[mythtv-users] Machine Lockups

[Tim Tait]

Blammo[doh] wrote:

>For what it's worth, I'm getting the same thing on at least one of my
>backend machines, amazingly almost exactly the same hardware, different os
>build.
>
>KnoppMyth R4
>Asus A7N8X deluxe
>Amd Athlon 2400+ CPU
>512 MB ram
>160 Seagate HD
>Nvidia GeForce3 Ti-200 video card
>
>Not sure what causes it, but it's REALLY locked up. My SSH sessions have
>frozen, no new connections accepted, machine locked. Same two keyboard
>lights flashing as well. It's the scroll lock and caps lock, btw.
>
>
>What makes me think it's a software issue? This machine, same config, will
>run 3dmark03, etc, for hours on end, no lockups, under XP.
>
>Llove to know what it's being caused by.
>  
>
I had similar problems on a FIC AU13 (nForce2) mobo locking up hard 
during builds. Same box was rock solid under windows.

Turning off the "CPU Disconnect" solved it for me. The windows drivers 
handle the disconnect condition diffrently. Supposedly 2.4.27 will also 
have this fix. In the meantime, you can simply turn off "CPU Disconnect" 
in the BIOS if it has the option, or via "athcool off" which requires 
the athcool package.

Last week after mucking with the system, the problem returned. After 
hours a hair-pulling I realized that "athcool off" was not being run at 
system startup anymore - put it back and problem vanished. I've also had 
"noapm" on the bootline for a few months, as it seems to solve a problem 
with the commercial detection causing crashes/lockups.

Running "athcool off" also fixed a problem I had on an MSI KM2L (Via 
KM266) with a PCI IDE controller having terrible performance (but no 
lockups) so I think it's relevant to all Athlon boards.

The only downside is that your cpu will run a tad warmer.

Tim