Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[James Courtier-Dutton]

Hello,

I have found a bug in the linux kernel when it plays DVDs. I use xine
(xine.sf.net) for playing DVDs.
At some point during the playing there is an error on the DVD. But
currently this error is not handled correctly by the linux kernel.
This puts the kernel into an uncertain state, causing the kernel to take
100% CPU and fail all future read requests.

One way to exit this "uncertain state" is to push a pin into the small
hole on the front of all DVD drive. This causes the kernel to sense
"tray open", which it knows about, and handles correctly. After this,
the kernel releases it's grab on the CPU and linux runs normally again.
Please see kern.log extract for more details.

What is error 0x34 ? Does anyone know how we should handle it, because
the current method for handling it is obviously wrong.
I am 100% sure that the application does not ask for out of range
sectors, because I have debugged that far. I have now compiled the
ide-cd as a kernel module, so I could add kprintf's to the kernel source
if that helps give more information.

Currently, I cannot find document that will explain what error 0x34 is.
Can anybody help ?

Cheers
James

Apr 26 17:15:55 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:00 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:00 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:05 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:05 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:10 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:10 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:10 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
Apr 26 17:16:15 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:15 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:20 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:20 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
Apr 26 17:16:25 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40 (hdd),
sector 7750464
Apr 26 17:16:29 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:29 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:34 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:34 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:39 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:39 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:44 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:44 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:44 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
Apr 26 17:16:49 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:49 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:54 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:54 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40 (hdd),
sector 7750468
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 {
DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

"I use the PIN here"

Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0xb4
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: tray open
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40 (hdd),
sector 7750472
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: tray open
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40 (hdd),
sector 7750476
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: tray open
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40 (hdd),
sector 7750480
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: tray open
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40 (hdd),
sector 7750484
Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: tray open

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Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Denis Vlasenko]

On 27 April 2003 13:47, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have found a bug in the linux kernel when it plays DVDs. I use xine
> (xine.sf.net) for playing DVDs.
> At some point during the playing there is an error on the DVD. But
> currently this error is not handled correctly by the linux kernel.
> This puts the kernel into an uncertain state, causing the kernel to
> take 100% CPU and fail all future read requests.
...
> Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
> Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
> Apr 26 17:16:25 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40
> (hdd), sector 7750464
...
> DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
> Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
> Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
> Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40
> (hdd), sector 7750468

See? Sector # is increasing... Linux retries the read several times,
then reports EIO to userspace and goes to next sectors. Unfortunately,
they are bad too, so the loop repeats. Eventually it will pass
by all bad sectors (if not, it's a bug) but it can take longish
time.

Apart of making max retry # settable by the user, I don't see how
this can be made better. Pity. This is common problem on CDs...
--
vda

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Nick Piggin]

Denis Vlasenko wrote:

>On 27 April 2003 13:47, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>I have found a bug in the linux kernel when it plays DVDs. I use xine
>>(xine.sf.net) for playing DVDs.
>>At some point during the playing there is an error on the DVD. But
>>currently this error is not handled correctly by the linux kernel.
>>This puts the kernel into an uncertain state, causing the kernel to
>>take 100% CPU and fail all future read requests.
>>
>
[snip]

>
>Apart of making max retry # settable by the user, I don't see how
>this can be made better.
>
Having the kernel not use 100% CPU?

> Pity. This is common problem on CDs...
>  
>

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Denis Vlasenko]

On 29 April 2003 09:56, Nick Piggin wrote:
> >>At some point during the playing there is an error on the DVD. But
> >>currently this error is not handled correctly by the linux kernel.
> >>This puts the kernel into an uncertain state, causing the kernel to
> >>take 100% CPU and fail all future read requests.
>
> [snip]
>
> >Apart of making max retry # settable by the user, I don't see how
> >this can be made better.
>
> Having the kernel not use 100% CPU?

I suspect IDE error recovery path was never audited for that
--
vda

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Alan Cox]

On Mer, 2003-04-30 at 13:10, Denis Vlasenko wrote:
> > Having the kernel not use 100% CPU?
> 
> I suspect IDE error recovery path was never audited for that

NOTABUG

User space keeps asking it to read so it keeps using CPU, fix the user
space

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[James Courtier-Dutton]

Alan Cox wrote:

>On Mer, 2003-04-30 at 13:10, Denis Vlasenko wrote:
>  
>
>>>Having the kernel not use 100% CPU?
>>>      
>>>
>>I suspect IDE error recovery path was never audited for that
>>    
>>
>
>NOTABUG
>
>User space keeps asking it to read so it keeps using CPU, fix the user
>space
>
>  
>
The application does an initial seek() command, which succeeds.
It then just does read() commands for then on.
For bug tracking, I have put printf statements in my application.
I.e.
printf("About to seek\n");
result seek();
printf("Seek done.\n");
BigLoop:
printf("About to read\n");
result = read(fd,buffer, x_bytes);
printf("read done.\n");
If (result != x_types) assert(0);
else loop back to BigLoop:

