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9 Replies Last post: Oct 2, 2007 3:08 AM by Prototyped
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Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64

Sep 15, 2007 2:52 PM

Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
I've been struggling to get VMware Server 1.0.3 running properly on Debian sid with an x86_64 kernel.

some backstory (effectively that with a 2.6.22 amd64 kernel from Debian and Petr's 113 patch, I was seeing I/O and process control hangs on the host after some time, with even programs like top hanging and vmnet-* processes hanging in D unkillable sleep state)

Debian pushed out an updated kernel:

code
[2:50|~]
amitg@athena. COLUMNS=160 dpkg -p linux-image-2.6.22-2-amd64
Package: linux-image-2.6.22-2-amd64
Priority: optional
Section: admin
Installed-Size: 69280
Maintainer: Debian Kernel Team <debian-kernel@lists.debian.org>
Architecture: i386
Source: linux-2.6
Version: 2.6.22-4
Provides: linux-image, linux-image-2.6, linux-modules-2.6.22-2-amd64
Depends: module-init-tools (>= 0.9.13), e2fsprogs (>= 1.35-7), initramfs-tools (
= 0.55) | yaird (>= 0.0.12-8) | linux-initramfs-tool
Suggests: linux-doc-2.6.22, grub (>= 0.97-3) | lilo (>= 19.1)
Conflicts: grub (<= 0.95+cvs20040624-17), initramfs-tools (<< 0.55), yaird (<< 0
.0.12-8)
Size: 18409752
Description: Linux 2.6.22 image on AMD64
This package provides the binary image and pre-built loadable modules for
Linux kernel 2.6.22 on all 64bit single- and multiprocessor AMD and Intel
machines.
[2:51|~]
amitg@athena. uname -a
Linux athena 2.6.22-2-amd64 #1 SMP Fri Aug 31 02:15:40 UTC 2007 x86_64 GNU/Linux
[2:51|~]
amitg@athena. modinfo vmmon
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.22-2-amd64/misc/vmmon.ko
description: VMware Virtual Machine Monitor.
author: VMware, Inc.
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.22-2-amd64 SMP mod_unload
parm: vmversion:VMware version you use: 1=VMware 2, 2=GSX 1, 3=VMware
3, 4=VMware 3.2, 5=GSX 2, 6=GSX 2.5, 7=VMware 4, 8=VMware 3.2.1, 9=GSX 2.5.1, 10
=VMware 4.5, 11=VMware 4.5.2, 12=GSX 3.2, 13=VMware 5.0, 14=VMware 5.5, 15=Serve
r 1.0, 16=VMware 6.0, 17=TOT (int)
[2:51|~]
amitg@athena. modinfo vmnet
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.22-2-amd64/misc/vmnet.ko
description: VMware Virtual Networking Driver.
author: VMware, Inc.
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.22-2-amd64 SMP mod_unload
[/code]

As before, I tried to use Petr's patch vmware-any-any-update113.tar.gz. This time, however, 3-4 seconds after starting any VM, the machine locks hard. Even magic SysRq (Alt-SysRq R[aw], [SA]K, T[erminate all tasks], [k]I[ll all tasks], S[ync], U[nmount], B[oot]) was completely ineffective.

Also, I get the same hard lock with the 2.6.22-2-vserver-686 2.6.22-4 kernel from Debian uploaded at the same time.

1) What exact version of VMware Server

code
[3:04|~]
amitg@athena. dpkg -p vmware-server
Package: vmware-server
Priority: extra
Section: alien
Installed-Size: 200180
Maintainer: root <root@athena.gurdasani.com>
Architecture: i386
Version: 1.0.3-44356
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.6-1), libice6 (>= 1:1.0.0), libjpeg62, libsm6, libx11-6, li
bxext6, libxi6, libxt6, libxtst6, zlib1g (>= 1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-1)
Size: 105482932
Description: VMware Server
VMware Virtual Platform is a thin software layer that allows multiple guest
operating systems to run concurrently on a single standard PC, without
repartitioning or rebooting, and without significant loss of performance.
.
(Converted from a rpm package by alien version 8.68.)
[/code]

It's VMware Server 1.0.3, build 44356, with Petr's patch version 113.

2) What is your host OS and include if it is 32-bit or
64-bit OS. If Linux include the exact Linux
distribution & kernel version.

code
[3:05|~]
amitg@athena. cat /etc/debian_version
lenny/sid
[3:06|~]
amitg@athena. uname -a
Linux athena 2.6.22-2-amd64 #1 SMP Fri Aug 31 02:15:40 UTC 2007 x86_64 GNU/Linux
[3:06|~]
amitg@athena. file /lib/libc-2.6.1.so
/lib/libc-2.6.1.so: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV),
for GNU/Linux 2.6.8, stripped
[/code]

Debian unstable (sid) i386 with an x86_64 kernel packaged by Debian, based on 2.6.22.5 according to the Debian changelog for the package.

3) What is the guest OS and include if it is 32-bit or
64-bit OS. If Linux include the exact Linux
distribution & kernel version.

Windows XP Professional SP2 x86 (32-bit OS) among others (happens with all guests).


