Bug#404143: Fans unreliable under load, permanent memory leak
severity 404143 important
tags 404143 upstream
stop
On Fri, Dec 22, 2006 at 01:51:36AM +0100, ludovic@ludovic-brenta.org wrote:
> Package: linux-image-2.6.18-3-amd64
> Version: 2.6.18-7
> Severity: grave
> Justification: hardware overheating hazard; requires periodic reboots
>
> (This is not the same bug as #400488 (upstream #7122))
>
> This bug affects several amd64 notebooks from HP, notably the nx6125
> and the nx6325; there may be other affected machines as well.
yes this is a known problem of 2.6.18.
the real cause is that HP is shipping broken BIOS in those models.
> Kernel team, please apply the patches for
> http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5534
>
> This bug is there merely to remind the kernel team not to release etch
> without the patches :) However I'm not sure which upstream version of
> linux, if any, contains the patches in the (long) trail of comments.
> So, it might be necessary to wait for a few days until the patches
> arrive in Linus' tree.
big nack,
acpi has a huge potential destabilisation.
at this time of the game adding acpi patches is pron to regression
at unexpected corners.
etch will get in a point release a newer kernel,
those laptops will have to get one on backports soon after release.
> Symptoms:
> - under load, the fans fail to turn on when the temperature reaches
> and then exceeds the normal threshold, which is 58°C.
> - there is a permanent memory leak in the kernel, even when the system
> is idle. The leak is visible by looking at
> $ grep Slab: /proc/meminfo and
> $ grep Acpi-State /proc/slabinfo
>
> Workaround:
> - if overheating, shut down the computer and let it cool down; or
> let it shut itself down to prevent a fire hazard.
> - if the only problem is the memory leak, reboot.
>
> Consequence: linux-image-2.6.18-3-amd63 (=2.6.18-7) is unsuitable for
> release.
>
> The memory leak is described at:
>
> http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-acpi@vger.kernel.org/msg03119.html
>
> Today I had to reboot my HP Compaq nx6325 because the kernel was
> eating 1.8 Gb out of the 1.9 Gb of RAM in the system, after about 9
> days of uptime. Then I started a hourly cron job to monitor
> /proc/meminfo and /proc/slabinfo as described above:
>
> 2006-06-21T20:06:10: Slab: 30296 kB
> 2006-17-21T20:17:01: Slab: 37756 kB
> 2006-17-21T21:17:01: Slab: 48116 kB
> 2006-17-21T22:17:01: Slab: 55764 kB
> 2006-17-21T23:17:01: Slab: 69904 kB
> -- Reboot with acpi=noirq: only one CPU found --
> 2006-24-21T23:24:10: Slab: 10444 kB
> -- Reboot with pci=noacpi: only one CPU found --
> 2006-30-21T23:30:26: Slab: 9676 kB
> 2006-30-21T23:30:26: Acpi-State 0 0 80 48 1 : tunables 120 60 8 : slabdata 0 0 0
> -- Reboot with no options: OK, both CPUs found --
> 2006-34-21T23:34:23: Slab: 10584 kB
> 2006-34-21T23:34:23: Acpi-State 0 0 80 48 1 : tunables 120 60 8 : slabdata 0 0 0
> 2006-17-22T00:17:01: Slab: 15424 kB
> 2006-17-22T00:17:01: Acpi-State 23088 23088 80 48 1 : tunables 120 60 8 : slabdata 481 481 0
> 2006-17-22T01:17:01: Slab: 29956 kB
> 2006-17-22T01:17:01: Acpi-State 59136 59136 80 48 1 : tunables 120 60 8 : slabdata 1232 1232 0
>
> I'm more than willing to help test a kernel package, but I'll be on
> [VAC] from 2006-12-23 to 2007-01-03 inclusive. So, please do not
> release Etch just now :)
>
> --
> Ludovic Brenta.
anyway this bug report is helpfull as documentation.
happy vacation
--
maks
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