server crash when running rsync --daemon

[Jorg B.]

Hello,

We are running rsync version 2.5.6 on a slackware (version 9.0-beta) linux 
server. This server is basicly a ftp server (96 sessions max) and a rsync 
(rsync --daemon) server (25 connections max).

The server keeps on crashing and after many ours of hardware/software trouble 
shooting the crashes appear to be related to the rsync processes.

If I turn off rsync --daemon the server runs fine for days... after I turn 
rsync back on the server crashes (freezes) within 5 minutes without any logs 
or indications on what caused the crash.

I've read that there is a know memory issue on directory trees that are fairly 
large... could this be the reason.

Here's some info about the machine...

Slackware Linux (kernel 2.4.20)
Adaptec P2-B Motherboard
Pentium III - 500Mhz
Adaptec Dual channel Ultra 160 scsi adapter with 10,000 RPM IBM scsi drives.
512MB of RAM

Here is a copy of the rsyncd.conf file:

ftp:/etc# cat rsyncd.conf
max connections = 25
syslog facility = daemon
#socket options = SO_KEEPALIVE
read only = yes
list = yes
uid = nobody
gid = nobody
timeout = 180

[blah]
        comment = blah
        path = /home/ftp/pub/files

Does anybody have any idea on what the problem may be ?

Thanks
Jorg B.