Instant reboot with FreeBSD 6.3 and > 2GB RAM

[Volker Theile]

Hello,

i can confirm that the bug fix submitted with PR 108215 solves the reboot problem when using mfsroot images in FreeBSD 6.3. I will test it also on FreeBSD 7.0, but i assume that it will fix it there too.
Many users using FreeNAS reporting this reboot problem on their machines with RAM > 2GB.

Regards
Volker

-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Wed, 21 May 2008 21:08:25 +0200
> Von: Volker <volker at vwsoft.com>
> An: votdev at gmx.de
> CC: freebsd-stable at freebsd.org, freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> Betreff: Re: Instant reboot with FreeBSD 6.3 and > 2GB RAM

> On 12/23/-58 20:59, votdev at gmx.de wrote:
> > Hello,
> > 
> > some users of FreeNAS which is based on FreeBSD 6.3 reported instant
> reboots on systems with > 2GB RAM (most of them use 4GB). The reboot occurs
> right after displaying the FreeBSD loader menu. Most of them told me that
> they can boot if they reduce RAM to <= 2GB.
> > 
> > We are using the following kernel configuration which is based on
> GENERIC:
> >
> http://freenas.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/freenas/branches/0.69/build/kernel-config/FREENAS-i386?revision=3291&view=markup
> > 
> > I found out another problem that causes a reboot on my 2GB machine. We
> are using a image for the LiveCD which is 64MB great. If i change back
> mfs_root size to 63MB all works well, but all above 64MB causes a reboot.
> > Is there any limitation?
> > 
> > Could someone help me out of this problem?
> > 
> > Regards
> > Volker
> 
> Hi Volker ;)
> 
> I'm not quite sure about your 2nd problem and your report is not quite
> detailed but from your description it looks like loader is causing that.
> As there's no filesystem available at that time, the loader has to read
> itself through the filesystem structures.
> 
> Knowing that, PR misc/108215 comes to mind. I've not been able to check
> if the issue and the patch to it is right but you may give it a try.
> Probably somebody with loader and filesystem (ufs) knowledge may answer
> that question quickly if the patch contained in the PR is right.
> 
> The report is about 6.2-R but at least I've checked loader code and 7.x
> code is the same. I came across that report yesterday and was unable to
> check the calculation.
> 
> If that is really the case, your problem may be related to that.
> 
> http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=108215
> 
> Assuming the problem report is right, it's about reading huge files by
> loader reads in wrong sectors.
> 
> HTH
> 
> Volker

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