[K12OSN] odd reboot issue

Thu Oct 20 00:54:54 UTC 2005

Hi again everyone,

Well, things were working normally for a couple weeks, but the same issue
happened tonight. Computers all froze and I had to come in this evening and
reboot them. Odd thing is I can't find anything odd in the log files. It
just...stopped working. No warning, no errors, nothing.

The one odd thing is that when I reboot the system it comes up fine on the
terminals, but the main monitor (hooked into the server via KVM, and yes,
I've checked the KVM) doesn't display anything when it should be displaying
the GDM login. I sshed in and did a top, and X is using ~97% of the CPU. Bad
news, but no matter what I do I can't kill that process (even telinit 3
doesn't stop that particular process). I'm really open to suggestions at
this point as this is a very important things for us to have...and I'm going
to have some people breathing down my neck tomorrow morning if it isn't
working.

-Calvin

-----Original Message-----
From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:k12osn-bounces at redhat.com]On
Behalf Of Calvin Park
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 1:14 PM
To: Support list for opensource software in schools.
Subject: RE: [K12OSN] odd reboot issue

Well, after a forth reboot this morning things _seem_ to be working just
fine. However, I am worried that it could be a drive issue (which makes me
nervous). I'll check out spinrite...and perhaps Friday evening I can spend
some quality time with my server. :)

Thanks for all the help...if anyone has any additional ideas, feel free to
share.

-Calvin

-----Original Message-----
From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:k12osn-bounces at redhat.com]On
Behalf Of Keith Olson
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 12:56 PM
To: Support list for opensource software in schools.
Subject: Re: [K12OSN] odd reboot issue

If the drive isn't actually failing, but only has developed some bad
sectors, (or if you have data you need off of it) then Spinrite
http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm could be a /huge/ help.

Angus Carr wrote:

> This one sounds like a failing drive - you mentioned something about a
> IO error (ok, I've responded to a message where that's been trimmed.
> Drat.) on some drive or another.
>
> At a guess, it's blocking on reading a file which is partially on a
> failed sector of the disk. gdm is probably waiting for it, and
> eventually gives up and authenticates (that's why logging in would be
> slow). I would book a weekend to baby your server, or an evening, or
> something.
>
> Boot off a livecd of some sort, and see what you can do. Perhaps
> replacing the drive is in order. That usually works for me.
>
> Of course, you have your important data all backed up somehow, as all
> of us always do...:-)
>
> If not, then make that your first priority off a livecd boot. Back it
> all up. Especially /home.
>
> Angus Carr.
>
> Calvin Park wrote:
>
>> Alrighty. I just found something interesting. I was checking top and
>> noticed
>> one particular gdm-binary taking up 95% CPU. I joyfully said "Aha!" and
>> pkilled the sucker. Which promptly locked my system until. The terminals
>> upstairs went down and SSH no longer works. My server is now in the
>> midst of
>> a cold reboot. Ick, ick. But, that is a bit more information.
>>
>> Also, I'm including below the body of another one of my messages. I
>> attached
>> an image that was a bit too large (a screenshot) and so it's sitting
>> waiting
>> for moderation. Anyway, below is the body...if anyone wants the
>> screenshot
>> I'll send it to you privately.
>>
>>
>> --------
>> dmesg didn't tell me too much (though it is possible I'm missing
>> something.
>> I plan to go through it again). I took a look at /var/log/messages,
>> and I've
>> attached a screenshot (I beg forgiveness for using XP) of the last
>> minute or
>> so before it died last night. No problem that I could see.
>>
>> I've checked the KVM, and that particular port is working with our other
>> Linux servers. :(
>>
>> -Calvin
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:k12osn-bounces at redhat.com]On
>> Behalf Of Les Mikesell
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 8:48 AM
>> To: Support list for opensource software in schools.
>> Subject: RE: [K12OSN] odd reboot issue
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 2005-10-05 at 07:46, Calvin Park wrote:
>>
>>
>>> As an addendum to this, I'm in the process of rebooting all
>>> terminals, and
>>> I've noticed that it waits quite a while at
>>>
>>> loading 192.168.0.254:/lts/vmzlinux.ltsp
>>>
>>> After that it boots like normal, but runs fairly slow...and still no
>>> luck
>>> getting the monitor hooked to the server to display anything.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Ssh in and run 'dmesg |less'.  Do a 'G' to go to the end and
>> scroll backwards with the page-up or control-b keys.  You
>> might see something to explain what went wrong.  If not,
>> look in /var/log/messages for anything unusual. The display
>> problem could be the KVM, too.
>>
>> --
>>  Les Mikesell
>>     les at futuresource.com
>
>>>Hi all,

>>>Last night one of my techs called me this morning to let me know that our
>>>LTSP server had decided to crash. How nice. I came in this morning and
>>>the
>>>server had power, but wasn't booted up, as far as I could tell. The
>>>terminals upstairs were all searching for DHCP, and the server downstairs
>>>would not display anything on the monitor. So, I hit the reset button.
>>>Seemed to boot okay (had a few SELinux messages at boot) until a message
>>>displayed about.../proc/hdd/media I/O error. I waited a minute or two,
>>>then
>>>the screen went blank (this is downstairs, on the monitor hooked via KVM
>>>switch to the server). I went upstairs and the terminals are booting fine
>>>now, but still no display downstairs.

>>>Anyone else run into this problem before? Anyone have any idea what could
>>>have caused a random freeze which required a reboot and now nothing
>>>displays
>>>on the screen? Thanks in advance.

--
Keith Olson
K-Soft Consulting

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