Usage error in dlmalloc.c-- ESX5.5

[simbu666]

Hi All,

     I'm new to VMware development area as i previously working on linux development. For VMware certification test we are running sas_target_reset and bus_reset command, during that time i'm getting a error message like "USAGE ERROR in dlmalloc.c" *** PANIC bora/vmkernel/main/dlmalloc.c:4892 - Usage error in dlmalloc  and it fails with a PSOD screen. As per my knowledge it seems some memory allocation or freeing issue,but im not sure.

Please help me on which scenario the above error message will be displayed. it would be helpful to debug my issue further. Attached the PSOD screen shot.

Thanks,

Silambarasan

[zXi_Gamer · Accepted solution]

It does look like a driver related issue:

VMware KB: ESXi 5.5 host fails with a purple diagnostic screen and the error: Usage error in dlmallo...

The above is for cnic driver.

[simbu666]

Thanks for the reply. Yes its a driver issue as i am working on the same driver development to identify the issue. I want to know in which scenario this message will be displayed. It will be helpful if i get dlmalloc.c file to debug further.

thanks

[zXi_Gamer]

I want to know in which scenario this message will be displayed

Though I dont know exactly the reason, one possible theory could be heapfree is called and again dlmfree is called. it could be dlmfree is trying to free the same regions freed by heapfree and getting PF

or

dlmfree is trying to access invalid page which could have been marked noaccess by kernel, but the driver does not know it yet.

It will be helpful if i get dlmalloc.c file to debug further.

I am not sure if you would get access to dlmalloc.c from VMware, but dlmalloc.c is opensourced from linux

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~wh5a/personal/House-0.8.92/kernel/user/dlmalloc.c