RHEL4 Sun Java Messaging Server deadlock

[m.roth at 5-cent.us]

John Dalbec wrote:
> Sun Java(tm) System Messaging Server 6.2-9.20 (built Jul 15 2010)
> libimta.so 6.2-9.20 (built 01:27:24, Jul 15 2010)
> Linux myysumail.ysu.edu 2.6.9-89.31.1.ELhugemem #1 SMP Mon Oct 4
> 22:04:11 EDT 2010 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
>
> The IMAPd process appears to get into a deadlock with pdflush and
> kjournald.  The mailboxes were initially stored on a disk partition but
> I'm in the process of migrating them to a LVM logical partition.  Both
> partitions are ext3.  I worry about using ext2 because a fsck takes
> about 90 minutes.
>
> The server has 32GB RAM.  Right now Committed_AS is around 4GB, but the
> system is lightly loaded.  I'm running a 32-bit kernel because the
> application vendor doesn't support 64-bit.
>
> I can't upgrade to RHEL5 because the application vendor doesn't support
> it.  When the deadlock happens it affects parts of /proc.  If I run "ps
> ax" the "ps" process enters an uninterruptible wait and stays there.  I
> have to power-cycle the system to return to normal operation.
>
> What are my options?  I have SELinux enforcing.  Should I disable it?  I
> have vm.overcommit_memory = 1.  Should I set that to 0 or 2?  Do I have
> to fall back to ext2?

First question: what do the logs say? Are there complaints, AVCs, for
example, in /var/log/audit/audit.log? Does messages say anything at all?

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