On 07Mar2008 20:50, Nathan Grennan <fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Cameron Simpson wrote: >> A significant change from FF2 to FF3 is the use of sqlite3 for the >> bookmarks/session/history state storage. It would not surprise me if sqlite >> were doing fsyncs at strategic points to ensure db consistency. I know I >> moved a gdbm dependent app (bogofilter) off into a /dev/shm cache to avoid a >> similar fsync storm last year sometime. >> >> Just a thought. >> > You hit the nail on the head most likely. Someone left a comment on my bug > about another related bug which is abotu zoom and use of sqlite. > > https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=417732 I have just verified with strace and lsof that these fsyncs are indeed for the places.sqlite and places.sqlite-journal files. I believe (anecdotally, rumour) that ext3 has overzealous fsync behaviour, syncing more than just the bare data for the file concerned; someone who knows about ext3 internals would need to comment on that. But if it were true one could easily imagine the fsync()s being queued up _behind_ a lot of pending I/O for some other task, thus stalling firefox. -- Cameron Simpson <cs@xxxxxxxxxx> DoD#743 http://www.cskk.ezoshosting.com/cs/ BROCCOLI!! THE ONLY VEGETABLE THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN ADVERB!! - ken@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Ken Johnson)
