"BUG: unable to handle kernel paging request at 000000080000003a", "swap_free: Bad swap file entry" and other weirdness during boot since 3.8.0-18

[ove]

Ever since kernel 3.8.0-18, I've been getting worrying warnings from the kernel during the boot process. The system ran rock solid for the past 2 years and continues to do so with 3.8.0-17. The problem does not happen during every boot, but when it does, it seems to "stick" for the next hours or so , i.e. rebooting with 3.8.0-18 / -19 will yield the aforementioned errors every time. Booting 3.8.0-17 helps and the system runs fine. Here is an excerpt from two dmesgs that I will attach in full:

---------------------
[ 5.580643] BUG: unable to handle kernel paging request at 000000080000003a
[ 5.580810] IP: [<ffffffff812bd043>] exit_sem+0x83/0x270
[ 5.580921] PGD 0
[ 5.581037] Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP
[ 5.581209] Modules linked in: snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_hda_codec_via ppdev(F) joydev(F) parport_pc(F) asus_atk0110 kvm_amd kvm wacom mac_hid snd_hda_intel snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep(F) nvidia(POF) snd_pcm(F) snd_seq_midi(F) snd_seq_midi_event(F) snd_page_alloc(F) snd_rawmidi(F) snd_seq(F) snd_seq_device(F) snd_timer(F) k10temp edac_core snd(F) psmouse(F) serio_raw(F) microcode(F) soundcore(F) i2c_nforce2 lp(F) parport(F) edac_mce_amd dm_crypt(F) xts(F) lrw(F) gf128mul(F) ablk_helper(F) cryptd(F) aes_x86_64(F) hid_generic usbhid hid r8169 pata_acpi forcedeth sata_nv pata_amd
[ 5.583861] CPU 5
[ 5.583916] Pid: 370, comm: ureadahead Tainted: PF O 3.8.0-19-generic #29-Ubuntu System manufacturer System Product Name/M4N68T-M LE
[ 5.584074] RIP: 0010:[<ffffffff812bd043>] [<ffffffff812bd043>] exit_sem+0x83/0x270
[ 5.584212] RSP: 0018:ffff88021de8fe78 EFLAGS: 00010213
[ 5.584283] RAX: 0000000800000002 RBX: ffff88021e22dd00 RCX: 0000000000000003
[ 5.584356] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffff88021e22dd00 RDI: ffff8802210cbfe0
[ 5.584430] RBP: ffff88021de8fed8 R08: ffff88022fd53f40 R09: 0000000000000000
[ 5.584503] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000
[ 5.584577] R13: ffff8802210cbfe8 R14: ffff88021e22dd00 R15: 00000000ffffffff
[ 5.584652] FS: 00007f71c5ee7700(0000) GS:ffff88022fd40000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[ 5.584740] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 000000008005003b
[ 5.584812] CR2: 000000080000003a CR3: 000000021e34e000 CR4: 00000000000007e0
[ 5.584886] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000
[ 5.584960] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000ffff0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400
[ 5.585034] Process ureadahead (pid: 370, threadinfo ffff88021de8e000, task ffff88021e22dd00)
[ 5.585123] Stack:
[ 5.585188] ffff88021e22dd00 ffffffffffffffe0 ffff8802210cbfe0 ffff8802210cbfe4
[ 5.585472] 0000000800000002 00007f71c6ecb740 0000000000001000 ffff88021e22dd00
[ 5.585756] 0000000000000000 ffff88021e22e310 ffff88021e7766e8 0000000000001000
[ 5.586040] Call Trace:
[ 5.586109] [<ffffffff8105e31c>] do_exit+0x25c/0x9d0
[ 5.586181] [<ffffffff8105eac7>] sys_exit+0x17/0x20
[ 5.586253] [<ffffffff816d379d>] system_call_fastpath+0x1a/0x1f
[ 5.586326] Code: 89 7d b8 65 4c 8b 34 25 40 c7 00 00 0f 1f 40 00 48 8b 7d b0 41 bf ff ff ff ff 48 8b 47 08 48 89 45 c0 48 8b 45 c0 4c 39 e8 74 04 <44> 8b 78 38 41 83 ff ff 0f 84 be 01 00 00 48 8b 7d a0 8b 70 38
[ 5.589622] RIP [<ffffffff812bd043>] exit_sem+0x83/0x270
[ 5.589743] RSP <ffff88021de8fe78>
[ 5.589811] CR2: 000000080000003a
[ 5.589953] ---[ end trace e0ba232c140e4691 ]---
[ 5.590023] Fixing recursive fault but reboot is needed!
[ 7.186274] init: udev-fallback-graphics main process (928) terminated with status 1
[ 7.214951] bio: create slab <bio-1> at 1
---------------------

