Time stopping/slowing in linux on TC4100

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Archived from groups: comp.os.linux.hardware,alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

I've found a problem happening on a load of linux servers I run.

Basically the clock is slowing right down so much that the clock changing
a second takes a minute or more. If I try to run top nothing happens, so I
assume the CPUs are being used insanely.

I forgot to check hwclock before rebooting, but as the clock is ok after
reboot (it was about 4 days out before reboot) so I assume it's ok.

Anybody have a clue as to what might be causing this? And where I could
look to find clues? I'm guessing it's a program not playing nice with the
hardware. I am steering away from hardware as the cause as I'm having this
problem on 7 linux boxes, yet no problems on 10 windows boxes; all
identical hardware.

For reference these boxes are HP TC4100 servers. Dual P3, SCSI, etc. I can
provide more hardware details if needed.

-- Nick

 

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Archived from groups: comp.os.linux.hardware,alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

In alt.os.linux Nick Gushlow <gushy79@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I've found a problem happening on a load of linux servers I run.
>
> Basically the clock is slowing right down so much that the clock changing
> a second takes a minute or more. If I try to run top nothing happens, so I
> assume the CPUs are being used insanely.

I assume so too, so look at the list of processes and SEE what is up.

Peter

 

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On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 14:58:12 +0200, P.T. Breuer wrote:

> I assume so too, so look at the list of processes and SEE what is up.

I can't, neither top or ps respond when the systems are in this state.
Also I'm not able to soft reboot the box, I have to do a hard reset.

-- Nick

 

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Archived from groups: comp.os.linux.hardware,alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Nick Gushlow <gushy79@hotmail.com> writes:

]I've found a problem happening on a load of linux servers I run.

]Basically the clock is slowing right down so much that the clock changing
]a second takes a minute or more. If I try to run top nothing happens, so I
]assume the CPUs are being used insanely.

]I forgot to check hwclock before rebooting, but as the clock is ok after
]reboot (it was about 4 days out before reboot) so I assume it's ok.

]Anybody have a clue as to what might be causing this? And where I could
]look to find clues? I'm guessing it's a program not playing nice with the
]hardware. I am steering away from hardware as the cause as I'm having this
]problem on 7 linux boxes, yet no problems on 10 windows boxes; all
]identical hardware.

]For reference these boxes are HP TC4100 servers. Dual P3, SCSI, etc. I can
]provide more hardware details if needed.

run top and wait until it finally starts up so you can see what is going
on.
Or write a little shell script to run ps ax every minute or 30 sec and
putting the output into a /tmp file.
Then look to see what is hogging everything.
It sounds to me like it is swapping, which grinds everything to a halt. --
ie disk io is switching off all interrupts including the clock.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.os.linux.hardware,alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 17:00:57 +0000, P.T. Breuer wrote:

> Yes they do. (Hint: memory is reserved for root - keep a root
> terminalopen).

Didn't know that. Although some of the boxes are remote so I'll have to
open up ssh access for root.

> No you don't! Sysreq is always there.

Never used sysreq, just looked it up in the kernel docs. very handy! I can
use that on my local servers.


Thanks for your help. 🙂

-- Nick

 

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Archived from groups: comp.os.linux.hardware,alt.os.linux,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 15:43:18 +0000, Bill Unruh wrote:

> run top and wait until it finally starts up so you can see what is going
> on.

I've tended to run out of patience waiting for it! I'll hold out next time.

> Or write a little shell script to run ps ax every minute or 30 sec and
> putting the output into a /tmp file.

That's a cracking idea, I'll do that.

Thanks,

-- Nick