Processes blocked indefinitely in kernel: queue_log_writer+0x8c/0xd0 [reiserfs]

[Arthur Peters]

Reiserfs seems to have triggered freezes in several applications. They are hard kernel level freezes (the process is blocked in the kernel). This happened while I was away from the machine. Chromium, GNOME Terminal and other basic Unity/Gnome apps were sitting idle. The problem went away once I rebooted the machine. Reiserfs is used only for my /home.

Attached is a kernel log that shows stack traces from the blocked processes. But here is the interesting bit, ubuntuone-syncd and chromium-browser had identical stack traces in the kernel freeze:

Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864080] Call Trace:
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864096] [<ffffffffa036535c>] queue_log_writer+0x8c/0xd0 [reiserfs]
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864103] [<ffffffff810572e0>] ? try_to_wake_up+0x200/0x200
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864113] [<ffffffffa036b378>] do_journal_begin_r+0x208/0x3c0 [reiserfs]
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864118] [<ffffffff81081bda>] ? remove_wait_queue+0x5a/0x70
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864123] [<ffffffff81179fe7>] ? poll_freewait+0x57/0xe0
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864133] [<ffffffffa036b5c7>] journal_begin+0x97/0x180 [reiserfs]
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864141] [<ffffffffa0358eac>] reiserfs_dirty_inode+0x3c/0xa0 [reiserfs]
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864146] [<ffffffff8108a644>] ? in_group_p+0x34/0x40
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864151] [<ffffffff8118e390>] __mark_inode_dirty+0x40/0x280
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864156] [<ffffffff81283493>] ? security_inode_exec_permission+0x23/0x30
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864161] [<ffffffff81180c02>] file_update_time+0x102/0x170
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864166] [<ffffffff8110ba98>] __generic_file_aio_write+0x1f8/0x440
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864171] [<ffffffff8110bd4f>] generic_file_aio_write+0x6f/0xe0
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864176] [<ffffffff81167062>] do_sync_write+0xd2/0x110
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864181] [<ffffffff812b75b8>] ? apparmor_file_permission+0x18/0x20
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864186] [<ffffffff81282cdc>] ? security_file_permission+0x2c/0xb0
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864194] [<ffffffffa0352d0a>] reiserfs_file_write+0x4a/0x50 [reiserfs]
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864198] [<ffffffff81167813>] vfs_write+0xb3/0x180
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864202] [<ffffffff81167b3a>] sys_write+0x4a/0x90
Sep 30 13:59:17 magdalene kernel: [ 7561.864208] [<ffffffff815f22c2>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: linux-image-3.0.0-12-generic 3.0.0-12.19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.19-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: amp 1419 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: amp 1419 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'M44'/'M Audio Delta 44 at 0xec00, irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'ICE1712 - multitrack'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 55
   Simple ctrls : 37
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf9ff8000 irq 46'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC883'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0883,14627238,00100002'
   Controls : 32
   Simple ctrls : 19
Date: Fri Sep 30 16:16:49 2011
InstallationMedia:

IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD MS-7238
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=fe2b0087-118e-4f9f-be4e-67c1f4a98cdb ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.0.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.0.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.60
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserAsoundrc:
 #defaults.ctl.card 1
 #defaults.pcm.card 1
 #defaults.timer.card 1

 #pcm.!default plughw:1
dmi.bios.date: 01/05/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: V1.3
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: MS-7238
dmi.board.vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD
dmi.board.version: 110
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD
dmi.chassis.version: 110
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrV1.3:bd01/05/2007:svnMICRO-STARINTERNATIONALCO.,LTD:pnMS-7238:pvr110:rvnMICRO-STARINTERNATIONALCO.,LTD:rnMS-7238:rvr110:cvnMICRO-STARINTERNATIONALCO.,LTD:ct3:cvr110:
dmi.product.name: MS-7238
dmi.product.version: 110
dmi.sys.vendor: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

Thank you for taking the time to file a bug report on this issue.

However, given the number of bugs that the Kernel Team receives during any development cycle it is impossible for us to review them all. Therefore, we occasionally resort to using automated bots to request further testing. This is such a request.

We have noted that there is a newer version of the development kernel than the one you last tested when this issue was found. Please test again with the newer kernel and indicate in the bug if this issue still exists or not.

If the bug still exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Confirmed. If the bug no longer exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Fix Released.

Thank you for your help, we really do appreciate it.

[Arthur Peters (amp)]

This bug has happened again. This is only the second time, and I'm really not sure how to replicate it. However there does appear to be a deadlock (or a crash with a lock held) happening.

This trace has a couple of threads that are a little past queue_log_writer:

One has a frame like "[<ffffffffa0384eec>] ? open_xa_root+0x8c/0xf0 [reiserfs]" after queue_log_writer.
Another has a frame "[<ffffffff81195486>] ? mark_buffer_dirty+0x66/0xa0".

The first program that froze (that I noticed) was emacs (3308).

[Arthur Peters (amp)]

This has occurred again and although it is not on the most recent kernel it had a slightly different call stack so I thought I would post the log just in case they help. This is on 3.0.0-13-generic.

The interesting bit is that every stack has a call to schedule near the top. This hints to me that something has changed.

This crash happened while I was both reading and writing somewhat heavily from different processes (a fast filling log file, an MP3 player, and a large image being loaded). That's as close as I know for how to reproduce. It does not happen often so it's really hard to figure out a pattern.