Re: Hang during rm on ext2 mounted sync (2.6.14-rc2+)

Andrew Morton
2005-09-23T08:58:09Z

Chris Sykes <chris@sigsegv.plus.com> wrote:
>
> Kernels: 2.6.14-rc1 -> 2.6.14-rc2 + up to hg changeset 5c9ff0e17a61
>
> I'm experiencing processes getting stuck in the 'D' state whilst
> rm'ing files on an ext2 fs mounted with the 'sync' option. What I've
> tested so far:
>
> * Ext2 mounted with sync: rm hangs
> * Ext2 mounted without sync: OK
> * Ext3 mounted with sync: OK
> * Ext3 mounted without sync: OK
>
> I first noticed this on my /boot partition, and wanted to know whether
> it was repeatable so I've created a few test ext2 filesystem images
> and mounted them via loopback.

Odd. Seems OK here. How hard is it to make it occur?

I'd be suspecting a lost I/O completion from the device driver. Are you
really sure that ext3 cannot be made to do the same thing?

Suggest you generate the `dmesg -s 1000000' output for both good and bad
kernels, do a `diff -u' on them and look for IDE complaints (or SCSI, if
you're on SCSI).