Kernel Crash Dumps

[Matt Zimmerman]

On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 08:57:32AM -0400, Ben Collins wrote:
> As of the last kernel upload in intrepid, we now have the ability to
> automatically capture crash dumps from kernel panics.
> 
> To enable this, you can install the linux-crashdump-generic meta
> package. If you don't have universe in your repo, you will also need to
> get the makedumpfile package.

When kexec-tools is installed, it causes my machine to kexec instead of
shutting down or rebooting:

https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/kexec-tools/+bug/251242

> Once you reboot, everything will be enabled. Any panic by the kernel
> will reboot into the crashkernel, and save away the kernel core
> to /var/crash/vmcore.
> 
> Right now, this requires a linux-image-debug-generic package (pulled in
> by the crashdump meta package). However, with the next kernel upload,
> this wont be needed (saves you from installing a 50Meg package).

This is good news.  Given that it doesn't require a special kernel image,
the package should probably be renamed to something more like linux-debug,
since -generic and -server are presumably identical.

> Apport has a bug filed so that it will detect these vmcore's and handle
> them appropriately by asking the user to file a bug with the vmcore
> attached.

Further comments on
https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+bug/241322

Is there a way to trigger a dump for test purposes?  How did you do your
testing?

-- 
 - mdz