Re: Kernel 2.6.16 Problems FC4 and FC5

S.W. Bobcat wrote:

I qam posting this in hopes that some developer might see this. I agree with the idea that we need a time out to fix bugs.

First a note on my system ( as this data may be needed ): CPU: Opteron 144; Mobo: ASUS, SK8V; RAM: 512 MB Reg ECC; Video Card: Nvidia 6600 GT w/ 128 MB DDR3 VRAM; 120 GiB Maxtor SATA Harddrive; DVD RW; CD RW; CD Read Only; Zip Drive; 3.5 " Floppy Drive; OS (for the time being, Fedora Core 4 w/2.6.15-1.1833 x86_64 Kernel.

PROBLEM #1: Like Many people I was looking forward to the release of FC5. When the chance came I was an early adopter. When I installed FC5 I was greeted with a message to the effect that my Home directory setup would not be saved and that I needed to make sure that my home directory was set to 644 (or maybe 664 -- can't remember ) permissions. After hacking away with a buddy of mine we figured out how to set it. Regular attempts using chmod did not work [ I think we had to do it from root @~ then had to use chmod -R 644 /home/rhr ].

Problem #2: Once I had that problem solved. I tried to start up Star Office 6.0, located in my home directory as well as set up in /usr/local/office60. Regardless of what I tried Star Office 6.0 would not start or could it be installed. Additionally I had problems with Open Office 2.0 ( which crashed with regularity, sometimes taking the whole system with it. Which explaines why I use Star Office 6.0). I also had troubles with VMware's VMplayer (Could not get it to work.), as well as NVIDIA drivers ( Could not get it to work ). I gave up on of FC5 and did a restore of my FC4 w/kernel 2.6.15-1.1833.

Problem #3: After a few weeks when I was sure things had been "fixed" in FC5, I did another re-install of FC5. This time I had all the same problems as above but this time Open Office would not even start let alone start then crash. Once again I did a total restore of FC4 w kernel 2.6.15-1.1833.

Problem #4: One week later I was sure the the problem was that some of my links were being broken when I tried to "install" FC5. To avoid this problem I decided to an "update" to FC5 in hopes that all my links would remain and that I could circumvent the problems associated with a FC5 installtion. The answer: I had all the same problems as with the regular install but not i got a message that mc [Midnight Commander] would not start due to problems with shared libaries. Once again, I did a restore of FC4 w kernel 2.6.15-1.1833. I reached the conclusion that FC5 is UNSTABLE.

Problem #5: Once I gave up on FC5 I decided to upgrade FC4. I downloadedall the updates since April 20th, and ran yum -y update. That included the latest and greatest kernels of 2.6.16-1.2069 [3/29/06]. and -1.2096 [4/20/06] For reasons unknown after my last update niether kernal got installed but both are listed in my updates. After 4/20/06 we have 2.6.16-1.2107 [5/306], -1.2108 [5/5/06], and -1.2111 [5/21/06] . Everything went smoothly. I then went to edit a .html file and I could not; I then tried to do something with Star Office 6.0. Which was not respondind, so I killed it and then tried to restart the program but I could not, ala FC5. I did a complete restore (again) of FC4 w/ kernel 2.6.15-1.1833, and once again everything was fine. By this time I started to think that there is something very, very wrong with something, and that something had to with something in the updates which are common to both FC4 and FC5. I then did a search to see what was new in the updates in FC4, which might be causing me such grief. I found that, since my previous update that there were two possible sources for my problems: xorg-x11 was updated on 5/2.06; and the kernels -1.2107 [5/3/06], -1.2108 [5/5/06], and -1.2111 [5/21/06].

My buddy reported that when in installed kernel 2.6.16-1.2069 (x86_64) some of his important apps stop working including NVIDIA, and VMware. To avoid any possible risks that might be found, in the .2069 kernel, I installed [rpm -ivh... .rpm] the -1.2096 kernel. This way I could avoid the update problem that might be associated with kernels .2107, .2108, and .2111 which were after the release of the xorg-x11 updates but preceeded the xorg-x11updates.

After I did the install of the 2.6.16-1.2096 x86_64 kernal (remember I have an Opteron system, and run everything if I can in x86_64 mode) I then shut down and rebooted the new kernel. Once up I tried to run Star Office 6.0 and I could not get it run or install. I then shut down and rebooted my system with the 2.5.15-1.1833 x86_64 kernel and once up tried to start Star Office 6.0 and it started up just fine.

CONCLUSION: There is something very, very messed up with the 2.6.16 series of kernels. Star Office 6.0 has been very easy to install and start up till 2.6.16; that other apps including NVIDIA, and VMware are also affected ( as well as some more specific apps I do not use but my buddy does), suggests that something was changed within the 2.6.16 kernal which broke a lot of links, which has lead to problems with various apps that predate the 2.6.16 series. Given that it has been suggested that we take a time out to fix bugs, this is one kernal bug that needs to be fixed -- that or a suggestion on a workaround should be posted.

The question now becomes is this a problem ONLY with the 2.6.16... x86_64 series of kernals or does this problem affect ALL 2.6.16 kernals ( 32 and 64 bit ).

Problem #6:

-Dan