Which UNIX pc kernel is better? 3.51 or 3.51a?

[Robert J. Granvin]

>Which kernel has the "net-at-large" found to be more reliable for a system
>with heavy UUCP traffic?   For some reason recently my system has been
>hanging with the "slow-down-and-die" syndrome, random panic's, etc..  I've
>been running 3.51a for quite some time, and just recently this has
>been happening again?  What could I have done?  I used to be able to keep
>my machine running 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week for over a month before rebooting
>normally.  Now I have to reset the machine on the average twice every 3 days...

>I've been getting:
>
>	panic:  addr fault in kernel
>	panic:  page fault in kernel

>Sounds like a bad kernel to me?  Phone driver?  Window Driver?  Or all
>three?

There is a bug within the Unix kernel, version 3.51a.  There is
apparently a problem when the OBM tries to close its last buffer after
a communication sequence.  This causes the above panics.

NOTE:  These problems will _only_ occur if you are using the On Board
Modem for UUCP type stuff.  If you use a modem attached to any of the
serial ports rather than use the OBM, you'll never see this problem.
Also, these problems do not occur if you use the OBM for cu. 

ATT is working on this problem, plus another kernel problem that is
intensely obscure.  I've been in somewhat regular contact with the
technicians trying to keep tabs on when it will be released.  When I
have a confirmed date or the actual fixdisk, I'll post the
information.

This fixdisk will most likely be a fixdisk that must be applied to an
already applied 3.51a fixdisk, and will probably be released on an as
needed basis only.  It would not automatically come with a 3.51a
fixdisk.

>$ ls -l /UNIX3.51a /unix
>-rwxr-xr-x  2 root    root     168915 Mar 26 22:01 /UNIX3.51a*
>-rwxr-xr-x  2 root    root     168915 Mar 26 22:01 /unix*
>
>$ sum /UNIX3.51a
>45337 165 /UNIX3.51a

These are correct.

In any case, I've found 3.51a to be much more stable than 3.51 even
with the above problem.

-- 
"I've been trying for some time to                           Robert J. Granvin
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