Bug#194772: Xserver-xfree86 dies reproducibly with sig11, on several machines
Package: xserver-xfree86
Version: 4.2.1-6
Severity: important
The X server dies with signal 11 if I first runs mozilla
reading a webpage or two, and then tries to
start an xterm / rxvt from the menu/toolbar in icewm.
Selecting xterm just once doesn't usually crash,
but it takes several minutes of inactivity before
it actually appear. There is no busy looping
(0% cpu usage) and no disk activity (i.e. no trashing)
when this happen. Working with apps already started is
fine in this period, but attempts to start
more xterms quickly kills X11 with a sig11.
Mozilla don't have to be running, it just have to run once.
Closing it before trying to start xterm does not improve
the situation. There is plenty of memory available.
xterms can really only be started right after logging
in, before running other apps.
This happens with two of the three machines I use:
First machine:
dual celeron, graphics card:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Matrox Graphics, Inc. MGA G550 AGP (rev 01)
tested with various 2.5.69-mm kernels,
and kernel 2.4.15 to rule out develpoment kernel bugs.
It is harder to trigger the crash with 2.4.15, but it does happen.
I have to try to start xterm many more times before X crashes,
although I easily get it into the state where xterm don't start
immediately.
Second machine:
AMD k6 processor, graphics card:
00:0b.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. ViRGE/DX or /GX (rev 01)
tested with kernel 2.5.69-mm3. This is a development kernel, but
testing on the other machine rules out kernel trouble.
This one is set up as an xterm, it runs the xserver only.
The window manager (icewm) and all apps runs on the dual celeron.
This machine doesn't use xdm, it simply accepts any X connection.
The third machine is a uniprocessor Pentium IV, with this graphichs card:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon RV100 QY [Radeon 7000/VE]
This one cannot be provoked to crash by starting xterms.
All three machines runs debian testing and 2.5.69 kernels usually.
It looks like SMP/UP or kernel version don't matter, and the problem
happens with two different graphics cards.
From /var/log/xdm.log on the dual celeron machine:
XFree86 Version 4.2.1.1 (Debian 4.2.1-6 20030225230350 branden@progeny.com) / X Window System
(protocol Version 11, revision 0, vendor release 6600)
Release Date: 18 October 2002
If the server is older than 6-12 months, or if your card is
newer than the above date, look for a newer version before
reporting problems. (See http://www.XFree86.Org/)
Build Operating System: Linux 2.4.20-586tsc i686 [ELF]
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Sun May 25 23:30:14 2003
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
Skipping "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libGLcore.a:debug_xform.o": No symbols found
Skipping "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/fonts/libspeedo.a:spencode.o": No symbols found
(EE) MGA: Failed to load module "mga_hal" (module does not exist, 0)
modprobe: Can't locate module mga
[drm] failed to load kernel module "mga"
(EE) MGA(0): [drm] DRIScreenInit failed. Disabling DRI.
Mon May 26 17:39:08 2003 xdm info (pid 1094): starting X server on :0
modprobe: Can't locate module mga
[drm] failed to load kernel module "mga"
(EE) MGA(0): [drm] DRIScreenInit failed. Disabling DRI.
Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting
Helge Hafting
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