Re: [Help] Strange Linux server no response problem, fixed by hitting ENTER at console!

[Chris DiTrani <cditrani@livedata.com>]

On Wed, 2004-07-21 at 04:51, Charles wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> Recently one of our servers randomly stop responding, but it does not hang.
> 
> When the problem happens, all the network services stop responding, but
> the server is still running. Then many processes are queued up and cause the 
> avg no. of process running sky to over 100 in 10min! If I was connecting an 
> ssh to the server, it just stop response but the connection is still there.
> ping also has response.
> 
> The most strange thing is, when I press an ENTER key at the console, the
> problem solved instantly and everything back to normal. Even my ssh connection
> will have response again.

If this is a server/BIOS/kernel/module combo that has been running
without this problem for a while, my guess is you have have failing
hardware. Feels like an interrupt problem (kernel/module can't clear an
interrupt, keyboard interrupt kicks things along??). What cpu usage
like?

You might try rebuilding/installing the kernel/modules (good excuse to
upgrade to latest 2.4), and if the problem persists I'd pin it on the
hardware. Could be a bus device or something on the mainboard.

This might be enough of a brain-teaser that you could post it on the
kernel list and not get ridiculed.

CD