[NTLUG:Discuss] SuSE 9.2 Updates -- LOOKOUT!

[Stephen Davidson]

Kevin Brannen wrote:

> Stephen Davidson wrote:
>
>> ...
>> Hi Chris.
>>
>> With the Driver, unfortunately no I can't be more specific.  And the 
>> corrupted driver is just a guess, but based on some observation and 
>> experimentation.  Basically, what is happening is at fixed intervals 
>> (I forget if it is every 3 sec's or every 5 sec's), the system "locks 
>> up" for 1/2 sec.  During this time, CPU load for the system spikes to 
>> %100.  And anytime I try to do anything that requires any kind of 
>> work on the system, it is slow and sluggish.  Just bringing up 
>> Eclipse (an IDE) runs the system load up to 5 - 7.  A project build 
>> can run the load as high as 25 and take 1.5hrs or more.  (Build of 
>> same project, in 9.1 before the upgrade, system load of 4, time 
>> elapsed, < 5 minutes, and that was BEFORE a mess of code in the 
>> project was refactored out into another project!).
>>
>> What is really bizarre is that fact that when the system is cold 
>> booted, it behaves normally until the first time a load is put on 
>> it.  Short loads are no problem.  Longer loads trigger the above 
>> behaviour.  I don't have what the "cutoff" is, but normally, just 
>> logging in to KDE does not trigger this (unless something causes KDE 
>> to take longer than normal, such as another "heavy" process running - 
>> in which case starting KDE will take 3 - 5 minutes to start).
>
>
> ...
>
> In a console/xterm, run "top" at the beginning before you stress the 
> machine.  Now start stressing the machine and watch the top output.  
> Whoever is causing the load should jump to the top.  That info 
> *should* be enough to know where to go from there.
>
> HTH,
> Kevin
>
I forgot to mention.  This ONLY applies to the system AFTER I have run 
SuSE Online update.  If I can get 9.2 reinstalled, I am not planning on 
updating this particular system.  Too much collateral damage right now.  
If I can't get it back online, I am downgrading it to SuSE 8.2, as that 
at least worked on this computer w/o any hassles.

Regards,
Steve

-- 
Java/J2EE Developer/Integrator
Stephen Davidson and Associates, Inc.
Vice President, DFW JavaMUG (http://javamug.org)
Past Chair, Dallas/FortWorth J2EE Sig
214-724-7741