RHBA-2011:1387 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated kexec-tools package that fixes two bugs is now available for Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 6.

Description

The kexec-tools package contains the /sbin/kexec binary and utilities that
together form the user-space component of the kernel's kexec feature. The
/sbin/kexec binary facilitates a new kernel to boot using the kernel's kexec
feature either on a normal or a panic reboot. The kexec fastboot mechanism
allows booting a Linux kernel from the context of an already running kernel.

This update fixes for the following bugs:

• Previously, the mkdumprd utility failed to parse the /etc/mdadm.cof

configuration file. As a consequence, mkdumprd failed to create an initial
ramdisk for kdump crash recovery and the kdump service failed to start. With
this update, mkdumprd has been modified so that it now parses the configuration
file and builds initrd correctly. The kdump service now starts as expected.
(BZ#719917)

• On the PowerPC 64 architecture, the kexec utiliity experienced a segmentation

fault when the kdump service was started on a system containing more than 1 TB
of RAM. As a result, it was not possible to capture a crash kernel on such a
system. This has been fixed with this update so that kexec no longer crashes
when kdump starts on a system with greater than 1 TB of physical memory, and
kdump can now works as expected. (BZ#726603)

All users of kexec-tools are advised to upgrade to this updated package, which
fixes 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 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 6.1 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 6.1 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 6 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 6.1 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 6 ppc64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 6.1 ppc64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Scientific Computing 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support from RHUI 6.1 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support from RHUI 6.1 i386
• Red Hat Virtual Storage Appliance (from RHUI) 6.1 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support (for IBM z Systems) 6 s390x

Fixes

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)