RHBA-2011:0968 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

Updated kernel packages that fix three bugs are now available as part of the
ongoing support and maintenance of Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 4.

Description

The kernel packages contain the Linux kernel, the core of any Linux operating
system.

This update fixes the following bugs:

• Prior to this update, a command could, under certain circumstances, be left

unprocessed when using either the cciss or hpsa driver because the HP Smart
Array controller considered those commands to be completed when, in fact, they
were still waiting in the completion queue. Due to this behavior, the file
system could become read-only or panic, and the entire system could become
unstable. This update adds an extra read operation to both the cciss and hpsa
drivers. Now, commands in the completion queue are properly processed.
(#BZ554452)

• Prior to this update, the Qlogic QLA2xxx driver could become unresponsive with

all targets suspended if the Qlogic iotcl module was loaded while Input/Output
was queued. This update modifies the qim_cmd_wait() function and removes
unsuspended targets. (#BZ576756)

• Prior to this update, various tasks ,including kswapd and pdflush, could

become unresponsive when the system ran out of memory. This update prevents
mempool_alloc() from becoming permanently stuck in an io_schedule() if there
are no I/Os in progress. (#BZ578699)

Note: the system must be rebooted for this update to take effect.

Users are advised to upgrade to these updated packages, which fix these bugs.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to
use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
https://access.redhat.com/kb/docs/DOC-11259/

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 4.8 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 4.8 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 4.8 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 4 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 4 s390
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 4.8 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 4.8 s390
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 4 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 4.8 ppc

Fixes

• BZ - 578699 - system deadlocked under low memory

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)