Keeping an eye on the text console while in X11 ?

[Allan Fields]

On Tue, Feb 03, 2004 at 09:29:47PM +0100, Thierry Herbelot wrote:
> I'm chasing strange freezes on my work PC, with a recent -Current (5.2-SNAP 
> 
> sometimes (still, around once a day), when the machine starts swapping, it 
> just freezes (it's possible sometimes to switch to a text virtual console and 
> see the system messages), and it may unfreeze (or not). As the BIOS enables 
> ACPI, it's even possible to shutdown gracefully from the power button.

I've had this type of situation in the past as well with 5.1: even
though things seem locked on the console, it's still possible to
shutdown gracefully by ACPI, depending on what troubles the system.
Then again many times it isn't.

How big is your swap, and is it thrashing before it appears frozen?

> I have added a second (PCI) graphics card to the AGP board, and I'v setup the 
> BIOS to use the PCI board as the console, the AGP board is only declared 
> in /etc/X11/XF86Config. 

Using a serial console might work better if this doesn't.  If you
run a null-modem cable between two machines you'll have the ability
to grab console output for logging purposes too.  If you find any
useful info, follow up to the -current list with the details.

There seems to be a trend toward reporting crashes and freezes on
-hackers.  Is this the best place for these reports?

> in the meantime, I'll try to keep an eye on xconsole, hoping all messages end 
> up in the window.

In the case of partial lock-ups and freezes, things in X might work
or might not from my experience: the less complicated your console
setup the more reliably messages will be displayed when in a bind.

> 	TfH

-- 
 Allan Fields                  _.^.  ,_ ,. ._ .
 AFRSL - http://afields.ca    <,'/-\/- /\'_| /_
 Ottawa, Canada                `'|'====-=--- -- -
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