iB::Topic::Network disconnect is freezing my systems

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Topic: Network disconnect is freezing my systems - v4.1

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john.martzouco Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 253
Joined: Nov. 2007

Posted: Dec. 23 2007,00:53

This only happens if I'm running under a WM. I'm trying JWM today, but we've seen the issue many times with Fluxbox over the past few days. I can perform the same action with a shell only and can recover because the system stays receptive.

Let me describe one scenario. I'm downloading an album from <a href="www.jamendo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jamendo</a> and my wifi loses connection with the AP. I'm using rtorrent in a console window. When this happens I can't find any way to use the WM any more. Ctrl+Alt+Bksp doesn't work - navigating to another desktop with the keyboard shortcuts doesn't work.

At this point, the Caps Lock light is flashing on my laptop and so is what seems to be the Scroll Lock light. There's no way to recover, I have to power off the machine.

I'm already trying to figure out about the network connection drop, but this freezing situation is much more important now.

How can I track what is going wrong in the WM environment when this happens?

The details:

1) DSL v4.1, trad hd install
2) JWM
3) rtorrent downloading this.

We've had the same thing happen with Firefox running under Fluxbox. This rules out the WMs, the apps. We have two laptops... it happens on both. This rules out hardware. I bet the same thing would happen if I was running hardwired to ethernet if I disconnected the cable.

Thanks.

^thehatsrule^ Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 3275
Joined: July 2006

Posted: Dec. 23 2007,01:40

That problem is known as a kernel panic. If you only get this when you're on your wifi network, my guess your problem with be with those drivers. There could be a problem with the # of connections (i.e. torrent) that causes this, if this only happens when you're connected on that program.

john.martzouco Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 253
Joined: Nov. 2007

Posted: Dec. 23 2007,01:58

Thanks hats,

If the information at wikipedia is correct, a kernel panic is what we call a Screen of Death in Windows.

My system doesn't dump memory, or reboot. This seems more like a freeze than a fatal crash.

I'm using ndiswrapper, wpa_supplicant.

curaga

Group: Members
Posts: 2163
Joined: Feb. 2007

Posted: Dec. 23 2007,08:30

Unless it's a serious kernel panic, magic sysrq should still work.

sysrq + s = emergency sync
sysrq + u = emergency umount
sysrq + b = instant reboot

By doing this, you avoid all loss of data and don't even need to fsck after the reboot.

There's also sysrq + k (kill everything but init), but it might not work.

Oh, in Linux kernel panics don't create anything flashy (or blue ;)), they usually just hang.

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