Kernel fails to execute code for killing OOM task if oom_kill_allocating_task = 0

[Serhiy]

The problem is thoroughly described in this question: http://askubuntu.com/q/398236/20275

Steps to reproduce:
Make sure oom_kill_allocating_task = 0 (it's the default configuration)
cat /proc/sys/vm/oom_kill_allocating_task
echo 0 | sudo tee /proc/sys/vm/oom_kill_allocating_task
Disable your swap to make the test faster.
Fill your RAM.
After that the machine will freeze completely forever spinning HDD for some reason and thus slowly degrading it.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-34-generic 3.13.0-34.60
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-34.60-generic 3.13.11.4
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-34-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.3
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: int 2114 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: KDE
Date: Thu Aug 21 16:40:15 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=52f0a457-e6ab-4711-a129-83170285523b
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X502CA
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.13.0-34-generic root=/dev/mapper/kubuntu--vg-root ro quiet
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-34-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-34-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.5
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/21/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: X502CA.207
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: X502CA
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrX502CA.207:bd02/21/2013:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnX502CA:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnX502CA:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: X502CA
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Did the issue of "the machine will freeze completely forever spinning HDD for some reason and thus slowly degrading it." just start happening in a recent kernel update, or has this always been the case?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.17 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/v3.17-rc1-utopic/

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

I was unable to reproduce this issue on my machine, which has an SSD drive.

I'm using the eatmemory program found at:
https://github.com/julman99/eatmemory

I run eatmemory and pass it an argument of 10G. I can see the program start to consume memory by using vmstat and top. However, an oomkill happened right when all them memory was exhausted and the eatmemory process was killed.

I didn't notice any effect on interactive performance once the OOM kill happened.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

I should mention I am using the default sysctl parameters, so oom_kill_allocating_task was set to 0.

[Serhiy (xintx-ua)]

Fixed with v3.17-rc1-utopic

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

The 3.13.0-35 kernel is now available in the -proposed repository. Would it be possible for you to test this latest kernel and post back if it resolves this bug?
See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed.

We can perform a "Reverse" kernel bisect to find the commit that fixes this, if the bug still exists in -proposed.

Thank you in advance!

[Serhiy (xintx-ua)]

-35 fixed this bug bug killed USB and WiFi completely.

[Serhiy (xintx-ua)]

s/bug bug/bug but/

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to open a new bug for the issue that now happens with USB and WiFi?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you apply the latest updates and confirm if this bug is fixed or not?

[gatopeich (gatoguan-os)]

Just happened to me on Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS with kernel v5.

FFS, Ubuntu should just set oom_kill_allocating_task = 1 by default.

[Suor (suor-web)]

Have this bug on Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS with 5.4.0-58-generic kernel. This doesn't hang indefenitely though, sometimes the system is able to recover after a couple of minutes.