linux-kernel - High load average on idle machine running 2.6.32

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite for Android: free password hash cracker in your pocket

[<prev] [next>] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-ID: <4B1D8C5D.9040900@moving-picture.com>
Date:	Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:14:37 +0000
From:	James Pearson <james-p@...ing-picture.com>
To:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: High load average on idle machine running 2.6.32

I've booted a 64 bit 2.6.32 kernel on dual processor, quad core Xeon 
E5440 machine. The load average when the machine is idle varies between 
2 and 3.

When using a 2.6.31 kernel on the same machine, the load average when 
idle is nearly 0

The kernel doesn't use modules - all that is needed is compiled in. The 
machine uses NFS-root

Strangely, when I run 'iftop' (from http://www.ex-parrot.com/pdw/iftop/) 
using the 2.6.32 kernel, the load average drops to below 0.5  - stop 
running iftop, and the load average climbs again ...

Any idea what might be causing this?

I've attached the .config used

Thanks

James Pearson

View attachment "config.txt" of type "text/plain" (40410 bytes)