[mythtv-users] Please help! My mythbackend started to crash sporadically

John P Poet jppoet at gmail.com
Tue Jul 1 16:10:17 UTC 2008


On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 9:58 AM, Andrew Junev <a-j at a-j.ru> wrote:
> Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 7:35:39 PM, you wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday 01 July 2008 09:04:28 Andrew Junev wrote:
>>> Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 6:50:40 PM, you wrote:
>>> >> *** glibc detected *** mythbackend: malloc(): memory corruption (fast):
>>> >> 0x08dec407 ***
>>> >
>>> > Not a dev but I'd reboot the machine and let memtest loose on it for a
>>> > few hours (at least one full cycle).  I'd also break open the case and
>>> > check for dust build up (along with jammed fans, buldging/leaking caps
>>> > and fouled cables).  RAM modules can go bad.
>>>
>>> Thanks a lot for the fast response! :)
>>>
>>> So you say it's likely to be a hardware problem?
>>> I thought it's something in the software, as the only application that
>>> fails is my mythbackend. I have also a frontend running on that
>>> machine and I haven't had such kind of problems with it...
>
>> When I initially read your post I though "hardware problem" as well, and the
>> suggestion to run memtest is a good one.
>
>> Then I read the "after the last upgrade" part, which would indicate a software
>> issue.
>
> memtest is already running. :)
> Let's see how it goes, but I have a feeling it won't show any
> problems on this machine.
>
> I'm using Fedora 8 and I'm not using any special software. Every
> installation or update is done via 'yum', so I don't think I screwed
> something up by doing a wrong installation. At the same time I didn't
> see any similar complaints from Fedora users which means my problem is
> probably specific to my machine or to my configuration...
>
>> However, checking your hardware is a good idea. Remember that just because a
>> problem only happens with a specific program does not prove it's a software
>> problem.
>
> I fully agree!
>
>>> P.S. To clean some dust inside the case is probably a good idea.
>>> I'll do some maintenance / cleaning today anyway.
>
>> Never a bad idea, it's astounding how many problems are related ultimately to
>> dust and other cooling problems like bad fans.
>
> The fans on this machine are fine. I already checked that.
> But cleaning is still on my actions list for today. :)
>
>> I have seen more machines brought down by bad fans than any other cause.
>
> This is an off-topic, but from my experience most crashes are related
> to HDD problems. At the same time many HDD failures are actually
> caused by bad cooling. :)
>
>
> As I'm writing this, the first round of memtest is finished. No
> problems detected. Of course, it doesn't mean the problem isn't
> there. I will leave it running for some hours.
>

How is your disk space?  Mine started crashing occasionally once my
disk filled up.  I am wondering if it is an auto-expire problem.

One of the new features of Myth, is that it does not delete shows
immediately.  Instead, they get expired as needed.  This way you can
undelete a show.  The crashes may be completely unrelated to this new
behavior, but the timing makes me wonder.

I have tried to capture a back-trace, but mine does not crash very
often, and it never seems to do it when I want it to...

John
-- 
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?


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