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[Bug 1486997] Re: Copying a large file causes user interface to stop responding

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Phill, at your earliest convenience, could you please test the latest
upstream kernel available from the very top line at the top of the page
from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/?C=N;O=D (the release
names are irrelevant for testing, and please do not test the daily
folder)? Install instructions are available at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/MainlineBuilds . This will allow
additional upstream developers to examine the issue.

If testing on your main install would be inconvenient, one may:
1) Install Ubuntu to a different partition and then test this there.
2) Backup, or clone the primary install.

If the latest kernel did not allow you to test to the issue (ex. you couldn't boot into the OS) please make a comment in your report about this, and continue to test the next most recent kernel version until you can test to the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this issue is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon, next to the word Tags, located at the bottom of the report description:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-X.Y-rcZ

Where X, and Y are the first two numbers of the kernel version, and Z is
the release candidate number if it exists.

If the mainline kernel does not fix the issue, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-X.Y-rcZ

Please note, an error to install the kernel does not fit the criteria of
kernel-bug-exists-upstream.

Once testing of the latest upstream kernel is complete, please mark this
report's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results.

Thank you for your understanding.

** Description changed:

- If you run, for example, `cp file1 file1-copy` with several GB of data,
- give it a minute, then the user interface stops responding and the mouse
- stops moving. There are occasional glimmers of response but it's like
- watching a video one frame at a time. I would expect the user interface
- to continue to work barring the occasional interruption. When the copy
- completes, or if you can interrupt it, the user interface works normally
- again.
+ Any heavy and prolonged disc activity causes the UI, mouse, and terminal
+ to stop responding. For example, copying several GB of data via `cp
+ file1 file1-copy`. When the copy completes, or if it's interrupted, the
+ user interface responds normally. The problem occurs even when there's
+ several GB of memory to spare. Other kernel schedulers don't change
+ anything.
  
- Despite the specific title, which I'll explain next, the command you use
- doesn't matter. Any heavy and prolonged disc activity does it.
- Ironically, running `ubuntu-bug kernel` to report this problem caused
- the mouse and UI to freeze for a few seconds. Scheduled backups also
- cause it.
- 
- So, why the specific title? This has been reported by other user and
- myself before but in more general terms. Those reports are drowned in
- comments by frustrated users clutching at straws to the point where it's
- hard to see where they're going. I thought it might be helpful to limit
- this bug report to a very specific and easily testable example so that
- we don't get side-tracked working around what is probably a kernel
- scheduling issue.
- 
- This is not an isolated or new problem. I've been using ubuntu since
- 2008 on several different machines and it's always been a problem. Maybe
- it's a little worse now, maybe not. In any case, there's no point
- bisecting the kernel as it's not a regression.
- 
- The problem also affects the terminal. If you switch to another TTY the
- log-in takes ages, and usually doesn't complete until the heavy disk
- activity has finished. This can be extremely frustrating when you don't
- know which process is making mischief and you want to use a terminal to
- find it and stop it.
- 
- It is possible to alleviate the problem by disabling swap. I did this on
- the hunch that processes were being frozen while memory was paged in
- from the disk. Unfortunately my current workload makes this solution
- impractical. What's odd is that the problem occurs even when there's
- several GB of memory to spare. After re-enabling swap you need to wait a
- little before re-testing to reproduce the problem.
- 
- I've also tried other kernel schedulers. None help.
- 
- I'm a software developer and happy to get my hands dirty, but sadly I'm
- quite unfamiliar with the kernel.
+ WORKAROUND: Disable swap.
  