the other one:
---------------------
[ 5.518707] swap_free: Bad swap file entry 400000000000000
[ 5.518771] BUG: Bad page map in process modprobe pte:00000004 pmd:2234e3067
[ 5.518837] addr:00007fd8afbfc000 vm_flags:00000075 anon_vma: (null) mapping:ffff880223971e78 index:160
[ 5.518920] vma->vm_ops->fault: filemap_fault+0x0/0x470
[ 5.518993] vma->vm_file->f_op->mmap: ext4_file_mmap+0x0/0x50
[ 5.519067] Pid: 510, comm: modprobe Tainted: PF O 3.8.0-19-generic #29-Ubuntu
[ 5.519068] Call Trace:
[ 5.519074] [<ffffffff8115477d>] print_bad_pte+0x1dd/0x250
[ 5.519077] [<ffffffff81156df9>] unmap_page_range+0x529/0x750
[ 5.519080] [<ffffffff811570aa>] unmap_single_vma+0x8a/0x100
[ 5.519082] [<ffffffff81157909>] unmap_vmas+0x49/0x90
[ 5.519085] [<ffffffff8115fcf8>] exit_mmap+0x98/0x170
[ 5.519089] [<ffffffff810559e4>] mmput+0x64/0x100
[ 5.519091] [<ffffffff8105e302>] do_exit+0x242/0x9d0
[ 5.519093] [<ffffffff8105eb0f>] do_group_exit+0x3f/0xa0
[ 5.519095] [<ffffffff8105eb87>] sys_exit_group+0x17/0x20
[ 5.519099] [<ffffffff816d379d>] system_call_fastpath+0x1a/0x1f
[ 5.519100] swap_free: Bad swap file entry 200000004000000
[ 5.519172] BUG: Bad page map in process modprobe pte:800000002 pmd:2234e3067
---------------------

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: linux-image-3.8.0-19-generic 3.8.0-19.29
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-17.27-generic 3.8.6
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-17-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: ove 2277 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ove 2277 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
CurrentDmesg:
 [ 17.810399] r8169 0000:01:07.0 eth0: link up
 [ 17.810417] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
 [ 27.924049] show_signal_msg: 42 callbacks suppressed
 [ 27.924058] pool[2570]: segfault at 45 ip 00007f6fb796f107 sp 00007f6faed13820 error 4 in libdbus-1.so.3.7.2[7f6fb7968000+43000]
Date: Thu May 2 17:44:42 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-03-19 (44 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Alpha amd64 (20130319)
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 eth1 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-17-generic root=UUID=57e0df88-5ba3-4ae7-88f3-04ff355dee7d ro quiet splash
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-17-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-17-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.106
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 03/19/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0601
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M4N68T-M LE
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0601:bd03/19/2010:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4N68T-MLE:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.9 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-raring/

[ove (ove)]

I've booted a few times using kernel "3.9.0-030900-generic #201304291257". It worked fine. I'll keep using this version for the next few days to be sure.

[Graeme Hewson (ghewson)]

Since upgrading to Kubuntu 13.04, I too have been seeing messages "Fixing recursive fault but reboot is needed!". I haven't experienced it "sticking" for a few hours, though -- the system boots OK after a few tries, taking 5 or 10 minutes.

The problem seems to be related to hardware, because it only happens on one of the two boxes I run.

I've now installed 3.9.0-030900-generic #201304291257, and I confirm it boots fine (I tried four or five times).

[ove (ove)]

After some more testing and lots of deliberate reboots - both with affected and seemingly unaffected kernels - I'm sure of this:

a) 3.8.0-18/-19 *do* trigger these issues
b) 3.8.0-17 and before, as well as 3.9.0-030900 *do not* trigger these issues

[karl (karl-sebastian-liebich)]

Also with 2.8.0-19 here.

[ove (ove)]

Update: The issue still exists in 3.8.0-21.

[Graeme Hewson (ghewson)]

It seems OK with 3.8.0-23. I've booted four times without incident.

[ove (ove)]

I can confirm that: 3.8.0-23 and 3.8.0-25 seem to work fine.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

ove, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1175660/comments/11 regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.