/bin/csh script in GELI partition crashes 6.3-STABLE

[Scott Bennett]

     On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:58:01 +0100 Roland Smith <rsmith at xs4all.nl>
wrote:
>On Wed, Feb 13, 2008 at 12:59:41AM -0600, Scott Bennett wrote:
>> >> % cat show
>> >> #! /bin/csh
>> >> set delay=3D3D2
>> >> set pixlist=3D3D(09 08 07 05 04 03 02 01)
>> >> foreach i ($pixlist)
>> >>         (nice xv $i.jpg &)
>> >>         sleep $delay
>> >> end
>> >>=3D20
>> >> The delay is simply to ensure the windows get opened in the sequence t=
>hat
>> >> I want them opened.  The photos are in the same directory, and I run i=
>t by
>> >> typing "./show" in the directory.  If I type, for example, "xv 01.jpg&=
>", =3D
>> >it
>> >> works fine in either the old location or in the GELI partition.  If I =
>type
>> >> "./show" in the copy of the directory that is in the GELI partition, F=
>ree=3D
>> >BSD
>> >> reboots immediately.=3D20
>> >
>> >I've run your script on a batch of photos on a GELI encrypted partition
>> >without problems. This is on FreeBSD 7.0-PRERELEASE amd64
>> >
>> >I would look at the X server. Since it runs as root and has access to
>> >/dev/mem and /dev/io an X bug could potentially screw things up quite ni=
>cel=3D
>> >y.
>> >I'm running xorg-server-1.4_4,1.
>>=20
>>      I'm still running xorg-server-6.9.0_5, I believe.  Haven't yet felt =
>like
>> wading through the swamp of troubles that seems to await those who upgrade
>> to 7.x, but will probably have to suffer through it soon.
>
>The base system upgrade was painless as usual for me. To prevent
>problems with ports, I had portmaster make a list of 'leaf' ports. Then
>I deleted all ports, installed the new base system and re-installed the
>leaf ports, which took care of the dependancies. Other than that it took
>a long time I didn't have problems with the upgrade.

     Glad it went easily for you.  Maybe I'll get lucky, too, but the ports
subsystem has burned me so often that I'll believe the upgrade is easy when
I see it happen that way.
>
>> >If you have it installed, try display(1) from the ImageMagick suite
>> >instead of xv. See if it makes any difference.
>>=20
>>      There's a thought.  However, I think first I'll try setting the GELI
>> sector size to 4 KB to see whether that evades the bug.
>
>That makes sense. I've never used anything but the default settings for new=
>fs.
>
>> >I presume you've checked for the obvious things such as out of memory or
>> >filesystem full?
>>=20
>>      What do you mean "out of memory"? =20
>
>Physical memory completely used and swap almost full.=20

     No, that has never even come close to happening on my system.  In these
reboot cases, there were anywhere from 300 MB to 700 MB free, according to top,
at the times of the reboots.  Also, I have a swap partition of 5 GB.  Usually
none of it is used.  Occasionally, there's enough going on to use a smidgen of
it (like right now:  60 KB used).  I think maybe once or twice since I first
installed FreeBSD 5.2.1 years ago I've seen the swap usage exceed 1 MB.
>
>> And I only had the file system loaded
>> to about 45% after minfree.
>
>
>> >>      Maybe I should try GBDE instead of GELI.  I chose GELI for the=3D=
>20
>> >> partition in question mainly because I was already using it for the sw=
>ap
>> >> partition, but maybe it's still a little too green to be reliable yet.
>> >=3D20
>> >I've used it on my /home for years without trouble.
>> >
>> >=3D46rom what I've read, GELI is supposed to be more secure.
>> >
>>      Well, if I can get it to work and not cause instant reboots, I'll st=
>ick
>> with it.  Otherwise I'll have to play around with what works.
>
>The only trouble I ever had with GELI was to try and use encrypted USB
>mass storage devices. But those were apparently caused by a buggy
>USB<->ATA chip. And there seems to be a workaround in the driver on 7.x
>because I haven't seen the problem since the upgrade.
>
     In this case, the GELI partition is on an external (USB) drive.  I've
never had any trouble at all with the drive or its cable, so that's probably
not the problem.


                                  Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG
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