OT: Server puts in zombie mode.

[Scott Silva]

on 4-13-2009 2:47 PM Eduardo Casarero spake the following:
> Hi, i've a rare situation on some servers, they just get zombie. After
> all i've researched i think it's a HD hang out or something in storage
> because i couldnt find any trace in the logs. The failure seems to be
> random and the server in zombie mode appears to be online answering
> ping and if you telnet ssh port you get connected but after you
> connect the connection is lost (as if the servers tries to read
> something from HD).
> 
> Also the servers that eventually crash have years of heavy load
> processing emails (this backups my theory of HD failure). After
> rebooting the server everything seems to be ok.
> 
> The SO is slackware and some servers are slackware 10.2 or 12.1 so i
> think is not a SO bug, also they have different versions of
> MailScanner/SA/clamd (because they have years working and the upgrade
> process is not massive. Usually the zombie servers has SATA disk (that
> also backups my theory)
> 
> Does anyone have any idea of how can i get a log or something to
> demostrate this? or any other test to get better/or another conclusion
> or cause?
> 
> Any help would be really appreciated.
> 
> Thanks eduardo.
Hang a serial console on the system and watch it or log it. It might get some
kernel messages that don't get written to log. Also try a memory test. Memory
can also go bad over time, especially on overworked servers that might have
collected some dust over the years and overheated. Maybe even just pull and
reseat all the cards, memory, and even the processor in case some oxidation is
present on the connectors.

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 258 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
Url : http://lists.mailscanner.info/pipermail/mailscanner/attachments/20090413/03d4ffcb/signature.bin