The issue I'm seeing is caused by running this repeatedly on an ext4 fs (2.6.28.8 kernel) w/ discards enabled (a ram-based MTD device contains the fs): while `true` do i=0 while [ $i -lt 100 ] do dd of=foo"$i" if=/dev/zero bs=1024k oflag=direct & let i=$i+1 done wait done (Note: the loop is intended to fill-up the fs w/ 100 dd threads... successive re-runs of the loop will rewrite the same files from scratch.) ... It causes "soft-lockup" issues on successive iterations, immediately as the DD's are launched, as previous foo files get their blocks discarded. There are two backtraces (stuck at either do_get_write_access or unlock_buffer) that are generated periodically (for different dd threads), with the system unresponsive. I don't think the "barrier based sync failed" message is significant, as I've seen this happen w/o that message: Mar 17 11:06:57 yournamehere kernel: ftla: unknown partition table Mar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: EXT4-fs: barriers enabled Mar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: kjournald2 starting. Commit interval 5 secondsMar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: EXT4 FS on ftla, internal journal on ftla:8Mar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: EXT4-fs: delayed allocation enabledMar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: EXT4-fs: file extents enabled Mar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: EXT4-fs: mballoc enabled Mar 17 11:07:20 yournamehere kernel: EXT4-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. JBD: barrier-based sync failed on ftla:8 - disabling barriers Mar 17 11:09:36 yournamehere kernel: JBD: barrier-based sync failed on ftla:8 - disabling barriers BUG: soft lockup - CPU#5 stuck for 61s! [dd:28510] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c _i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e]Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c _i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Call Trace: [<ffffffffa04d9560>] ? do_get_write_access+0x4a/0x3eb [jbd2] [<ffffffff802b7d7a>] ? __getblk+0x28/0x227 [<ffffffffa04d9923>] jbd2_journal_get_write_access+0x22/0x33 [jbd2] [<ffffffffa050952e>] __ext4_journal_get_write_access+0x1f/0x48 [ext4] [<ffffffffa051035a>] ext4_mb_mark_diskspace_used+0x72/0x392 [ext4] [<ffffffffa0510844>] ext4_mb_new_blocks+0x1ca/0x376 [ext4] [<ffffffffa05091e1>] ext4_ext_get_blocks+0xb96/0xda1 [ext4] [<ffffffff8027ac28>] ? zone_statistics+0x60/0x65 [<ffffffff804ad9f8>] ? __down_write_nested+0x17/0x92 [<ffffffff804ada97>] ? __down_read+0x17/0x92 [<ffffffffa04f77f2>] ext4_get_blocks_wrap+0xf1/0x210 [ext4] [<ffffffffa04f7bda>] ext4_get_block+0xb4/0xf2 [ext4] [<ffffffff802be21f>] __blockdev_direct_IO+0x50a/0xa08 [<ffffffffa04f9ff0>] ext4_direct_IO+0x105/0x1ea [ext4] [<ffffffffa04f7b26>] ? ext4_get_block+0x0/0xf2 [ext4] [<ffffffff8026f07e>] generic_file_direct_write+0xd7/0x18d [<ffffffff8026f3c8>] __generic_file_aio_write_nolock+0x294/0x3bc [<ffffffff8027b15e>] ? __inc_zone_page_state+0x29/0x2b [<ffffffff8026f708>] generic_file_aio_write+0x64/0xc0 [<ffffffffa04f3941>] ext4_file_write+0xa4/0x12f [ext4] [<ffffffff8029af28>] do_sync_write+0xe2/0x126 [<ffffffff8024b078>] ? autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x38 [<ffffffff80339fc9>] ? __clear_user+0x2e/0x50 [<ffffffff80339fad>] ? __clear_user+0x12/0x50 [<ffffffff803049f5>] ? security_file_permission+0x11/0x13 [<ffffffff8029b6d0>] vfs_write+0xae/0x137 [<ffffffff8029bb79>] sys_write+0x47/0x6f [<ffffffff8020bddb>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b BUG: soft lockup - CPU#0 stuck for 61s! [dd:28522] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c_i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c_i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Call Trace: [<ffffffffa04d9560>] ? do_get_write_access+0x4a/0x3eb [jbd2] [<ffffffffa04d9923>] jbd2_journal_get_write_access+0x22/0x33 [jbd2] [<ffffffffa050952e>] __ext4_journal_get_write_access+0x1f/0x48 [ext4] [<ffffffffa04f6055>] ext4_reserve_inode_write+0x40/0x7d [ext4] [<ffffffffa04f60d2>] ext4_mark_inode_dirty+0x40/0x185 [ext4] [<ffffffffa04d9d5b>] ? jbd2_journal_start+0xa2/0xda [jbd2] [<ffffffffa04fa430>] ext4_dirty_inode+0x6c/0x83 [ext4] [<ffffffff802b4467>] __mark_inode_dirty+0x33/0x178 [<ffffffff802ace04>] inode_setattr+0x11b/0x125 [<ffffffffa04fa341>] ext4_setattr+0x26c/0x2ef [ext4] [<ffffffff802acfa2>] notify_change+0x194/0x2d6 [<ffffffff8029a0c1>] do_truncate+0x63/0x81 [<ffffffff802a21b5>] ? get_write_access+0x18/0x41 [<ffffffff802a38a1>] may_open+0x1a8/0x1ff [<ffffffff802a5ead>] do_filp_open+0x429/0x817 [<ffffffff8033a006>] ? __strncpy_from_user+0x1b/0x45 [<ffffffff802996f1>] do_sys_open+0x53/0xd3 [<ffffffff8029979a>] sys_open+0x1b/0x1d [<ffffffff8020bddb>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b BUG: soft lockup - CPU#7 stuck for 61s! [dd:28513] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c_i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c_i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Call Trace: [<ffffffff802b866d>] ? unlock_buffer+0x12/0x14 [<ffffffffa04d97db>] do_get_write_access+0x2c5/0x3eb [jbd2] [<ffffffff802b7d7a>] ? __getblk+0x28/0x227 [<ffffffffa04d9923>] jbd2_journal_get_write_access+0x22/0x33 [jbd2] [<ffffffffa050952e>] __ext4_journal_get_write_access+0x1f/0x48 [ext4] [<ffffffffa051035a>] ext4_mb_mark_diskspace_used+0x72/0x392 [ext4] [<ffffffffa0510844>] ext4_mb_new_blocks+0x1ca/0x376 [ext4] [<ffffffffa05091e1>] ext4_ext_get_blocks+0xb96/0xda1 [ext4] [<ffffffff8027ac28>] ? zone_statistics+0x60/0x65 [<ffffffff804ad9f8>] ? __down_write_nested+0x17/0x92 [<ffffffff804ada97>] ? __down_read+0x17/0x92 [<ffffffffa04f77f2>] ext4_get_blocks_wrap+0xf1/0x210 [ext4] [<ffffffffa04f7bda>] ext4_get_block+0xb4/0xf2 [ext4] [<ffffffff802be21f>] __blockdev_direct_IO+0x50a/0xa08 [<ffffffffa04f9ff0>] ext4_direct_IO+0x105/0x1ea [ext4] [<ffffffffa04f7b26>] ? ext4_get_block+0x0/0xf2 [ext4] [<ffffffff8026f07e>] generic_file_direct_write+0xd7/0x18d [<ffffffff8026f3c8>] __generic_file_aio_write_nolock+0x294/0x3bc [<ffffffff8027b15e>] ? __inc_zone_page_state+0x29/0x2b [<ffffffff8026f708>] generic_file_aio_write+0x64/0xc0 [<ffffffffa04f3941>] ext4_file_write+0xa4/0x12f [ext4] [<ffffffff8029af28>] do_sync_write+0xe2/0x126 [<ffffffff8024b078>] ? autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x38 [<ffffffff80339fc9>] ? __clear_user+0x2e/0x50 [<ffffffff80339fad>] ? __clear_user+0x12/0x50 [<ffffffff803049f5>] ? security_file_permission+0x11/0x13 [<ffffffff8029b6d0>] vfs_write+0xae/0x137 [<ffffffff8029bb79>] sys_write+0x47/0x6f [<ffffffff8020bddb>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b BUG: soft lockup - CPU#2 stuck for 61s! [dd:28536] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c_i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Modules linked in: ext4 jbd2 crc16 ftl mtd_blkdevs mtdchar mtdram mtd igb autofs4 hidp rfcomm l2cap bluetooth sunrpc ipv6 ib_ipoib ib_sa inet_lro ib_uverbs ib_umad ib_mthca ib_mad ib_core dm_multipath rfkill input_polldev sbs sbshc battery acpi_memhotplug ac parport_pc lp parport sg i2c_i801 serio_raw button i2c_core shpchp pcspkr dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_region_hash dm_log dm_mod ata_piix libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd ehci_hcd [last unloaded: e1000e] Call Trace: [<ffffffff802b866d>] ? unlock_buffer+0x12/0x14 ... The file system was created from a ram-based MTD device (but also occurs w/ a real SSD that understands discards): # modprobe mtdram total_size=2000000 # modprobe mtdchar # cd mtd-utils/ # ./ftl_format /dev/mtd0 Partition size = 3805696 kb, erase unit size = 128 kb, 1 transfer units Reserved 5%, formatted size = -464495104 bytes Erasing all blocks... +++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*+++++++*++++ Writing erase unit headers... format successful. # modprobe ftl # mkfs.ext4 /dev/ftla # mount -t ext4 /dev/ftla /mnt (then "cd /mnt" and run the "dd" loop at the top.) Note that if the "foo" files are rm'd before launching the DD to overwrite them, the problem does not reproduce. FAT file systems, which also support discards, didn't repeat this behavior. I've also seen successive iterations act as if the disk is full... i.e. overwriting the file should make the disk space free that the file was occupying, but sometimes it acts as though it hasn't deleted the file's current blocks before starting the write and gives up as if the disk is full. Chris -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-ext4" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html