For quite some time I'm seeing occasional lockups spread over 50 different machines I'm maintaining. Symptom: a page allocation failure with order:1, GFP_ATOMIC, while there is plenty of memory, as it seems (lots of free pages, almost no swap used) followed by a lockup (everything dead). I've collected all (12) crash cases which occurred the last 10 weeks on 50 machines total (i.e. 1 crash every 41 weeks on average). The kernel messages are summarized to show the interesting part (IMO) they have in common. Over the years this has become the crash cause #1 for stable kernels for me (fglrx doesn't count ;).
One note: I suspect that reporting a GFP_ATOMIC allocation failure in an network driver via that same driver (netconsole) may not be the smartest thing to do and this could be responsible for the lockup itself. However, the initial page allocation failure remains and I'm not sure how to address that problem. I still think the issue is memory fragmentation but if so, it looks a bit extreme to me: One system with 2GB of ram crashed after a day, merely running a couple of TCP server programs. All systems have either 1 or 2GB ram and at least 1G of (merely unused) swap. 2.6.22.10: lokka kswapd0: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x4020 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka __alloc_skb+0x4d/0x110 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka __netdev_alloc_skb+0x23/0x50 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka e1000_alloc_rx_buffers+0x127/0x320 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka e1000_clean_rx_irq+0x299/0x510 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka e1000_intr+0x80/0x140 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka e1000_intr+0x80/0x140 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka handle_IRQ_event+0x28/0x60 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka handle_fasteoi_irq+0x6e/0xd0 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka do_IRQ+0x4a/0xa0 ... Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka Active:139432 inactive:152030 dirty:4406 writeback:4 unstable:0 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka free:89531 slab:122946 mapped:4421 pagetables:295 bounce:0 ... Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka Swap cache: add 16, delete 16, find 0/0, race 0+0 Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka Free swap = 1004004kB Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka Total swap = 1004052kB Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka Free swap: 1004004kB Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka 523912 pages of RAM Nov 5 12:58:27 lokka 294536 pages of HIGHMEM 2.6.21.6: somero ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero tg3_alloc_rx_skb+0x74/0x150 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero tg3_rx+0x35a/0x440 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero tg3_poll+0x77/0x1e0 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero net_rx_action+0x99/0x190 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero __do_softirq+0x80/0xf0 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero do_softirq+0x3c/0x40 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero irq_exit+0x45/0x50 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero do_IRQ+0x50/0xa0 ... Oct 29 11:48:07 somero Active:227052 inactive:48283 dirty:3423 writeback:0 unstable:0 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero free:113487 slab:109249 mapped:177942 pagetables:645 bounce:0 ... Oct 29 11:48:07 somero Swap cache: add 428601, delete 422625, find 84672794/84685901, race 0+7 Oct 29 11:48:07 somero Free swap = 1901644kB Oct 29 11:48:07 somero Total swap = 2008116kB Oct 29 11:48:07 somero Free swap: 1901644kB Oct 29 11:48:07 somero 521862 pages of RAM Oct 29 11:48:07 somero 292486 pages of HIGHMEM 2.6.22.10: naantali kswapd0: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x4020 (uptime: one day, merely running a couple of TCP server programs) Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali __alloc_skb+0x4d/0x110 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali tcp_collapse+0x17e/0x3b0 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali tcp_prune_queue+0x7f/0x1c0 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali tcp_data_queue+0x487/0x720 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali tcp_rcv_established+0x3a0/0x6e0 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali tcp_v4_do_rcv+0xe9/0x100 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali tcp_v4_rcv+0x7f1/0x8d0 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali ip_local_deliver+0xef/0x250 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali ip_rcv+0x264/0x560 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali netif_receive_skb+0x2ad/0x320 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali process_backlog+0x91/0x120 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali net_rx_action+0x8d/0x170 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali __do_softirq+0x78/0x100 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali do_softirq+0x3c/0x40 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali irq_exit+0x45/0x50 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali do_IRQ+0x4f/0xa0 ... Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali Active:115770 inactive:257188 dirty:10243 writeback:1920 unstable:0 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali free:41073 slab:97335 mapped:2540 pagetables:149 bounce:0 ... Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali Swap cache: add 90, delete 88, find 18/28, race 0+0 Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali Free swap = 2008048kB Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali Total swap = 2008084kB Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali Free swap: 2008048kB Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali 524144 pages of RAM Oct 26 11:27:01 naantali 294768 pages of HIGHMEM 2.6.21.6: koli ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli tg3_alloc_rx_skb+0x74/0x150 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli tg3_rx+0x35a/0x440 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli tg3_poll+0x77/0x1e0 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli net_rx_action+0x99/0x190 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli __do_softirq+0x80/0xf0 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli do_softirq+0x3c/0x40 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli irq_exit+0x45/0x50 Oct 12 14:56:44 koli do_IRQ+0x50/0xa0 2.6.21.6: salla swirl: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla e1000_alloc_rx_buffers+0x140/0x340 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla e1000_clean_rx_irq+0x2c9/0x520 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla e1000_intr+0x7f/0x150 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla handle_IRQ_event+0x26/0x60 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla handle_fasteoi_irq+0x6b/0xd0 Oct 1 08:51:58 salla do_IRQ+0x4b/0xa0 2.6.22.6: lokka ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x4020 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka __alloc_skb+0x4d/0x110 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka tcp_collapse+0x17e/0x3b0 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka tcp_prune_queue+0x7f/0x1c0 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka tcp_data_queue+0x487/0x720 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka tcp_rcv_established+0x3a0/0x6e0 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka tcp_v4_do_rcv+0xe9/0x100 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka tcp_v4_rcv+0x7f1/0x8d0 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka ip_local_deliver+0xef/0x250 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka ip_rcv+0x264/0x560 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka netif_receive_skb+0x2ad/0x320 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka process_backlog+0x91/0x120 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka net_rx_action+0x8d/0x170 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka __do_softirq+0x78/0x100 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka do_softirq+0x3c/0x40 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka irq_exit+0x45/0x50 Sep 17 10:34:49 lokka do_IRQ+0x4f/0xa0 2.6.21.6: karvio swapper: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio e1000_alloc_rx_buffers+0x140/0x340 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio e1000_clean_rx_irq+0x2c9/0x520 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio e1000_intr+0x7f/0x150 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio handle_IRQ_event+0x26/0x60 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio handle_fasteoi_irq+0x6b/0xd0 Sep 17 10:48:48 karvio do_IRQ+0x4b/0xa0 2.6.21.6: nivala ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala e1000_alloc_rx_buffers+0x140/0x340 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala e1000_clean_rx_irq+0x2f6/0x520 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala e1000_intr+0x7f/0x150 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala handle_IRQ_event+0x26/0x60 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala handle_fasteoi_irq+0x6b/0xd0 Sep 20 10:32:49 nivala do_IRQ+0x4b/0xa0 2.6.21.7: lahti ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti tg3_alloc_rx_skb+0x74/0x150 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti tg3_rx+0x35a/0x440 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti tg3_poll+0x77/0x1e0 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti net_rx_action+0x99/0x190 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti __do_softirq+0x80/0xf0 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti do_softirq+0x3c/0x40 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti irq_exit+0x45/0x50 Sep 3 09:46:11 lahti do_IRQ+0x50/0xa0 2.6.21.6: ropi ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi tcp_collapse+0x152/0x390 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi tcp_prune_queue+0x84/0x1d0 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi tcp_data_queue+0x4a6/0x760 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi tcp_rcv_established+0x3ed/0x740 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi tcp_v4_do_rcv+0xd0/0xe0 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi tcp_v4_rcv+0x7d2/0x890 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi ip_local_deliver+0xf2/0x260 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi ip_rcv+0x259/0x510 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi netif_receive_skb+0x280/0x2f0 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi process_backlog+0x8d/0x140 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi net_rx_action+0x99/0x190 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi __do_softirq+0x80/0xf0 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi do_softirq+0x3c/0x40 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi irq_exit+0x45/0x50 Aug 30 10:40:46 ropi do_IRQ+0x50/0xa0 2.6.21.6: ivalo swapper: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo e1000_alloc_rx_buffers+0x140/0x340 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo e1000_clean_rx_irq+0x2c9/0x520 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo e1000_intr+0x7f/0x150 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo handle_IRQ_event+0x26/0x60 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo handle_fasteoi_irq+0x6b/0xd0 Aug 30 10:46:58 ivalo do_IRQ+0x4b/0xa0 2.6.21.7: lokka ftxpd: page allocation failure. order:1, mode:0x20 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka __alloc_skb+0x4c/0x110 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka __netdev_alloc_skb+0x1d/0x50 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka e1000_alloc_rx_buffers+0x140/0x340 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka e1000_clean_rx_irq+0x2c9/0x520 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka e1000_intr+0x7f/0x150 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka handle_IRQ_event+0x26/0x60 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka handle_fasteoi_irq+0x6b/0xd0 Aug 31 16:30:02 lokka do_IRQ+0x4b/0xa0 -- Frank - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/