Description of problem: Attempting to switch to another user (root) via su causes segmentation fault. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): coreutils-7.2-4.fc11.i586 How reproducible: Presently reproducible in this particular boot. Haven't rebooted yet. Steps to Reproduce: 1. Run su or su - 2. Type in correct password. 3. Segmentation fault after return pressed. Actual results: Segmentation fault Expected results: Switch to root. Additional info: Typing in an incorrect password produces correct "su: incorrect password" message. This boot was done from a hibernated state. Not sure if something got corrupted due to hibernation. Haven't rebooted to see if it was still a problem. Was able to log in to root using the correct password from a virtual terminal. $ su Password: su: incorrect password $ su Password: Segmentation fault $ su - Password: Segmentation fault $ which su /bin/su $ rpm -qf `which su` coreutils-7.2-4.fc11.i586 $ rpm -q kernel kernel-2.6.29.6-217.2.8.fc11.i586 kernel-2.6.29.6-217.2.16.fc11.i586 kernel-2.6.30.5-43.fc11.i586 $ uname -a Linux hp2140 2.6.30.5-43.fc11.i686.PAE #1 SMP Thu Aug 27 21:34:36 EDT 2009 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux From /var/log/messages Sep 22 12:02:40 localhost kernel: su[11599]: segfault at 32 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfb81a6c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:03:26 localhost kernel: su[11619]: segfault at 72 ip 00c2bb00 sp bf8d9aac error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:03:52 localhost kernel: su[11625]: segfault at 4a ip 00c2bb00 sp bf84f14c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:05:08 localhost kernel: su[11639]: segfault at 46 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfcd606c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:05:13 localhost kernel: su[11647]: segfault at 6a ip 0016db00 sp bf8ca59c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[110000+16b000] Sep 22 12:05:56 localhost kernel: su[11652]: segfault at 53 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfcbfa4c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:07:31 localhost kernel: su[11675]: segfault at 4c ip 00c2bb00 sp bfdea77c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:08:38 localhost kernel: su[11747]: segfault at 65 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfc294cc error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:11:47 localhost kernel: su[11912]: segfault at 44 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfd53d6c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:14:23 localhost kernel: yum[11833]: segfault at 44 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfdcc62c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:39:36 localhost kernel: su[12155]: segfault at 55 ip 00c2bb00 sp bff1e17c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000] Sep 22 12:44:20 localhost kernel: su[12216]: segfault at 33 ip 0016db00 sp bfe9b16c error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[110000+16b000] Sep 22 12:44:26 localhost kernel: su[12221]: segfault at 57 ip 00c2bb00 sp bfed99dc error 6 in libc-2.10.1.so[bce000+16b000]
Could you please provide backtrace of the segfault? Just for sure - check rpm -V coreutils and rpm -V glibc ... I doubt the real problem is directly in su (used too frequently to have general segfaults), but it would be good to address the issue - to prevent such failures in future.
$ rpm -V coreutils $ rpm -V glibc ..?...... /usr/sbin/glibc_post_upgrade.i686 $ rpm -q coreutils coreutils-7.2-4.fc11.i586 $ rpm -q glibc glibc-2.10.1-5.i686 Unfortunately, I could not figure out how to get a coredump to appear. I used ulimit -c unlimited, but still no core file after the segmentation fault. Any ideas? I have since rebooted and the problem no longer occurs, but I will update this bug if it does occur again in the future. Right now, I am suspecting memory corruption in the hibernate/thaw process. The issue happened after several cycles of hibernate/thaw (I had not had a straight boot in a while). I realized that during the same time that the segmentation faults were happening, I was seeing general instability of several other processes. In particular, the following processes had problems: The gnome panel clock, an attempt to "yum install gnumeric", the bug notification tool (which spawned due to the clock failure). Please let me know if there is anything else I can provide.
You could try to catch it with abrt (yum install abrt), start abrt daemon and try to report the crash with gui. Or you could try to get more details with debuginfo installed (debuginfo-install glibc coreutils) . About no coredumps - check what's ulimit -a showing ...Try to add "* hard core unlimited" to /etc/security/limits.conf - it might help as well... As there might be some memory corruption (I'm quite sure it is related to that hibernate/thaw process and not directly to su binary), reassigning to kernel, but keeping myself in cc... They might have some ideas how to get more about the failure.
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