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From: jmb@patton.wpd.sgi.com (Jim Barton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Subject: Re: 4D-200 series hangs frequently
Message-ID: <1991Jun20.152218.22747@odin.corp.sgi.com>
Date: 20 Jun 91 15:22:18 GMT
References: <84172@bu.edu>
Sender: news@odin.corp.sgi.com (Net News)
Organization: Silicon Graphics Inc.
Lines: 38

In article <84172@bu.edu>, jdh@pub.bu.edu (Jason Heirtzler) writes:
|> We have a problem with our 4D-220 and 4D-240 series machines
|> hanging a lot.  The symptoms vary from just the window system
|> locking up (you can still rlogin in) to sometimes the whole
|> machine will hang -- and with five 4D-200 series machines, we
|> probably average one machine hung each day.  Sometimes, when
|> the machine(s) keep running, various combinations of running
|> /etc/gl/restart_gl and using the window system "hot key" sequence
|> (F12-/-whatever) will return the console to normal.  But then,
|> the other times, only /etc/reboot (or pressing "reset") will do.

|> Does anyone else have this problem?  We're running everything
|> pretty generic (no custom device drivers added, for instance) so
|> it's hard to believe we're alone.  What's the deal?  How do you
|> get a very serious problem fixed?  Do you think I look forward
|> to release 4.0?

The hot line is not much help because few problems of this type are reported,
and your complaint doesn't say nearly enough.

For instance, what application are you running? Is it a commercial package,
or is homebrew?

GL applications access the hardware pipe directly. Therefore it is possible for
a program to send garbage down the pipe, which can crash the graphics,
sometimes causing a hang. (Sure we could fix it. Then you wouldn't be
interested in the machines for graphics, 'cause they would run like a Sun :-)

Applications that deal directly with NeWS can also cause problems. Piping
postscript into NeWS without knowing what you're up to can cause all sorts of
interesting things to happen, including hangs.

We're very committed to making our customers happy, but you have to give us
as much information as possible so we can help out.

-- Jim Barton
   Silicon Graphics Computer Systems
   jmb@sgi.com