The Latest Kernel Release.

cwizardone · 06-22-2019, 04:46 AM

Quote:

A One Line Kernel Patch Appears To Solve The Recent Linux + Steam Networking Regression
Written by Michael Larabel in Valve on 22 June 2019 at 12:00 AM EDT.

As a follow-up to the issue reported on Friday regarding the latest Linux kernel releases causing problems for Valve's Steam client, a fix appears pending that with changing around one line of code does appear to address the regression.

Linus Torvalds got involved and pointed out a brand new kernel patch that may solve the issue. That patch was quickly reaffirmed by Linux gamers as well as prominent Valve Linux developer Pierre-Loup A. Griffais.

The patch simply refines the memory limit test within the kernel's tcp_fragment() function. The patch was originally devised by a Google developer and quickly tested as well by an Apple developer, surprisingly.

Hopefully this patch will soon appear in kernel stable releases, "Memory limits might have been exceeded because tcp_sendmsg() only checks limits at full skb (64KB) boundaries. Therefore, we need to make sure tcp_fragment() wont punish applications that might have setup very low SO_SNDBUF values."

It was pointed out by Pierre of Valve that Linux desktop distributions should have caught onto such a regression:

Quote:

Pierre-Loup Griffais @Plagman2

The regression highlights the fact that there are currently no true desktop distributions. A desktop product would have seen the server-centric security fix get queued, tested and found the fact that it breaks Steam, and held it off for the two days it needed to get fixed.
59
6:37 PM - Jun 21, 2019

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pa...twork-One-Line

cwizardone · 06-22-2019, 04:57 AM

Kernel updates 5.1.14, 4.19.55, 4.14.129, 4.9.183 and 4.4.183 are now aailable at

https://www.kernel.org/

The change logs,

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...angeLog-5.1.14

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...ngeLog-4.19.55

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...geLog-4.14.129

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...ngeLog-4.9.183

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...ngeLog-4.4.183

GazL · 06-22-2019, 06:59 AM

I really wish there was a better way of going about things. I was going to review the changelog to see if there was anything significant in this batch, or whether I could safely skip this release, but then I realised it would actually take far more effort than just building the damn thing. On the other hand, building a new kernel every 3 or so days is just madness.

I suppose there's always the "Don't update unless some big issue hits the headlines" approach, but I've never been a fan of that one.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

cwizardone · 06-22-2019, 12:44 PM

Both 5.1.14 and 4.19.55, have only one patch each and it is to fix the Steam problem mentioned in post #1411 (and a few other posts).

Quote:

commit dad3a9314ac95dedc007bc7dacacb396ea10e376
Author: Eric Dumazet <edumazet@google.com>
Date: Fri Jun 21 06:09:55 2019 -0700

tcp: refine memory limit test in tcp_fragment()

commit b6653b3629e5b88202be3c9abc44713973f5c4b4 upstream.

tcp_fragment() might be called for skbs in the write queue.

Memory limits might have been exceeded because tcp_sendmsg() only
checks limits at full skb (64KB) boundaries.

Therefore, we need to make sure tcp_fragment() wont punish applications
that might have setup very low SO_SNDBUF values.

Fixes: f070ef2ac667 ("tcp: tcp_fragment() should apply sane memory limits")
Signed-off-by: Eric Dumazet <edumazet@google.com>
Reported-by: Christoph Paasch <cpaasch@apple.com>
Tested-by: Christoph Paasch <cpaasch@apple.com>
Signed-off-by: David S. Miller <davem@davemloft.net>
Signed-off-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>

dugan · 06-22-2019, 03:33 PM

Valve comments on the kernel breaking Steam:

https://twitter.com/Plagman2/status/1142241802084184064
https://twitter.com/Plagman2/status/1142245249521078272

Lysander666 · 06-22-2019, 03:44 PM

It's been a bit of a funny week for Valve and Linux. First this, and also Ubuntu chucking out 32bit arches.

4.19.55 is now available for Slackware -current.

PV says:

Quote:

My apologies for not getting the 4.19.54 kernel out in time...

I'm not sure anyone would have wanted it anyway [poor kernel].

ttk · 06-22-2019, 06:38 PM

FYI, I'm installing the 64-bit 4.4.182 huge kernel (via the 14.2 Slackware update packages) on all of my 64-bit 14.1 systems, including this laptop, and so far no problems at all.

Will report any issues, but it looks like 4.4.x continues to be a viable way forward for 14.1.

RadicalDreamer · 06-22-2019, 07:02 PM

Thanks for the kernel update Pat!

cwizardone · 06-23-2019, 12:11 PM

5.2-rc6

The newest "mainline" development kernel, version 5.2-rc6, has been been made available for testing.

The tarball, https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/t/linux-5.2-rc6.tar.gz

Mr. Torvalds' announcement, http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/k...6.2/07253.html

cwizardone · 06-24-2019, 07:50 AM

Here we go, again.

Another round of updates has been scheduled for release on Wednesday morning, GMT.

If no problems are found while testing the release candidates, they might be available late Tuesday (depending on your time zone).

5.1.15, will accommodate 121 patches.

4.19.56, will have 90 patches.

4.14.130, will contain 51 patches.

3rensho · 06-25-2019, 03:54 AM

I built 4.19.56 this morning and so far everything is running fine.

teoberi · 06-25-2019, 04:58 AM

Kernel 4.19.56

cwizardone · 06-25-2019, 06:43 AM

Kernel updates 5.1.15, 4.19.56 and 4.14.130 are now available at

https://www.kernel.org/

The change logs,

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...angeLog-5.1.15

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...ngeLog-4.19.56

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...geLog-4.14.130

cwizardone · 06-26-2019, 04:52 AM

Another round of updates has been scheduled for release on Friday morning, GMT.

If no problems are found while testing the release candidates, they might be available sometime Thursday (depending on your time zone).

4.14.131, 4.9.184 and 4.4.184, will all have the same one patch:

Quote:

Eric Dumazet <edumazet@xxxxxxxxxx>
tcp: refine memory limit test in tcp_fragment()

cwizardone · 06-27-2019, 04:47 AM

Kernel updates 4.14.131, 4.9.184 and 4.4.184 are now available at

https://www.kernel.org/

As previously mentioned, all three have the same, single change, as you can see in the change log for 4.14.131: https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/ker...geLog-4.14.131

Dave's Unofficial Slackbuilt Kernel update for the 4.4.x series can be found at, https://dusk.idlemoor.tk