Kernel version 2.6.20.4 works. What I'm experiencing is a kernel panic as soon as the first received packet comes in via the sis900 ethernet interface. The machine is locked up and part of the kernel panic message is lost as it has scrolled off the screen and the virtual terminal has crashed as well (the kernel appears to have done a permanent halt - the keyboard LEDs are flashing). The only way I could get the machine to boot without this problem was to unplug the ethernet cable - but it would appear as soon as the the first packet was received after plugging the cable back in. That's not good since the machine in question is a server in a co-location facility (I can't print the screen either). The kernel panic was repeatable without fail. As this usually happens before "init" is called, the only "program" running is the kernel itself. I don't have any syslog/dmesg message recorded to disk for the event. I've rolled back to version 2.6.20.4 in the meantime.
Hardware: Motherboard is a PC Chips M810LR Revision 5.0 with an AMD Athlon T-bird series 1100/200FSB CPU and 1Gb of PC133 SDRAM. (Yes, it's an older machine, but its load isn't that great). I compiled the kernel from a full source tar-ball, not from a patched source based on a prior version. What I could get from the kernel symbol traceback is that the first symbol happens to be "sis900_rxbuf" (or something like that) - which confirms to me that it is definently this driver that has the problem. I compile the driver directly into the kernel - I'm not using it as a module. Whatever changes were done, it's obvious that the driver is receiving a packet before some data structure is ready to handle it and the kernel is fatally exiting as a result. Although there are two changes (2.6.20.4 -> 2.6.21), I suspect that the first one is the cause of the problem. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.21 commit b748d9e3b80dc7e6ce6bf7399f57964b99a4104c Author: Neil Horman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Fri Apr 20 09:54:58 2007 -0400 sis900: Allocate rx replacement buffer before rx operation The sis900 driver appears to have a bug in which the receive routine passes the skbuff holding the received frame to the network stack before refilling the buffer in the rx ring. If a new skbuff cannot be allocated, the driver simply leaves a hole in the rx ring, which causes the driver to stop receiving frames and become non-recoverable without an rmmod/insmod according to reporters. This patch reverses that order, attempting to allocate a replacement buffer first, and receiving the new frame only if one can be allocated. If no skbuff can be allocated, the current skbuf in the rx ring is recycled, dropping the current frame, but keeping the NIC operational. Signed-off-by: Neil Horman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Signed-off-by: Jeff Garzik <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> commit f3be97427172856d6865ddfedea84fa3a9f33227 Author: Andrew Morton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue Mar 6 02:41:55 2007 -0800 sis900 warning fixes drivers/net/sis900.c: In function 'sis900_reset_phy': drivers/net/sis900.c:972: warning: 'status' may be used uninitialized in this function drivers/net/sis900.c: In function 'sis900_check_mode': drivers/net/sis900.c:1431: warning: 'status' may be used uninitialized in this function drivers/net/sis900.c: In function 'sis900_timer': drivers/net/sis900.c:1467: warning: 'status' may be used uninitialized in this function Signed-off-by: Andrew Morton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Signed-off-by: Jeff Garzik <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- !sh /usr/src/linux/scripts/ver_linux If some fields are empty or look unusual you may have an old version. Compare to the current minimal requirements in Documentation/Changes. Linux snarked.org 2.6.20.4 #1 Mon May 7 22:52:04 UTC 2007 i686 unknown unknown GNU/Linux Gnu C 3.3.6 Gnu make 3.80 binutils 2.17.50.0.6 util-linux 2.12r mount 2.12r module-init-tools implemented e2fsprogs 1.38 jfsutils 1.1.8 reiserfsprogs 3.6.19 xfsprogs 2.6.13 pcmcia-cs 3.2.8 quota-tools 3.12. PPP 2.4.1 nfs-utils 1.0.7 Linux C Library 2.3.5 Dynamic linker (ldd) 2.3.5 Linux C++ Library 5.0.7 Procps 3.2.5 Net-tools 1.60 Kbd 1.12 oprofile 0.9.1 Sh-utils 5.2.1 udev 064 Modules Loaded (none) !lspci -vvv 00:00.0 0600: 1039:0730 (rev 02) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort+ >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 32 Region 0: Memory at d0000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64M] Capabilities: [c0] AGP version 2.0 Status: RQ=32 Iso- ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA+ ITACoh- GART64- HTrans- 64bit- FW+ AGP3- Rate=x1,x2,x4 Command: RQ=1 ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA- AGP- GART64- 64bit- FW- Rate=<none> 00:00.1 0101: 1039:5513 (rev d0) (prog-if 80) Subsystem: 1039:5513 Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 