UnTarBZ2 crashing entire system

I downloaded the latest Pi source archive today and ran it through UnTarBZ2 (1.07) and it got partway through the initial “bz2” phase and then froze the entire system (even the mouse wouldn’t move). I’ve tried it five or six times and it always freezes at a different point (mostly in the un-bz2 phase, but once in the un-tar phase).

I’ve tried with the source and destination on a USB hard drive, and have also tried a flash drive and the internal SD card (although that wasn’t a good test because it ran out of space partway through!)

I’ve used UnTarBZ2 several times in the past without any issues so I’m not sure where this problem has come from. I even tried replacing the ROM with a “known good” one (specifically Chris Hall’s “update4” version).

I’m running on the “second-gen” Pi 1 (I think it’s called B+; it’s the one with micro SD). Any suggestions?

Power supply? Cables?

… I know that I own another power supply, but do you think I can find it?!

OK, I found the other power supply; it was in the same place that I looked yesterday. I assure you that it wasn’t there then! :)

I only had a few minutes before work, but it didn’t freeze during those few minutes. I’ll post an update when I’m back home.

It got all the way through UnTarBZ2 but then froze during the ROM build :(

As suggested by Rick I booted up Raspbian and tried something strenuous. I built the Raspberry Pi “userland” components with no issues whatsoever. This is really strange; it’s been fine in RISC OS until now, and was fine in Raspbian today.

The only thing that I can think of is that the two problematic days were 4° hotter than usual, but I can’t imagine that such a small increase would affect it. It certainly wasn’t hot to the touch! In any case, I’m running the whole untar process again now that room temperature is back to, well, room temperature.

[Edit: Well, that didn’t take long. Froze again after 43 MB.]

I have just built two Pi ROMS on my ARMX6 using Untarbxz 1.06a2 with no problems. I’ll try on a model B Pi later.

I downloaded the RC14 image and wrote it to a different card, installed the DDE, and the entire untar/build process worked flawlessly. Now it looks like I’ll need to painstakingly go through !Boot with a fine-toothed comb and figure out what’s wrong with it :(

Edit: Actually, before I do that I’m going to clone the old card onto the new card in case it’s the card that’s dying. While I’m not storing the source code on the card, it wouldn’t surprise me if the build process thrashes Scrap a lot…

… and it didn’t help. In fact, that time it crashed before I even managed to start untarring. Next step is to back up Boot and replace it with a fresh one.

I considered that, but figured that using a completely different card would stamp out any other issues.

I actually ended up copying everything (including Boot) from my old card over the top of the RC14 one and it’s tentatively looking OK. I’ll need to stress test it a bit more, but early indications are promising. Maybe something in the underlying filing system was a bit broken; as far as I can tell every freeze was during disc access so I suppose it’s a possibility…

Maybe something in the underlying filing system was a bit broken;

Time to try *CheckMap on the broken card, and curse RISC OS for having a fragile filing system that is utterly unable to fix itself (even what *CheckMap says it does…doesn’t).

I used to get plagued with this a lot. Since switching to a solid power supply, I haven’t had nasty issues.

That said, my little OLED just gave up the ghost and my Pi 2 seems DOA. Isn’t bad luck supposed to come in threes? <cringe><cringe>

Time to try *CheckMap on the broken card

“Map inconsistent with directory tree”

Note to self: A broken map can potentially cause complete system freezes. Assuming, of course, that that was the problem (I’ve just built a ROM from the new card with no issues).