[mythtv-users] OT: Backend Crashes with Machine Check Exception

[Jesse Guardiani]

Todd Pearsall wrote:
> Every 24 to 48 hours I get a hard crash on my Myth Backend:
>  
> kernel: CPU 0: Machine Check Exception: 0000000000000004
> kernel: Bank 4: b200000000070f0f
> Kernel panic: CPU context corrupt
>  
> My reseach pointed to a likely hardware issue, so one at a time I 
> tried the following:
> - swap RAM with a known "good" chip
> - swap RAM with a different known "good" chip
> - ran memtets86 for a week (no failures)
> - moved around the PCI cards
> - swapped video cards
> - tried different PVR500 cards
> - swapped CPUs
> - kernal updates to 2.6.12
>  
> After each change the system still crashed with the exact same error.  
> More research pointed to a potential issue with the nVideo chipset and 
> DMA.  I then set the system to boot with no DMA and it is rock solid.  
> The only problem is that 3 or 4 PVR500 recordings and a stream or two 
> leave the system in a 50% cpu wait state due to the slow disk.
>  
> I'm having a hard time believing there is a DMA issue with the nVideo 
> chipset and there is virtually no discussion of it, so I assume it's 
> something hardware related to the disk.
>  
> Next I'm planning to pull the CDROM and swap the IDE cables.  Does 
> anyone have other ideas I should try?  I've been holding off on:
> - a power supply swap since I don't have a big enough spare and would 
> hate to spend the money for a "test".
> - drive swap since it will be a pain
> - motherboard swap since it will be an expensive test
>  
> BTW, it is an ABIT NF8 motherboard that I am otherwise very happyy with.

My money is on the mobo. I went through 3 of them before I found one 
that was compatible with my PVR 350.
I would get 12-24 hour lock-ups just like you.

-- 
Jesse Guardiani
Programmer/Sys Admin
jesse at wingnet.net