[SLE] "Kernel: allocation failed" error

From: Ermanno Polli (ermanno.polli_at_lnf.infn.it)
Date: 02/03/04

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    To: suse-linux-e@suse.com
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 10:54:26 +0100

    Dear list,
    the error, actually, is:

    kernel: __alloc_pages: 0-order allocation failed (gfp=0xf0/0)

    I have lots of these errors and eventually my 7.3 system is unable to
    work. Some things are working but I'm unable to "shutdown -r" the
    system. The machine "partially" freezes. That is, I'm unable to shut it
    down with ctrl-alt-delete, too; alternate consoles are not working, but
    I can login with ssh. Really strange stuff.

    Eventually I had to press the reset button and, of course, I have to
    manually fsck all the disks. :-(

    At first I suspected cron, because the errors came at nigth, around
    00:57-00:59, but today they started at 2:07:22 and ended at 2:18:32,
    with "gfp={0xf0,0x1f0,0x70}/0" randomly alternating. Only a few
    gfp=0x1d0/0 and gfp=0x20/0 are scattered in between.
    Lots of "last message repeated x times", too.

    Strangely I had:
    Feb 3 01:07:41 my_computer kdm[992]: Abnormal helper termination, code
    1, signal 0
    Feb 3 01:07:40 my_computer nscd: 903: cannot stat() file
    `/etc/passwd': Cannot allocate memory
    Feb 3 01:07:46 my_computer kdm[992]: fatal IO error 12 (Cannot
    allocate memory)
    Feb 3 01:07:51 my_computer kdm[962]: Cannot run config reader: pipe()
    failed
    mixed between the allocation failed errors, as if they were delayed..
    ???

    Other errors among them are:
    Feb 3 02:08:31 my_computer atalkd[991]: select: Cannot allocate memory
    Feb 3 01:16:54 my_computer nscd: 903: cannot stat() file
    `/etc/passwd': Cannot allocate memory
    Feb 3 02:17:04 my_computer sshd[1140]: error: select: Cannot allocate
    memory
    and a lot of:
    Feb 3 02:08:37 my_computer syslogd: select: Cannot allocate memory

    Now my problem is: how can I find who is calling __alloc_pages??
    No clues in the var/log files.
    Looking at the errors above, I suspect kde, but why the almost 1 hour
    delay??

    Ah! Yes, I ran memtest and I had no errors.

    Someone in this list is able to help me?

    Linux 2.4.10-64GB-SMP i686 system.

    Thank you,
            
            Dott. Ermanno Polli
            INFN-LNF 

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