FC5 kernel hang with kernels 2122 and 2133

[James Wilkinson]

LPM wrote:
> This is my first post to this list, so I hope I get this email formated
> correctly.

Looks good to me!
> I've run smartctl and checked my drives and they are OK.

How about your memory? (Erm -- your *computer's* memory...)

>From the errors you're posting, either you've encountered a kernel bug,
possibly you've got problems with the video card, or you've got dodgy
memory. The third most worrying thing about dodgy RAM is how common it
is.

The second most worrying thing is how long you can run on a system with
bad memory without noticing. In your case, kernel 2111 could be using
the bad part of memory to hold kernel code (or X stuff) that you're not
actually using. Later kernels will have memory arranged slightly
differently.

The *most* worrying thing about dodgy memory is that if you have it, you
have very little data security -- any of your files could be corrupted
at any time.

The standard way to check memory is called memtest86. I think this is
still on the Fedora install CDs and DVDs. You have to reboot to use it
anyway (it has to check *all* the memory on the system). Boot from the
Fedora install CD as though you were going to install Fedora, then type
memtest86 at the very first prompt. Leave the machine on overnight.

If memtest86 turns out not to diagnose bad memory, then you should
probably try leaving it running in runlevel 3 for a day. To do this, you
go into the grub menu as you boot, and add a " 3" (without the quotes)
to the end of the appropriate "kernel " line. If that seems to give you
stability, you could also try swapping over graphics cards.

Otherwise, please enter the error messages you quoted into
http://bugzilla.redhat.com . There's no guarantee that anyone will be
able to fix them, but they might help the kernel hackers to pin down a
problem.

I'd copy and paste most of the rest of this e-mail -- you've done a
pretty good job at stating what you've done so far. Add in that you've
tried memtest86.

James.

-- 
E-mail address: james | "Drums must never stop. Very bad if drums stop."
@westexe.demon.co.uk  | "Why? What will happen if the drums ever stop?"
                      | "Bass solo."