Can anyone else reproduce this aggravating issue I am seeing?

Does anyone at VMware or otherwise have any idea how to get VMware Server working again?

Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 15, 2007 3:06 PM
Click to view KevinG's profile Guru KevinG 16,519 posts since
Jan 8, 2004 VMware Moderator
The following thread should explain why you hare having this issue

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=720379&#720379
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 15, 2007 3:07 PM
Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
FYI KVM works fine with the virtual machines I've tested, but of course, it's much slower than VMware Server's dynamic binary translation, so it would be much preferable to be able to use VMware instead.
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 15, 2007 3:10 PM
in response to: KevinG
Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
The following thread should explain why you hare having this issue

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=720379&#720379

Thank you for the reply.

Does VMware Player support x86_64 kernels? If so, I will try it instead (and use NoMachine NX for remote access).
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 15, 2007 3:12 PM
in response to: Prototyped
Click to view KevinG's profile Guru KevinG 16,519 posts since
Jan 8, 2004 VMware Moderator
VMware Workstation 6 and VMware Player 2.0 should not have the 2.6.22 kernel issue with 64-bit
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 15, 2007 3:19 PM
in response to: KevinG
Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
VMware Workstation 6 and VMware Player 2.0 should not have the 2.6.22 kernel issue with 64-bit

Thank you for the response. I will try to get VMware Player 2.0 working.
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 15, 2007 5:04 PM
in response to: KevinG
Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
Well, VMware Player 2.0 causes a hard-lock in the same way on this amd64 kernel as with VMware Server 1.0.3. I had to use Petr's patch 113 to get the modules to build, by the way.

On 2.6.22-2-686 (non-vserver) some VMs (Windows XP x86) run OK, others (Darwin) cause a hard lock.

Incidentally, with 2.6.22-1-amd64 (based on 2.6.22.1), VMware Server ran for a few hours before causing process control and I/O to seize up on the host. This new kernel (based on 2.6.22.5) hard locks within seconds with both Server 1.0.3 and Player 2.0.
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 18, 2007 6:04 PM
Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
OK, in case anyone else finds this thread, I figured out the cause of my hard locks; it wasn't the version of the kernel, rather I had the kvm and kvm-intel modules loaded. These caused my hard locks even with an older 2.6.21.x kernel range. I disabled loading them (in my /etc/modules) and all's well again.

VirtualBox's source code has a comment regarding it, which is how I came to suspect kvm:

code
/* Enter VMX Root Mode */
int rc = VMXEnable(pVM->hwaccm.s.vmx.pVMXONPhys);
if (VBOX_FAILURE(rc))
{
/* KVM leaves the CPU in VMX root mode. Not only is
this not allowed, it will crash the host when we enter raw mode, because
* (a) clearing X86_CR4_VMXE in CR4 causes a #GP
* (b) turning off paging causes a #GP
*
* They should fix their code, but until they do we
simply refuse to run.
*/
return VERR_VMX_IN_VMX_ROOT_MODE;
}
VMXDisable();
[/code]

I removed the module, VMware Server ran without a hitch. :D
Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Sep 19, 2007 11:45 PM
in response to: Prototyped
Click to view mlaks's profile Lurker mlaks 1 posts since
Sep 19, 2007
Hi I am also trying to run vmware 1.0.4 with the latest sid/lenny kernel-2.6.22-2-amd64
as well as nvidia kernel modules for my nvidia graphics card.

I did the any-any-update113 patch and needed to install the ia32-libs to get the vmware to compile and run (otherwise it seemed to miss libx11-so.6)

and then when i started the server it seemed to work, and i started my
windows xp and then my whole machine locked up and would not respond, needed to reboot.

i also tried with vmware 1.0.0
and this time we got a slightly 'softer' crash -
X11 crashed me back to prompt, with this error on screen

Backtrace:
0: /usr/bin/X11/X(xf86SigHandler+0x6d) [0x4802ed]
1: /lib/libc.so.6 [0x2abbfe5de680]
2: /usr/bin/X11/X(WaitForSomething+0xa12) [0x5447e2]
3: /usr/bin/X11/X(Dispatch+0x8b) [0x44801b]
4: /usr/bin/X11/X(main+0x44d) [0x430f6d]
5: /lib/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xf4) [0x2abbfe5cab24]
6: /usr/bin/X11/X(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x9a) [0x43026a]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting

but i could not enter commands at the console and while i could log in to other vt consoles they would not accept input until i rebooted machine.

Note i am not running the kvm or kvm-intel modules on my machine
lsmod|grep kvm returns nothing.

any ideas what to try?
thanks
mitchell

Reply Re: Hardlock: Server 1.0.3 with Debian sid/lenny kernel 2.6.22-2-amd64 Oct 2, 2007 3:08 AM
in response to: mlaks
Click to view Prototyped's profile Novice Prototyped 16 posts since
Sep 4, 2007
Er, I don't think I needed to use vmware-any-any-113 with 1.0.4 -- the shipped modules built and installed fine, and are newer than Petr's patch. Maybe you should try the stock 1.0.4 modules?
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