16 Region 0: [virtual] Memory at 000001f0 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8] Region 1: [virtual] Memory at 000003f0 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1] Region 2: [virtual] Memory at 00000170 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8] Region 3: [virtual] Memory at 00000370 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1] Region 4: I/O ports at ff00 [size=16] 00:01.0 0601: 1039:0018 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 0 00:01.1 0200: 1039:0900 (rev 82) Subsystem: 1039:0900 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 64 (13000ns min, 2750ns max) Interrupt: pin C routed to IRQ 3 Region 0: I/O ports at d400 [size=256] Region 1: Memory at cfff7000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K] Expansion ROM at cffc0000 [disabled] [size=128K] Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=160mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:01.2 0c03: 1039:7001 (rev 07) (prog-if 10) Subsystem: 1039:7001 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 64 (20000ns max), Cache Line Size 08 Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 5 Region 0: Memory at cfffc000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K] 00:01.3 0c03: 1039:7001 (rev 07) (prog-if 10) Subsystem: 1039:7000 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 64 (20000ns max), Cache Line Size 08 Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 5 Region 0: Memory at cfffd000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K] 00:01.4 0401: 1039:7018 (rev 02) Subsystem: 1039:7018 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 64 (500ns min, 6000ns max) Interrupt: pin B routed to IRQ 11 Region 0: I/O ports at d800 [size=256] Region 1: Memory at cfffe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K] Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=55mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:02.0 0604: 1039:0001 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop+ ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- Latency: 0 Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0 I/O behind bridge: 0000b000-0000bfff Memory behind bridge: cfe00000-cfefffff Prefetchable memory behind bridge: bfc00000-cfcfffff Secondary status: 66MHz- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- <SERR- <PERR- BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR+ NoISA+ VGA+ MAbort- >Reset- FastB2B- 01:00.0 0300: 1039:6300 (rev 31) Subsystem: 1039:6300 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- BIST result: 00 Region 0: Memory at c0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M] Region 1: Memory at cfee0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K] Region 2: I/O ports at bc00 [size=128] Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 1 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- Capabilities: [50] AGP version 2.0 Status: RQ=16 Iso- ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA+ ITACoh- GART64- HTrans- 64bit- FW- AGP3- Rate=x1,x2,x4 Command: RQ=1 ArqSz=0 Cal=0 SBA- AGP- GART64- 64bit- FW- Rate=<none> !cat /proc/cpuinfo processor : 0 vendor_id : AuthenticAMD cpu family : 6 model : 4 model name : AMD Athlon(tm) Processor stepping : 2 cpu MHz : 1095.960 cache size : 256 KB fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 1 wp : yes flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr syscall mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow bogomips : 2193.07 clflush size : 32 !cat /proc/iomem 00000000-0009fbff : System RAM 0009fc00-0009ffff : reserved 000a0000-000bffff : Video RAM area 000c0000-000cbfff : Video ROM 000f0000-000fffff : System ROM 00100000-3efeffff : System RAM 00100000-00287490 : Kernel code 00287491-003183f7 : Kernel data 3eff0000-3eff7fff : ACPI Tables 3eff8000-3effffff : ACPI Non-volatile Storage bfc00000-cfcfffff : PCI Bus #01 c0000000-c7ffffff : 0000:01:00.0 cfe00000-cfefffff : PCI Bus #01 cfee0000-cfefffff : 0000:01:00.0 cffc0000-cffdffff : 0000:00:01.1 cfff7000-cfff7fff : 0000:00:01.1 cfff7000-cfff7fff : sis900 cfffc000-cfffcfff : 0000:00:01.2 cfffd000-cfffdfff : 0000:00:01.3 cfffe000-cfffefff : 0000:00:01.4 d0000000-d3ffffff : 0000:00:00.0 fffc0000-ffffffff : reserved !cat /proc/ioports 0000-001f : dma1 0020-0021 : pic1 0040-0043 : timer0 0050-0053 : timer1 0060-006f : keyboard 0080-008f : dma page reg 00a0-00a1 : pic2 00c0-00df : dma2 00f0-00ff : fpu 0170-0177 : 0000:00:00.1 0170-0177 : ide1 01f0-01f7 : 0000:00:00.1 01f0-01f7 : ide0 0290-0297 : it87-isa 0376-0376 : 0000:00:00.1 0376-0376 : ide1 03c0-03df : vga+ 03f6-03f6 : 0000:00:00.1 03f6-03f6 : ide0 0cf8-0cff : PCI conf1 5080-5093 : sis630_smbus b000-bfff : PCI Bus #01 bc00-bc7f : 0000:01:00.0 d400-d4ff : 0000:00:01.1 d400-d4ff : sis900 d800-d8ff : 0000:00:01.4 ff00-ff0f : 0000:00:00.1 ff00-ff07 : ide0 ff08-ff0f : ide1 - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe netdev" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
