[Samba] "Oplock" error messages with samba on Linux

[Amit_Bhutani at Dell.com]

>Server 'locks up' represents a Linux kernel bug. No other option.
>Samba as a user level process should not be able to cause the
>kernel to freeze.
I am almost convinced that I am chasing two different issues here. I have
the inclination to say that the "lockup" part of the issue is either due to
the kernel, drivers or hardware itself (not sure if I would go as far as
blaming the linux kernel 100% yet. I am regressing on some errata kernels).
Unfortunately have not been able to narrow it down further than that. 
The samba errors however are obviously due to something samba is interacting
with or samba itself. Hence the post on the samba mailing list.

>On a 'perfect' network (no lost packets) oplock break failures 
>are due to
>bugs in Windows clients not responding to asynchronous 'break' messages
>sent back to them over a TCP stream. What *exact* config are 
>the Windows
>clients ? What service pack ?

Here is the detailed config of *one* of the most common failing racks. Agree
that this is a lot older and slower rack but do remember that the same
failure has been exhibited on lot faster/newer racks with other OS images as
well (W2K)
MODEL: Dell OptiPlex G's 
CPUI: (1) x86 Intel pentium 1 Family 5, Model 2, Stepping 12
MEMORY: (1) 32 Meg DIMM
HARD DRIVE: (1) 1 GB drive (IDE) with 513 MB free
OS: MS Windows NT 4.00.1381
NIC: Intel PRO/100+ Server Adapter (PILA84708B)
NIC DRIVER: 
	Name: 3100bnt.sys
	Version: 5.00.66.0000
	Desp: NDIS 4 driver

- Amit Bhutani