When an error occurs on the DVD, "read done" message is never printed on 
the console and all applications fail to respond to user input. This is 
why I thought that the kernel hogs CPU 100% and the application never 
receives the error message.
If I force a different error "tray open", by using a pin in the manual 
eject hole on the front of the dvd rom device, I then see the "read 
done" message and everything comes back to life.

To me, this is somewhat strange behaviour, a bug even.

Is there some other user space parts between the kernel and the "read 
done" message that I don't know about?

So, from the logs, it looks like the kernel tries to keep reading the 
DVD, but it is not the user application requesting that!
Is there some sort of caching code between read() and the kernel, and if 
so, how do I turn it off.

Cheers
James

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Alan Cox]

On Mer, 2003-04-30 at 16:23, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
> When an error occurs on the DVD, "read done" message is never printed on 
> the console and all applications fail to respond to user input. This is 
> why I thought that the kernel hogs CPU 100% and the application never 
> receives the error message.

Can you provide me with an strace and the log of the same set of events.
In my case I saw the app I used continually going read/read/read and the
kernel working hard to clean up the mess getting an error and repeat

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Elladan]

On Wed, Apr 30, 2003 at 04:23:47PM +0100, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
> Alan Cox wrote:
> >
> >NOTABUG
> >
> >User space keeps asking it to read so it keeps using CPU, fix the user
> >space
> 
> The application does an initial seek() command, which succeeds.
> It then just does read() commands for then on.
> For bug tracking, I have put printf statements in my application.
> I.e.
>
> [...]
> 
> When an error occurs on the DVD, "read done" message is never printed on 
> the console and all applications fail to respond to user input. This is 
> why I thought that the kernel hogs CPU 100% and the application never 
> receives the error message.
> If I force a different error "tray open", by using a pin in the manual 
> eject hole on the front of the dvd rom device, I then see the "read 
> done" message and everything comes back to life.

Are you sure it never returns, ever?

The behavior most people seem to see here 90% of the time seems to be
that the IDE layer retries the request a few dozen times before
returning an error result.  This usually takes 1-5 minutes.

So, does it return if you, say, go to lunch and then come back?

Of course, the other 10% of the time, things do seem to become
completely broken.  I've certainly observed this sort of behavior
before.

Not to mention, blocking for 1-5 minutes even on a CD-ROM read is
broken, and is certainly very unwanted for the task of playing a DVD.  I
think there needs to be a documented call to tell the kernel that the
application prefers to get I/O errors immediately instead of retries,
and it should always use a lot fewer retries on removable devices where
damaged media is common.

The other bug here is that the IDE layer seems uninterruptible in
software while it's doing this.  The tasks go into uninterruptible sleep
for up to 5 minutes at a time (sometimes forever), and can't be stopped
except by forcing a hardware exception eg. with eject.  You really need
to be able to kill a task and interrupt the file operation somehow when
it's in some sort of long-term CD error recovery situation.

-J

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Jan Knutar]

> The behavior most people seem to see here 90% of the time seems to be
> that the IDE layer retries the request a few dozen times before
> returning an error result.  This usually takes 1-5 minutes.
>
> So, does it return if you, say, go to lunch and then come back?

It's not just IDE. I have a machine with SCSI and an old 2X CDROM, 
which has troubble reading 80 min CD-R's, which I discovered doing a 
copy of a large file from it. Userspace locked up for a few days, and I 
don't just mean the cp process, I mean everything in userspace. The 
machine responded to pings and forwarded packets (It's my NAT machine), 
but not much else. Forced eject with pin clears it up in that case as 
well.

> Not to mention, blocking for 1-5 minutes even on a CD-ROM read is
> broken, and is certainly very unwanted for the task of playing a DVD.

