Gnome panel freezes and start consuming all machine resources

[3esmit]

Binary package hint: gnome-panel

Some information may be useful.
Im using amd64 version.
Top panel, and left panel. Also using Awn.
using windows changer icon applet, system monitor applet and icons added to top panel.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri Oct 30 22:17:33 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
Package: gnome-panel 1:2.28.0-0ubuntu6
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=pt_BR:pt:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=pt_BR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
SourcePackage: gnome-panel
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64

[3esmit (3esmit)]

This problem comes from nothing. Killing gnome panel sometimes solves the problem, but sometimes it cames freezed, and notting works. A restart is need.
Looks like it starts entering in an eternal looping and keeps loading resources infinitaly in a deadlock.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please try to obtain a backtrace following the instructions at http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingProgramCrash and upload the backtrace (as an attachment) to the bug report. This will greatly help us in tracking down your problem.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Could you describe how you trigger the bug?

[3esmit (3esmit)]

I really don't know what causes this deadlock in gnome-panel. Most times I'm normally working with netbeans, or surfing in the internet with firefox, and from notting I try to use gnome-panel, or I notice that everything is damn slow then I check out the gnome-panel is consuming the whole system resources.
Maybe there is a way to put gnome-panel in debug mode?

Also, I've tryed the instructions in http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingProgramCrash, and I really don't understood it. I've tryed but something gone wrong while getting the auth keys. This process should be easyer.
I will try it again. Anything you need feel free to contact me.

[3esmit (3esmit)]

I've installed gnome-panel-dbgsym=1:2.28.0-0ubuntu6... What I do now?
Also, how to make gnome-panel start with gdb, if it is automatticaly started by system, and I cannot close it (it imediattly reopens).

Can I have more detiled instructions on auto starting gnome-panel in debug mode.. Since its seems to be a randomic bug, I need to use my computer under debbugging, and I see no problem with that.

Thank you

[3esmit (3esmit)]

This is the deadlock, captured with strace.
00:20:30.127339 read(3, 0x13d4774, 4096) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
00:20:30.127374 poll([{fd=3, events=POLLIN|POLLOUT}], 1, -1) = 1 ([{fd=3, revents=POLLOUT}])
00:20:30.127408 writev(3, [{"(\0\4\0\\\0`\1\v\1\0\0\0\0\\\0", 16}, {NULL, 0}, {"", 0}], 3) = 16
00:20:30.127449 poll([{fd=3, events=POLLIN}], 1, -1) = 1 ([{fd=3, revents=POLLIN}])
00:20:30.127679 read(3, "\1\1\37v\0\0\0\0\3\0`\1\343\377\230\0\240\304}\0\0\0\0\0(\0\0\0\0\0\0\0", 4096) = 32

The log is attached bziped (2mb) with a screenshot. I got another with 70mb..
This event is very random, I've beem working the whole day normally, and now at night its haunting me.. I kill gnome-panel, and it cames back this way.
I acctualy cannot make a strace with the bug happening, becouse its too random, and when I restart panel, it cames this way...

I hope this help identifing the problem (and it seems it will).

[3esmit (3esmit)]

Good news.. I just figured out that running "killall gnome-panel" twice kills gnome-panel and it stops reopening.
With that I could run the full 'strace' and the 'gdb'
Both gziped in attach!

Also, running it ind commandline, I got this and it stops as expected.

ricardo@ricardo-laptop:~$ gnome-panel
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Adding applet 0.
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Initialized Panel Applet Signaler.
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Adding applet 1.
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Adding applet 2.
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Adding applet 3.
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Adding applet 4.
** (gnome-panel:6738): DEBUG: Adding applet 5.

NOW IM HAPPY KNOWING ITS ALL DEBUGGED AND READY TO BE IDENTIFYED.. so glad helping you guys :)

[3esmit (3esmit)]

Another intersting detail:
If I run "sudo gnome-panel", it runs normally, but without my configuations, applets, transparency, ect... it cames just as a frash ubuntu install.

[3esmit (3esmit)]

Hello.. I waited a lot of time, and now I could restart gnome-panel without it coming crashed...

I've found out that if I open the applet window, it crashes. So I made strace and gdb with this process.

Attached bziped, cuz strace gets 5mb :S

[Andrey Dj (djdron)]

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS amd64 with all updates.
my gnome-panel eat ~1.2 Gb of memory (in system monitor).
it happened when i start photo slide-show in gnome-eye and watch it approx 10 hours.
gnome-eye launched on second desktop (Separate X-screen in NVidia drivers), compiz enabled (desktop effects standard level).