Bug#325117: NFS problem(s) with kernel 2.6
Package: kernel-image-2.6.8-2-686
Version: 2.6.8-16
Severity: critical
Hello!
This is about an (at least to us) critical bug within NFS in the
current Debian 3.1 (stable=sarge) version Intel i386 architecture
with kernel 2.6 only! All the phaenomena reported do not(!) occur
with kernel 2.4 (here 2.4.27, more precisely 2.4.27-2-686).
First symptom: when I change into any NFS-mounted directory or
subdirectory thereof and issue the command 'find . -print', I get
the following result:
/Net/Apps# find . -print
.
find: .: Value too large for defined data type
The same is true, if I address that directory 'from the outside':
/tmp# find /Net/Apps/. -print
/Net/Apps/.
find: /Net/Apps/.: Value too large for defined data type
[the '.' after the /Net/Apps/ is necessary, as this is a
symlink here! But the same happens, when that is not the
case!]
I've read about such a problem in the Ubuntu bug-tracking
system, and they claim to have a solution for this one.
This could be true, as this problem doesn't show, when I
use the Knoppix 4.0 DVD (which uses a 2.6.12-kernel, iirc).
I did compile and try under 'sarge' the latest kernel available
in the Debian repository at this time (2.6.11-7) from
kernel-source-2.6.11_2.6.11-7_all.deb and accessories via
'make-kpkg', a 'sarge'-version of
"kernel-image-2.6.11-1-686_2.6.11-7_i386.deb" so to speak,
and this one, too, shows the error. So it isn't gone in
Debian!
libc6 is: Version: 2.3.2.ds1-22, the 'standard one', but
I don't think, it does matter.
[As written above, it doesn't show up with kernel 2.4!]
The second problem is the critical failure of applications
in such an NFS-mounted tree. E.g. Mathematica v5.0 crashes,
with a 'segmentation fault', after not only complaining about
problems with "fonts" (that can often be ignored), but
also with reporting missing 'structures' (read files!) from
that tree, finally resulting in the abort. These files are
definitely there and not 'harmed' - it does work with a 2.4 kernel
and an otherwise unchanged 'sarge' system. [An LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.4
does not(!) help here for 2.6 kernels, as it does with e.g.
Maple v.8, where a missing 'errno' variable is (otherwise) reported
for libc6 by the dynamic linker with 2.6 kernels.]
This problem does not(!) go away with the KNOPPIX 4.0 DVD kernel
version, contrary to the 'find'-problem!
Also playing around with every parameter of the NFS-system (like
NFS-version (2 or 3), tcp, r/wsize etc.) that makes sense to me, did
not result in a working system.
The server(s) here is (are) Origin 200 SGI IRIX 6.5 system(s) with
xfs filesystems! But I don't think this matters, either, see the
'Ubuntu'-problem report. Linux servers might work, though, by
canceallation of errors in server and client.
I don't dare to use such a combination on the 'writable' NFS-home-
directories of our users, for fear of destroying files [the 'apps'
are mounted read-only (ro) and are not a problem in this regard].
As this concerns the (NFS-mounted) applications as well as the
home-directories of our users, I regard this problem as critical!
Thus the severity rating! It is probably less severe for someone
not using 'NFS' or using 'Linux only' systems - where I can't
say, if the problem arises. The only workaround for me is to use a
2.4 kernel, which isn't nice - udev/hal and other component highly
advisable for a desktop system (e.g. for USB-memory-sticks. other
removable media etc.) are not available then!
With the plea for a fast fix and best regards,
Ruediger Oberhage
--
H.-R. Oberhage
Mail: Univ. Duisburg-Essen E-Mail: oberhage@Uni-Essen.DE
Fachbereich Physik ruediger@Theo-Phys.Uni-Essen.DE
Campus Essen, S05 V07 E88
Universitaetsstrasse 5 Phone: {+49|0} 201 / 183-2493
45141 Essen, Germany FAX: {+49|0} 201 / 183-4578
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