[NTLUG:Discuss] Linux crashes

[Pete. Koren]

"J. Reeves Hall" wrote:

> I've been having a problem with my Linux server crashing recently...
> Here's my config:
> -dual PII 350, SuperMicro MB, AMI bios
> -128 MB RAM
> -3Com 3C509b NIC connected to Georgia Tech's network
> -Sound Blaster 16
> -Kernel 2.2.5 SMP
> -Running: Netscape, Maple, DrScheme, KDE, Half-Life TFC dedicated server
> with 20+ players, mp3 player, ProFTPD (fairly recent to fix a hole, but
> there may be other holes)
>
> The CPU usage is about 50%, which is mainly the Team Fortress server.
> Memory usage is pretty high, but I don't think it's running out.
> Everything's going peachy, and all of a sudden the machine hardlocks.
> Under Windows I'd just reboot and not think twice, but Linux doesn't
> usually do this... I could understand the server crashing, but hardlocks
> are disconcerting. Any suggestions that don't involve removing the
> TFC server?
>

Are you overclocking? I have seen this problem on single CPU overclocked
system. The CPU, a Celeron 300A needed the core voltage to be set to 2.2
Volts in order to boot, but it failed (locked up) in use. Marginal CPU
chips are a problem.

I currently run a dual Celeron 300A system overclocked to 450 Mhz using
kernel 2.2.11 with no problems. I paid a small premium to get chips burned
in at 477 Mhz and backed off to 450 Mhz to buy some reliability. My CPUs
required no core voltage boost (2.0 Volts default) in order to overclock.
Running ktop, I can see new processes being assigned to the least busy
processor.

Regards,

Pete Koren

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