Re: Server crash

From: Mike Andrews (mikea_at_mikea.ath.cx)
Date: 11/23/04 

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:07:54 +0000 (UTC)

Peter Boosten <niemand@nergens.loc> wrote:
> on Tue, 23 Nov 2004 at 19:54 GMT, Tomas Pettersen wrote:
> > I have a sever running FreeBSD 5.2.1-RELEASE-p9 on generic i386 hardware.
> > It has been running smoothly since July but has recently started crashing
> > frequently without any apparent cause. I don't have physical access to the
> > server and the guy that has rebooted it says it hangs during boot at
> > different points of startup each time, until it might come up on the third
> > or fourth attempt. If I log in it only takes 1-5 minutes before it hangs
> > again.
> > I have not been able to discover anything in the logs so I have no idea
> > what is causing this.
> > Now i'm going to the location of the server, can anyone help me out with
> > some pointers on what I should do to pinpoint this.
> >

> Sounds like bad hardware. My guess: CPU or memory.
> In any case: good luck.

What happens if you boot off a CD? (yes, I realize someone at the
facility has to put the CD in for you.)

It does indeed sound like hardware.

In order of increasing difficulty and expense:

Vacuum all dust, cat fur[1], etc., out.

Check, or have someone check, all the fans, and especially the CPU
fans, and replace any that are faulty.

Be prepared to replace, or to have someone else replace, the power
supply.

Be prepared to replace, or have someone else replace, the RAM.

[1] A real problem in our house. 

-- 
Mike Andrews
mikea@mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin

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