# 1.8.7 segfault **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [December 3, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777 "2008-12-03T21:10:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/1 "2008-12-03T21:10:24Z")
Hi, I have a Rails app that keeps on segfaulting if I request a very intensive task. The task involves reading a lot of DB records and parsing each record in hashes and arrays. If I limit the DB record scope the segfault does not happen but with a larger set it happens every time. Strange thing is it only happens on my linux system not on my OS X dev system. Both run ruby 1.8.7 latest version compiled from source. The process eats a lot of memory, keeps growing and then the fault occurs. I ran gdb on the faulty process, here is some output: Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault. [Switching to Thread 48005413886848 (LWP 29060)] ruby\_re\_compile\_pattern (pattern=0x10f3070 “:”, size=, bufp=0x96f51f0) at regex.c:2730 2730 skip[c] = m; (gdb) whe #0 ruby\_re\_compile\_pattern (pattern=0x10f3070 “:”, size=, bufp=0x96f51f0) at regex.c:2730 #1 0x0000000000461cae in rb\_reg\_initialize (obj=48005969553640, s=0x10f3070 “:”, len=1, options=) at re.c:643 #2 0x0000000000461f51 in rb\_reg\_new (s=0x10f3070 “:”, len=1, options=0) at re.c:1459 #3 0x0000000000461fba in rb\_reg\_regcomp (str=0) at re.c:1480 #4 0x0000000000476abd in rb\_str\_split\_m (argc=, argv=, str=48005969558200) at string.c:3560 #5 0x000000000041b84a in rb\_call0 (klass=48005399435280, recv=48005969558200, id=4665, oid=4665, argc=1, argv=0x7fffff953900, body=0x2ba920c7c9b0, flags=) at eval.c:5904 #6 0x000000000041c598 in rb\_call (klass=48005399435280, recv=48005969558200, mid=4665, argc=1, argv=0x7fffff953900, scope=0, self=48005506071920) at eval.c:6151 #7 0x000000000041713b in rb\_eval (self=48005506071920, n=) at eval.c:3492 #8 0x0000000000417047 in rb\_eval (self=48005506071920, n=) at eval.c:3486 #9 0x0000000000416701 in rb\_eval (self=48005506071920, n=) at eval.c:2997 #10 0x0000000000417641 in rb\_eval (self=48005506071920, n=) at eval.c:3047 #11 0x0000000000418b1e in rb\_eval (self=48005506071920, n=) at eval.c:3332 #12 0x000000000041c0b3 in rb\_call0 (klass=48005434552560, recv=48005506071920, id=51241, oid=, argc=32767, argv=0x7fffff955df0, body=0x2ba922eb97a8, flags=) at eval.c:6055 #13 0x000000000041c598 in rb\_call (klass=48005434552560, recv=48005506071920, mid=51241, argc=2, argv=0x7fffff955de0, scope=1, self=48005506071920) at eval.c:6151 #14 0x0000000000417273 in rb\_eval (self=, n=) at eval.c:3507 #15 0x00000000004164ec in rb\_eval (self=48005506071920, n=) at eval.c:3677 #16 0x000000000041c0b3 in rb\_call0 (klass=48005434552560, recv=48005506071920, id=3769, oid=, argc=32767, argv=0x7fffff957070, body=0x2ba922e69050, flags=) at eval.c:6055 #17 0x000000000041c598 in rb\_call (klass=48005434552560, recv=48005506071920, mid=3769, argc=2, argv=0x7fffff957060, scope=1, self=48005506071920) at eval.c:6151 #18 0x0000000000417273 in rb\_eval (self=, n=) at eval.c:3507 #19 0x000000000041c0b3 in rb\_call0 (klass=48005457401280, recv=48005506071920, id=54129, oid=, argc=11177, argv=0x7fffff957c90, body=0x2ba924411fb0, flags=) at eval.c:6055 Does anyone have an idea ? thanks Jeroen ---
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/2 "2008-12-03T22:24:45Z")
Quite often I find this is caused by a bad memory SIMM, try running memtst86 or equivalent to eliminate a H/W problem, then you can focus on potential S/W problems. ---
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/3 "2008-12-03T22:31:48Z")
I am running on a VPS, so cannot check H/W. I am quite sure this is ok. Jim M. wrote: > Quite often I find this is caused by a bad memory SIMM, try running > memtst86 or equivalent to > eliminate a H/W problem, then you can focus on potential S/W problems. ---
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/4 "2008-12-03T23:02:18Z")
Tim H. wrote: > Izit I. wrote: > > > Hi, > > I ran gdb on the faulty process, here is some output: > > > > Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault. > > [Switching to Thread 48005413886848 (LWP 29060)] > > ruby\_re\_compile\_pattern (pattern=0x10f3070 “:”, size=, > > bufp=0x96f51f0) at regex.c:2730 > > 2730 skip[c] = m; > > Have you tried recompiling with less optimization? I have compiled with only --enable-pthreads, the rest was all default. ---
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/5 "2008-12-05T16:20:50Z")
Izit I. wrote: > Tim H. wrote: > > > Izit I. wrote: > > > > > Hi, > > > > I ran gdb on the faulty process, here is some output: > > > > > > Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault. > > > [Switching to Thread 48005413886848 (LWP 29060)] > > > ruby\_re\_compile\_pattern (pattern=0x10f3070 “:”, size=, > > > bufp=0x96f51f0) at regex.c:2730 > > > 2730 skip[c] = m; > > > > Have you tried recompiling with less optimization? > > I have compiled with only --enable-pthreads, the rest was all default. I have moved to ruby enterprise edition (latest version) and the problem is gone. ---
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/6 "2008-12-03T22:35:23Z")
Izit I. wrote: > Hi, > > I have a Rails app that keeps on segfaulting if I request a very > intensive task. The task involves reading a lot of DB records and > parsing each record in hashes and arrays. > > If I limit the DB record scope the segfault does not happen but with a > larger set it happens every time. Strange thing is it only happens on my > linux system not on my OS X dev system. Both run ruby 1.8.7 latest > version compiled from source. The process eats a lot of memory, keeps > growing and then the fault occurs. > > I ran gdb on the faulty process, here is some output: > > Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault. > [Switching to Thread 48005413886848 (LWP 29060)] > ruby\_re\_compile\_pattern (pattern=0x10f3070 “:”, size=, > bufp=0x96f51f0) at regex.c:2730 > 2730 skip[c] = m; Have you tried recompiling with less optimization? ---
**Author:** ![izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@izit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/izit)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/1-8-7-segfault/154777/7 "2008-12-05T18:12:07Z")
Hi, In message “Re: 1.8.7 segfault” on Sat, 6 Dec 2008 00:14:46 +0900, Izit I. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes: |I have moved to ruby enterprise edition (latest version) and the problem |is gone. What?! I didn’t know REE is a panacea. Hmmm. ``` matz. ```