[Crash-utility] kmem -[sS] segfault on 2.6.25.17

[Mike Snitzer]

On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 4:04 PM, Dave Anderson <anderson at redhat.com> wrote:
>
> Mike,
>
> Apply this patch to 4.0-7.4 and run it on your live system.
>
> It works with the sample vmcore you sent me, and it should also alleviate
> many of the errors that I suggested might be due to the underlying
> shifting sands of your live system.
>
> I don't know why this is the first report of this, nor why I've never
> seen this before?  The problem has to do with using invalid entries
> in the kmem_cache.nodelists[MAXNUMNODES] array of kmem_list3 data
> structures.  To date, the unused entries have typically been NULL
> for non-existent memory nodes, but not so with your kernel.
>
> Let me know how it works for you.

Hi Dave,

I've tested your patch and crash no longer segfaults.  As for the
various errors from "shifting sands"; I still see quite a few "free
list: bad slab pointer:" and "partial list: bad slab pointer:" errors
for my kmem_caches on both the live and vmcore crash sessions.

Are you saying I shouldn't see many of these errors any more?  Or are
they still to be expected based on your experience when interacting
with my vmcore?

Thanks for all your help,
Mike