Hello

Following two power cuts, a Slackware64 13.1 desktop using JFS for all file systems except ext3 /boot has several issues:

1. No network connectivity when booting 2.6.38.7 kernel.
2. One file found with zero length.
3. OpenOffice does not start as normal user.

Actions taken:

1. Re-installed OpenOffice by
   Code:

   upgradepkg --reinstall openoffice.org-3.2.1_en_US-x86_64-1_rlw.txz

2. Forced fsck at reboot by
   Code:

   shutdown -Fr now

   No errors/fixes reported.
3. As normal user, ran
   Code:

   soffice -writer

   Exited very quickly with rc 0. Repeated with strace but was not able to identify the problem.
4. As root, ran
   Code:

   soffice -writer

   Window opened.
5. Restored file from Bacula backup. OK.

What else to try short of re-installation?

EDIT: the backup includes almost all files (temporary files etc. excluded).

EDIT 2:

From the Arch Wiki: "In JFS; journal writes are indefinitely postponed until there is another trigger such as memory pressure or an unmount operation. This infinite write delay limits reliability, as a crash can result in data loss even for data that was written minutes or hours before". Can that be re-configured to flush journal writes more frequently?

Best

Charles

The article that they got this from is confused. JFS uses ordered mode, which means that it will write data on fsync:
http://www.mail-archive.com/linuxker.../msg01904.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ext3#Journaling_levels

Things to do:
1) Reinstall the kernel and kernel modules.
2) What file was zero length ? Were you working on it ?
3) It may be a permissions issue, but reinstalling it should have fixed it. Try uninstalling it completely, check yourself that it is uninstalled, then install it again.

3 members found this post helpful.

Thanks H_TeXMeX_H

Only the /boot file system is ext3 and that seems to be working OK. The problems are on JFS file systems.

The power cut happened while running kernel 2.6.38.7. I booted the usual kernel (a customised version of the stock 13.1 kernel which has been used for several months) so is there any reason to rebuild and re-install it?

The zero length file was an OOo Writer document (the 13.1 log!). I saved it when I heard the low battery warning from the UPS. The UPS batteries are tired and were anyway only partially charged from the last long power cut so the power cut a second or two after that.

Removing and re-installing openoffice.org-3.2.1_en_US-x86_64-1_rlw did not enable an ordinary user to start it.

I am concerned about undetected damage to the file systems and anyway prefer to run the stock kernel version so I'm planning to install Salix XFCE 13.37 64 bit (the 13.1 kernel does not support the new mobo and CPU, replacements for a failing mobo). Download due to finish in 2 hours ...

The same user that was running it when the power failed?

Could be something broken in the users home directory (~/.ooo3 or ~/.libreoffice depending on version)

1 members found this post helpful.

Well, what module is your network card using ? It's probably on the JFS partition in /lib/modules. You could try just re-installing that, in case it is corrupt.

Yes -- the same user. Would be under ~/.openoffice.org on this system.

The network is working OK, now I've reverted to the previous kernel.

This evening's incremental backup listed 8000+ files changed but I can't see any obviously unexpected ones, given a kernel build and re-installing OOo.

Ah ha! Thanks wildwizard It was something under ~/.openoffice.org because re-naming it allowed the user to start OpenOffice. Happily that means, in conjunction with the evidence from the incremental backup, I now have more confidence that the file system damage is not extensive and I can proceed with the hardware change in less haste

The only files that can be damaged during improper shutdown were ones that were open and had not been written or were being written to. So far, it seems that you had openoffice open and both the openoffice config files and the file you were working on were corrupted. I cannot explain the network issue tho.

1 members found this post helpful.

That makes sense and the file system cannot be blamed for files held open by apps (Thunderbird config was affected too). Having now read the paper the Arch WIKI referred to, I believe its conclusion is unreliable.

Regards the lost network connectivity, I am posting this while running the new 2.6.38.7 kernel so, whatever caused it seems no longer to apply.

Maybe the internet was actually down along with the power. Anyway, good thing it's solved.