lots of panics in uPort V -> Problems @ 10MHz

[Karl Denninger]

In article <421 at zap.UUCP> fortin at zap.UUCP (Denis Fortin) writes:
>In article <829 at ddsw1.UUCP> karl at ddsw1.UUCP (Karl Denninger) writes:
>>
>>The key one is the NMI message.
>>
>>This can only be generated one way -- if your memory board(s) generate a
>>parity fault.
>
>Hmmm.  I have been having similar problems, so I guess this is a good time
>to post about them...

[Some detail deleted]

>In general, the system will boot without any problems, and after a few
>minutes, the response time slows down a lot and ultimately I get the
>following message on the console:
>
>	user=0xC7E
>	cs=0x208 ds=0x220 es=0x220 ss=0x213 di=0x400 si=0x5BE0
>	bp=0x2C0 bx=0x7 dx=0xA1 cx=0x0 ax=0x7 ip=0x5807 flags=0x202
>	trap type 0xD
>	err=0x210
>	stack frame address = E830270
>	Double panic: Software detects double fault

Aha!  Now we're talking.  A crash dump (well, sorta)!

To find the routine in the kernel which caused the panic, you do this:

	nm -x /system5 >/tmp/xxxxx  (dump list of kernel to file)

Now, go looking for the address you panic'd at.  You put the 'cs' and 'ip'
values together to get this number (code segment & instruction pointer).  
In this case, you get 0x0208005807.

Find the routine (use 'vi' or another editor; looking will take ALL DAY;
this is a huge file!)  which has the largest address LESS THAN the panic 
address.

This is the routine which was executing when the system crashed.

>From the numbers above, I'll guess that the routine you'll find will be
'rmsd'.  IF SO - get on the phone and yell loudly -- you have a manifestation 
of the very-common SIO crash which has plagued us poor '286 Microport owners 
for over a year!

If it's NOT 'rmsd' then please post the name of the routine (or mail it to
me), as it's probably a new one... and might give all us net.gurus some ideas!

>I have also seen "user=0x10 ... err=0x8173".
>
>I know that this is a bit cryptic, but none of my requests for help from 
>Microport on this issue (even when my SysV/AT was still under warranty) 
>have yielded any result.  (In most cases, I was told that the info was
>transfered to someone else ... who never got back to me.)

This is interesting -- they didn't even tell you how to get the address of
the routine where you paniced?   Sheesh!  A master list at Uport doesn't help
anyone with this, as the addresses move if you use the link kit.

>I currently have an update contract (I still think that uPort is a pretty
>good product), but I have not purchased a technical support contract because
>from what I have seen during my warranty period, their technical service
>won't help me much with this problem (note: this was about 1.5 years ago).
>
>I guess my biggest problem is that I have really no way of knowing what
>the register dump really means...  Also, I'm very puzzled by the fact
>that IBM Xenix 1.0 will run on my machine at 10MHz (I can understand why
>DOS works: it's not as demanding interrupt-wise on the machine, but XENIX
>*does* work and that annoys me!)

It ought to annoy you... it does us as well.

-----
Karl Denninger		       |  Data: +1 312 566-8912
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. | Voice: +1 312 566-8910
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