Description of problem: ----------------------- I have downloaded, compiled and booted using a stock linux 2.4.20 kernel compiled with custom options summarized in the "config-2.4.20" file attached to this bug report. Whenever I start an X session (logging on through GDM or using a remote session), the nautilus desktop doesn't come up. Instead, the desktop is not drawn (on remote sessions, it's the initial gray dotted that the X server draws when launched up) while nautilus keeps consuming 100% of the CPU time and, sometimes, crashes. Memory consuptiom stays steadily at 2.7% as reported by the top command. As of this bug report, my nautilus process has consumed 7:34 of CPU time without doing nothing. When using the standard RedHat Linux 2.4.20-2.2, nautilus works as expected. This problem can be reproduced using any user on the system: a user which has never ever used GNOME (has no .gconf .gconfd or .gnome directories) or a user which uses GNOME normally when booting with the RedHat linux kernel. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): ------------------------------------------------------------- nautilus-2.1.5-2.i386.rpm (Phoebe) How reproducible: ----------------- Always Steps to Reproduce: ------------------- 1. Download stock 2.4.20 kernel from ftp://ftp.kernel.org 2. Compile the kernel using configuration options from the "config-2.4.20" file attached to this bug report. 3. Manually install the kernel by moving "arch/i386/boot/bzImage" to "/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20", "System.map" to "/boot/System.map-2.4.20", "vmlinux" to "vmlinux-2.4.20" and ".config" to "/boot/config-2.4.20". 4. Next, update "/etc/grub.conf" in a similar fashion as listed within "grub.conf" attached to this bug report. 5. Boot using the stock 2.4.20 kernel into runlevel 5, log on to X and wait for nautilus to come up and draw the desktop. In my case, this won't happen. Actual results: --------------- Nautilus hangs just before drawing the desktop and keeps consuming the 100% of the CPU time. Sometimes, it crashes. Expected results: ----------------- Nautilus should work properly when using a stock 2.4.20 kernel. Additional info: ---------------- - I have changed my window manager to Sawfish (instead of metacity which I personally hate). - It doesn't seem a user-specific config problem as this problem can be reproduced either with a normal user or "root". - Stock kernel was compiled with AGP support and DRI XFree driver for Matrox G200. - Console is running on MGA G200 framebuffer instead of text-mode. - Please, contact me for exact repro scenario.
Created attachment 88955 [details] Linux config
Created attachment 88956 [details] Sample grub.conf
I've been thinking about this... Is it possible that native Posix threads are the cause of this issue? Maybe Nautilus was compiled to use native posix threads library... I think stock 2.4.20 kernel lacks support for this, doesn't it? So maybe this is the culprit of the problem.
The Red Hat stock kernel 2.4.20-2.2 starts with the 2.4.20 vanilla kernel but is patched liberally to provide extended facilities, using code from both the kernel.org and the Alan Cox trees, plus some work done in-house. To see what's been changed, install the kernel-2.4.20-2.2.src.rpm and check out all the patches. It is probably unreasonable to expect some portions of the Red Hat Linux product to work without a Red Hat packaged kernel. This subject is covered ad nauseum in the Usenet newsgroups, and a Web search will probably yield myriad results detailing the travails of those who try to shoehorn a vanilla kernel into their Red Hat systems. The Red Hat kernel package is one of the major value-added portions of their Linux product, and abandoning it for a vanilla kernel does not, ultimately, provide good value for the user. However, as with all Linux kernels, you are free to do whatever you want, and that includes opening up the Red Hat packaged kernel, playing with it, changing it, undoing (or redoing) patches, and making your own. Paul W. Frields, RHCE/RHCX (not a full-time Red Hat employee)
Expected, as currently glibc uses NPTL by default, which depends on features in the Red Hat 2.4.20 kernel.