  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
  Package: linux-image-3.16.0-45-generic 3.16.0-45.60~14.04.1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-45.60~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt14
  Uname: Linux 3.16.0-45-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.12
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Thu Aug 20 12:21:59 2015
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-07-13 (37 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20150218.1)
  SourcePackage: linux-lts-utopic
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
- --- 
+ ---
  ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19
  Architecture: amd64
  AudioDevicesInUse:
-  USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
-  /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p:   phill      2715 F...m pulseaudio
-  /dev/snd/controlC0:  phill      2715 F.... pulseaudio
+  USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
+  /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p:   phill      2715 F...m pulseaudio
+  /dev/snd/controlC0:  phill      2715 F.... pulseaudio
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
  HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=fab564c9-5c8a-439f-8b9d-a10c8a4b75ad
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-07-13 (165 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20150218.1)
  MachineType: System manufacturer V-P5G45
  Package: linux (not installed)
  ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.16.0-56-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-root ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-56.75~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt20
  RelatedPackageVersions:
-  linux-restricted-modules-3.16.0-56-generic N/A
-  linux-backports-modules-3.16.0-56-generic  N/A
-  linux-firmware                             1.127.19
+  linux-restricted-modules-3.16.0-56-generic N/A
+  linux-backports-modules-3.16.0-56-generic  N/A
+  linux-firmware                             1.127.19
  RfKill:
-  0: phy0: Wireless LAN
-  	Soft blocked: no
-  	Hard blocked: no
+  0: phy0: Wireless LAN
+   Soft blocked: no
+   Hard blocked: no
  Tags:  trusty
  Uname: Linux 3.16.0-56-generic x86_64
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  UserGroups: adm cdrom dip libvirtd lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
  _MarkForUpload: True
  dmi.bios.date: 05/18/2009
  dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
  dmi.bios.version: 0405
  dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
  dmi.board.name: V-P5G45
  dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
  dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
  dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
  dmi.chassis.type: 3
  dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
  dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0405:bd05/18/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnV-P5G45:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnV-P5G45:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
  dmi.product.name: V-P5G45
  dmi.product.version: System Version
  dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Low => Medium

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel
Packages, which is subscribed to linux in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1486997

Title:
  Copying a large file causes user interface to stop responding

Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  Any heavy and prolonged disc activity causes the UI, mouse, and
  terminal to stop responding. For example, copying several GB of data
  via `cp file1 file1-copy`. When the copy completes, or if it's
  interrupted, the user interface responds normally. The problem occurs
  even when there's several GB of memory to spare. Other kernel
  schedulers don't change anything.

  WORKAROUND: Disable swap.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
  Package: linux-image-3.16.0-45-generic 3.16.0-45.60~14.04.1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-45.60~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt14
  Uname: Linux 3.16.0-45-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.12
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Thu Aug 20 12:21:59 2015
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-07-13 (37 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20150218.1)
  SourcePackage: linux-lts-utopic
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  ---
  ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19
  Architecture: amd64
  AudioDevicesInUse:
   USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
   /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p:   phill      2715 F...m pulseaudio
   /dev/snd/controlC0:  phill      2715 F.... pulseaudio
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
  HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=fab564c9-5c8a-439f-8b9d-a10c8a4b75ad
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-07-13 (165 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20150218.1)
  MachineType: System manufacturer V-P5G45
  Package: linux (not installed)
  ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.16.0-56-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-root ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-56.75~14.04.1-generic 3.16.7-ckt20
  RelatedPackageVersions:
   linux-restricted-modules-3.16.0-56-generic N/A
   linux-backports-modules-3.16.0-56-generic  N/A
   linux-firmware                             1.127.19
  RfKill:
   0: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no
  Tags:  trusty
  Uname: Linux 3.16.0-56-generic x86_64
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  UserGroups: adm cdrom dip libvirtd lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
  _MarkForUpload: True
  dmi.bios.date: 05/18/2009
  dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
  dmi.bios.version: 0405
  dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
  dmi.board.name: V-P5G45
  dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
  dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
  dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
  dmi.chassis.type: 3
  dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
  dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0405:bd05/18/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnV-P5G45:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnV-P5G45:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
  dmi.product.name: V-P5G45
  dmi.product.version: System Version
  dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

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References

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