[K12OSN] odd reboot issue

Thu Oct 20 01:04:43 UTC 2005

dumb idea...but...full hard drives do some weird tihngs...

> 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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