PROBLEM: 2.6.3 + external firewire dvd writer - frequent freezes

PROBLEM: 2.6.3 + external firewire dvd writer - frequent freezes

[Tillmann Steinbrecher]

Hi,

I'm using an external FireWire DVD writer (Plextor 708 in case w/Oxford
911 chipset). This was working fine until kernel 2.6.2.

Since I upgraded to 2.6.3, it frequently happens that the system totally
freezes when trying to write a DVD. It's really a hard crash, no mouse
movement, no ping on the network. Reset required.

It doesn't happen each time I try to burn a DVD, but in about 20% the
cases. So basically the writer is unusable with 2.6.3.

I searched the web and archives for the problem, but didn't find any
results, except for one guy describing the same problem, also with
2.6.3, also on this mailing list here:
http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0402.2/0950.html

However he didn't get any replies.

Please CC: me for replies, or if anybody needs .config, lspci, or other
info. The firewire controller is a Texas Instruments TSB43AB22/A.

bye & thanks for your time,
Tillmann

Re: PROBLEM: 2.6.3 + external firewire dvd writer - frequent freezes

[Ben Collins]

On Sun, Feb 22, 2004 at 02:44:36PM +0100, Tillmann Steinbrecher wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm using an external FireWire DVD writer (Plextor 708 in case w/Oxford
> 911 chipset). This was working fine until kernel 2.6.2.
> 
> Since I upgraded to 2.6.3, it frequently happens that the system totally
> freezes when trying to write a DVD. It's really a hard crash, no mouse
> movement, no ping on the network. Reset required.
> 
> It doesn't happen each time I try to burn a DVD, but in about 20% the
> cases. So basically the writer is unusable with 2.6.3.
> 
> I searched the web and archives for the problem, but didn't find any
> results, except for one guy describing the same problem, also with
> 2.6.3, also on this mailing list here:
> http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0402.2/0950.html
> 
> However he didn't get any replies.
> 
> Please CC: me for replies, or if anybody needs .config, lspci, or other
> info. The firewire controller is a Texas Instruments TSB43AB22/A.

Can you enable spinlock debug so we can see if this is a race condition
somewhere?

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Re: PROBLEM: 2.6.3 + external firewire dvd writer - frequent freezes

[Ben Collins]

> Thanks for your reply.  What option do I have to enable exactly? 
> CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK_SLEEP? Anything else required? Also, how do I get 
> access to the results of the debugging? I mean, it's really a hard 
> crash, no messages visible (that is, when running X), no logging to 
> syslog, etc.

That should be good. You'll have to do this from the console (not in X)
and if it's a spinlock deadlock, it will print messages.

-- 
Debian     - http://www.debian.org/
Linux 1394 - http://www.linux1394.org/
Subversion - http://subversion.tigris.org/
WatchGuard - http://www.watchguard.com/

Re: PROBLEM: 2.6.3 + external firewire dvd writer - frequent freezes

[Tillmann Steinbrecher]

Hi,

> > I'm using an external FireWire DVD writer (Plextor 708 in case w/Oxford
> > 911 chipset). This was working fine until kernel 2.6.2.
> > 
> > Since I upgraded to 2.6.3, it frequently happens that the system totally
> > freezes when trying to write a DVD. It's really a hard crash, no mouse
> > movement, no ping on the network. Reset required.
> > 
> > It doesn't happen each time I try to burn a DVD, but in about 20% the
> > cases. So basically the writer is unusable with 2.6.3

> Can you enable spinlock debug so we can see if this is a race condition
> somewhere?

Thanks for your reply.  What option do I have to enable exactly? 
CONFIG_DEBUG_SPINLOCK_SLEEP? Anything else required? Also, how do I get 
access to the results of the debugging? I mean, it's really a hard 
crash, no messages visible (that is, when running X), no logging to 
syslog, etc.

Also - can this possibly be related to the "growisofs problem with 
2.6.3" that was discussed at various places (and a patch was posted too) 
- I have this problem, too, since the upgrade to 2.6.3. Just in case you 
havent followed the discussion, here are two links:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&selm=c153vj%242vep%241%40FreeBSD.csie.NCTU.edu.tw
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=growisofs+2.6.3&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&selm=linux.scsi.20040221112550.6aec57eb.mike%40it-loops.com&rnum=4

Right now I can't do tests, since I'm away from home, and if I trigger a 
crash from remote I'm in trouble since I still need the machine; but I'm 
willing to test patches as soon as I'm back.

bye,
Tillmann