[vox-tech] Re: crashes -- kernel problems?

[Charles McLaughlin]

Thanks for the advice!  Below is an update and a few more questions.  ;-)

> Date: Sun, 4 May 2003 15:41:29 -0700
> To: vox-tech@lists.lugod.org
> Subject: Re: [vox-tech] crashes -- kernel problems?
> From: Peter Jay Salzman <p@dirac.org>
> Reply-To: vox-tech@lists.lugod.org
>
> charles,
>
> first thing to do is to learn about the magic sysrq key so you can sync
> and umount your drives gracefully, in case this really is a kernel
> related issue.  make sure this option is compiled into your kernel.
> there was a thread on vox-tech about it about 2 months ago, i think.

I recompiled my kernel with support for the magic sysrq key.  I'm having
some problems using it though.  In order for me to press the sysreq key, I
have to hold down the function (fn) key on my laptop.  The function key
turns part of my laptop keyboard into a number pad, so when I attempt to
press alt+sysreq+U to unmount, it translates to alt+syreq+4.

Is there a way to map the sysreq key to another key?

>
> second thing to do is to ping or try to ssh into the machine to see if
> the kernel is really gone or the input system is just hosed (which
> happens).  at least then you can perform an ordinary shut down.

I can't ping it or ssh into it when it crashes.

>
> of course, there's always your logs in /var/log, but if it's a kernel
> panic, the kernel most often goes la-la before being able to pass
> logging info to klogd.

I checked kern.log, but didn't see anything about a kernel panic.

>
> there's google groups.  for instance, when i fed "2.4.20 kernel crash
> network" to google groups, i learned there might be problems with the
> 3c59x module.

My laptop has a 3c905 NIC, but it uses the same module as the 3c590.
Should I get an newer or older kernel?  For now, I'm thinking of disabling
this module to see if that fixes the problem.  I've mostly use a wireless
conection anyway.  :-)

btw  Does it matter if I compile the NIC support into the kernel or as a
module?  Currently I have it built-in.

>
> kernel crashes are really hard to diagnose unless you're willing to
> learn alot of information to send a detailed bug report to lkml, but the
> bright side is that if the crash is reproducible, someone almost always
> helps you out.
>
> jooc, are you running 2.4.20-pre-something or the officially released
> 2.4.20?

I'm using the official 2.4.20.

>
> oh, just one more thing, and this might be helpful.  try to make your
> system crash while using a virtual console.  the kernel isn't fond of
> printing junk into an xterm.  if you can see a message about an "oops",
> and have a healthy system.map you might know a bit more about your
> problem.
>
> hope something here was useful.
>
> good luck and keep us advised with what happens.
>
> pete
>
>
> begin Charles McLaughlin <cmclaughlin@ucdavis.edu>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm running debian unstable on my laptop.  I've recompiled my kernel
> > (2.4.20) several times in order to get some of hardware to work.
> >
> > The system has completely froze several times.  When this happens, I
> > can't move the mouse, type, etc.  It seems to happen when I'm doing
> > network related stuff, like using Mozilla or gftp.
> >
> > How should I start to troubleshoot this?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Charles