It's unwanted for the task of anything, especially the 
everything-else-hangs-too behaviour that I observed, that might just be 
due to sim710 though ;-). (Kernel 2.4.18)

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[James Courtier-Dutton]

Denis Vlasenko wrote:

>On 27 April 2003 13:47, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
>  
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>I have found a bug in the linux kernel when it plays DVDs. I use xine
>>(xine.sf.net) for playing DVDs.
>>At some point during the playing there is an error on the DVD. But
>>currently this error is not handled correctly by the linux kernel.
>>This puts the kernel into an uncertain state, causing the kernel to
>>take 100% CPU and fail all future read requests.
>>    
>>
>...
>  
>
>>Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
>>Apr 26 17:16:24 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
>>Apr 26 17:16:25 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40
>>(hdd), sector 7750464
>>    
>>
>...
>  
>
>>DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
>>Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x34
>>Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: hdd: ATAPI reset complete
>>Apr 26 17:16:59 games kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev 16:40
>>(hdd), sector 7750468
>>    
>>
>
>See? Sector # is increasing... Linux retries the read several times,
>then reports EIO to userspace and goes to next sectors. Unfortunately,
>they are bad too, so the loop repeats. Eventually it will pass
>by all bad sectors (if not, it's a bug) but it can take longish
>time.
>
>Apart of making max retry # settable by the user, I don't see how
>this can be made better. Pity. This is common problem on CDs...
>--
>vda
>  
>
What is this EIO report. The CPU is never returned to user space apps, 
so the app never sees any error.
As for retries, for DVD playing we do not want the Linux kernel to do 
any retries, because during DVD playback, we just want a very quick 
response saying there was an error. The DVD playing application can then 
skip forward 0.5 seconds and continue. If one sector fails on a DVD, 
there is little or not point in reading the next sector. One has to 
start reading from the next VOBU. (i.e. about 0.5 seconds skip.)

Cheers
James

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Denis Vlasenko]

On 29 April 2003 14:11, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
> >See? Sector # is increasing... Linux retries the read several times,
> >then reports EIO to userspace and goes to next sectors.
> > Unfortunately, they are bad too, so the loop repeats. Eventually it
> > will pass by all bad sectors (if not, it's a bug) but it can take
> > longish time.
> >
> >Apart of making max retry # settable by the user, I don't see how
> >this can be made better. Pity. This is common problem on CDs...
>
> What is this EIO report. The CPU is never returned to user space
> apps, so the app never sees any error.

Are you sure that CPU never returned to the app?
(strace is your friend...)

> As for retries, for DVD playing we do not want the Linux kernel to do
> any retries, because during DVD playback, we just want a very quick
> response saying there was an error.

Kernel is not yet telepathic.

> The DVD playing application can
> then skip forward 0.5 seconds and continue. If one sector fails on a
> DVD, there is little or not point in reading the next sector. One has
> to start reading from the next VOBU. (i.e. about 0.5 seconds skip.)

You need a way to tell kernel that you want such behavior.
"skip 0.5 sec on error" requirement is rather hard
to describe to the kernel.
--
vda

Re: Bug in linux kernel when playing DVDs.

[Richard B. Johnson]

On Wed, 30 Apr 2003, Denis Vlasenko wrote:

> On 29 April 2003 14:11, James Courtier-Dutton wrote:
> > >See? Sector # is increasing... Linux retries the read several times,
> > >then reports EIO to userspace and goes to next sectors.
> > > Unfortunately, they are bad too, so the loop repeats. Eventually it
> > > will pass by all bad sectors (if not, it's a bug) but it can take
> > > longish time.
> > >
> > >Apart of making max retry # settable by the user, I don't see how
> > >this can be made better. Pity. This is common problem on CDs...
> >
> > What is this EIO report. The CPU is never returned to user space
> > apps, so the app never sees any error.
>
> Are you sure that CPU never returned to the app?
> (strace is your friend...)
>
> > As for retries, for DVD playing we do not want the Linux kernel to do
> > any retries, because during DVD playback, we just want a very quick
> > response saying there was an error.
>
> Kernel is not yet telepathic.
>
> > The DVD playing application can
> > then skip forward 0.5 seconds and continue. If one sector fails on a
> > DVD, there is little or not point in reading the next sector. One has
> > to start reading from the next VOBU. (i.e. about 0.5 seconds skip.)
>
> You need a way to tell kernel that you want such behavior.
> "skip 0.5 sec on error" requirement is rather hard
> to describe to the kernel.
> --
> vda

The usual way of reading DVDs is to ignore all errors! You need
to handle DVD errors differently than CD/ROM errors. With CDs,
it is expected that all data that is read is perfect. With
DVDs, this is not the case. The implimentation problem becomes
one of how to tell the kernel that the combined DVD/CDROM is
one or the other. I don't know what W$ does about this, but
on my Compaq lap-top, DVDs just stream right along, even though
there are whole corrupted frames, while the same drive containing
a defective CD will retry practically forever.

Cheers,
Dick Johnson
Penguin : Linux version 2.4.20 on an i686 machine (797.90 BogoMips).
Why is the government concerned about the lunatic fringe? Think about it.