles wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Thank you for your suggestions.
>
> No, apmd is not running at the server, but if APM is turned on at the BIOS will it have any effects? (I have to goto check it)
> Actually the problem does not happens everyday, so I'm not sure if it is related to power management issue.
>
> CPU usage is quite normal, at least always has IDLE cpu time. As of now in top:
> 3:56pm up 9 days, 2:35, 1 user, load average: 0.91, 1.09, 1.38
> 120 processes: 119 sleeping, 1 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
> CPU0 states: 19.0% user, 18.0% system, 0.0% nice, 62.0% idle
> CPU1 states: 11.0% user, 8.0% system, 0.0% nice, 80.0% idle
> Mem: 642740K av, 514852K used, 127888K free, 0K shrd, 53480K buff
> Swap: 530040K av, 91420K used, 438620K free 282576K cached
>
> Actually the server has strange "no response" problem for over half year for a few times already, I just discovered I can "fix" it with "ENTER" key at the console login screen recently. If it looks like interrupt problem, I may try to find hardware to replace it and give it a try.
>
> btw, will a IDE Software RAID-1 create this problem? (both disks running UltraDMA mode already)
> Motherboard is ASUS P2B-D, Dual P3-700Mhz Slot-1
>
>
> Best Regards,
> Charles
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "George Iosif"
> To:
> Cc:
> Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 9:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed byhitting ENTER at console!
>
>
> > Hi Charles,
> >
> > Try stoping the APMD service and see if it solves your problem.
> >
> >
> > George Iosif
> >
> > >>> "Charles" 07/21/04 11:51 AM >>>
> > Dear all,
> >
> > Recently one of our servers randomly stop responding, but it does not
> > hang.
> >
> > When the problem happens, all the network services stop responding, but
> > the server is still running. Then many processes are queued up and cause
> > the
> > avg no. of process running sky to over 100 in 10min! If I was connecting
> > an
> > ssh to the server, it just stop response but the connection is still
> > there.
> > ping also has response.
> >
> > The most strange thing is, when I press an ENTER key at the console, the
> > problem solved instantly and everything back to normal. Even my ssh
> > connection
> > will have response again.
> >
> > Our server's config:
> >
> > Hardware: Dual P3-700Mhz, 640M RAM, 2 x 10G IDE HDD running Software
> > RAID-1
> > OS: RedHat Linux 8.0
> > kernel: kernel-2.4.18-14smp
> >
> > Special config:
> > - freeswan-1.99_x509_0.9.15_2.4.18_14 installed
> >
> > Do you know what happens and kindly give me any suggestions? Thanks!
> >
> >
> > Best Regards,
> > Charles
> >
> > ----------------------------------------
> > My Inbox is protected by SPAMfighter
> > 7157 spam mails have been blocked so far.
> > Download free www.spamfighter.com today!
> >
> > -
> > To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-admin"
> > in
> > the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
> > More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
> >
> > -
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> > the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
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> >
> >
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>
>

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