Re: [TCLUG:17305] Aaahhh!!! Signal 11!!!

[David Wood <jbevren@yahoo.com>]

On Sun, 7 May 2000, Yaron wrote:

>   Hey,
> 
> Ok, ever since I've upgraded to RedHat 6.2, I've been getting Signal 11's
> while compiling just about all the time. With whatever kernel I try. I've
> got Red Hat 6.2 on several other machines and never had a problem with
> them, and this machine worked perfectly before the upgrade.

Nothing terribly wrong with 6.2 as far as I know

> I do suspect this sudden $%^&* heat wave and the lack of AC in this room,
> but I have no way to monitor the CPU/Board temperature... anyone here got
> a FIC MBoard and an AMD K6-2 and manage to get any lm_sensors stuff going?

Here's how you check the heat: :)

Take the cover off the box and touch the sides of the heatsink on the cpu. 
If its beyond warm, the fan isnt doing its work.  Its common for those to
die and the owner not even know (I didnt know my 486's fan wasnt working
until it got in an infinite-reboot cycle due to heat).  Have a look and make
SURE that fan is spinning fast and freely.

anyway,

Basic theory on signal 11 (also known as segmentation fault, called page
fault in windows) states that somehow, somewhere, the cpu was told to access
an area of memory that it cant legally do in its current state.

Compiling is _very_ intense work, unless of course your drive is dead slow,
and can easily bring your cpu's heat level up to and beyond the maxmimum
acceptable operational limits.  I'd recommend taking the top (or side) of
the case off and directing a small fan into it and try to compile again.  If
the sig11 goes away, it was heat; replace your CPU fan (as I need to do for
my machine), and if necessary, find some way to keep the room cooler or get
more air through the case of the machine.

Another reason for GCC to sig11 is because of bad ram.  Now, the rest of
your system seems to be doing fine, and only intense work is failing (go out
and get VICE, and have it run some demos.. see if it sig11's too), so I'm
guessing its a heat related problem.  (that, and the fact taht you stated
the recent heatwave in coincidence with the failures =])

-David