Issued:
2009-11-24
Updated:
2009-11-24

RHBA-2009:1600 - kexec-tools bug fix update

Synopsis

kexec-tools bug fix update

Type/Severity

Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated kexec-tools package that fixes various bugs is now available.

Description

kexec-tools provides the /sbin/kexec binary that facilitates a new kernel to boot using the kernel's kexec feature either on a normal or a panic reboot. This package contains the /sbin/kexec binary and ancillary utilities that together form the user-space component of the kernel's kexec feature.

This updated kexec-tools package includes fixes for the following bugs:

  • when the bonding network driver was configured on a system running as dom0 with the kernel-xen kernel, sending a vmcore file via the bonded interface failed due to a mkdumprd misconfiguration, resulting in a loss of the core. With this update, sending a vmcore file on a dom0 system with kdump configured to send it via the bonded interface works as expected, and the resulting core is transferred successfully. (BZ#532030)

  • kdump could create a truncated or zero-length vmcore file on large-memory systems. This was due to the amount of system RAM causing the creation of more than thirty-two E820 map entries in the BIOS, which in turn led kexec to truncate that list, thus causing memory to be ignored during kdump boot, and eventually resulting in truncated or zero-length vmcore files. With this update, kdump is now aware of this potential situation on large-memory systems, with the result that vmcore files are created correctly, without being truncated or zero in length. (BZ#533793)

All users of kexec-tools are advised to upgrade to this updated package, which resolves these issues.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released errata relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at This content is not included.http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

ProductVersionArch
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support5.4x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support5.4ia64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support5.4i386
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian5ppc
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support5.4ppc
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems5s390x
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support5.4s390x
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation5x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation5i386
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server5x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server5ia64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server5i386
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI5x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI5i386
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop5x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop5i386

Updated Packages

  • kexec-tools-1.102pre-77.el5.3.i386.rpm
  • kexec-tools-1.102pre-77.el5.3.ppc64.rpm
  • kexec-tools-1.102pre-77.el5.3.x86_64.rpm
  • kexec-tools-1.102pre-77.el5.3.s390x.rpm
  • kexec-tools-1.102pre-77.el5.3.src.rpm
  • kexec-tools-1.102pre-77.el5.3.ia64.rpm

Fixes

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)

Additional information