INFO: task hung in start_this_handle

Status: upstream: reported on 2026/08/07 16:33
Reported-by: syzbot+7b3ea8ddd5b28ce98c93@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
First crash: 1d05h, last: 1d05h
Similar bugs (4)
Kernel Title Rank 🛈 Repro Cause bisect Fix bisect Count Last Reported Patched Status
upstream INFO: task hung in start_this_handle (2) ext4 1 1 1656d 1656d 0/29 closed as invalid on 2022/02/07 19:09
upstream INFO: task hung in start_this_handle (3) ext4 1 7 671d 698d 0/29 auto-obsoleted due to no activity on 2025/01/04 20:07
upstream INFO: task hung in start_this_handle ext4 1 3 2859d 2868d 0/29 auto-closed as invalid on 2019/04/07 23:35
linux-6.1 INFO: task hung in start_this_handle 1 1 3d19h 3d19h 0/3 upstream: reported on 2026/08/05 01:43

Sample crash report:
INFO: task kworker/u4:7:3468 blocked for more than 143 seconds.
      Not tainted syzkaller #0
"echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message.
task:kworker/u4:7    state:D stack:22376 pid:3468  ppid:2      flags:0x00004000
Workqueue: writeback wb_workfn (flush-8:0)
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 context_switch kernel/sched/core.c:5382 [inline]
 __schedule+0x15ae/0x4660 kernel/sched/core.c:6701
 schedule+0xbd/0x170 kernel/sched/core.c:6775
 add_transaction_credits fs/jbd2/transaction.c:300 [inline]
 start_this_handle+0x103f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:407
 jbd2__journal_start+0x2bb/0x5b0 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:505
 __ext4_journal_start_sb+0x203/0x560 fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c:112
 __ext4_journal_start fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.h:326 [inline]
 ext4_do_writepages+0xfb9/0x3990 fs/ext4/inode.c:2704
 ext4_writepages+0x1dd/0x350 fs/ext4/inode.c:2810
 do_writepages+0x351/0x590 mm/page-writeback.c:2575
 __writeback_single_inode+0x14e/0xee0 fs/fs-writeback.c:1686
 writeback_sb_inodes+0x813/0x1020 fs/fs-writeback.c:1977
 __writeback_inodes_wb+0x114/0x240 fs/fs-writeback.c:2048
 wb_writeback+0x472/0xbe0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2158
 wb_check_background_flush fs/fs-writeback.c:2228 [inline]
 wb_do_writeback fs/fs-writeback.c:2316 [inline]
 wb_workfn+0xb8e/0xe60 fs/fs-writeback.c:2343
 process_one_work kernel/workqueue.c:2657 [inline]
 process_scheduled_works+0xa60/0x1600 kernel/workqueue.c:2734
 worker_thread+0xa5e/0xfe0 kernel/workqueue.c:2815
 kthread+0x2fa/0x390 kernel/kthread.c:388
 ret_from_fork+0x48/0x80 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:152
 ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:293
 </TASK>

Showing all locks held in the system:
1 lock held by khungtaskd/29:
 #0: ffffffff8d131da0 (rcu_read_lock){....}-{1:2}, at: rcu_lock_acquire include/linux/rcupdate.h:334 [inline]
 #0: ffffffff8d131da0 (rcu_read_lock){....}-{1:2}, at: rcu_read_lock include/linux/rcupdate.h:786 [inline]
 #0: ffffffff8d131da0 (rcu_read_lock){....}-{1:2}, at: debug_show_all_locks+0x55/0x290 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:6633
4 locks held by kworker/u4:7/3468:
 #0: ffff888142669938 ((wq_completion)writeback){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work kernel/workqueue.c:2632 [inline]
 #0: ffff888142669938 ((wq_completion)writeback){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_scheduled_works+0x975/0x1600 kernel/workqueue.c:2734
 #1: ffffc9000d19fd00 ((work_completion)(&(&wb->dwork)->work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work kernel/workqueue.c:2632 [inline]
 #1: ffffc9000d19fd00 ((work_completion)(&(&wb->dwork)->work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_scheduled_works+0x975/0x1600 kernel/workqueue.c:2734
 #2: ffff88802f1580e0 (&type->s_umount_key#31){++++}-{3:3}, at: super_trylock_shared+0x20/0xf0 fs/super.c:607
 #3: ffff88802f15ac58 (&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem){++++}-{0:0}, at: ext4_writepages_down_read fs/ext4/ext4.h:1768 [inline]
 #3: ffff88802f15ac58 (&sbi->s_writepages_rwsem){++++}-{0:0}, at: ext4_writepages+0x1a4/0x350 fs/ext4/inode.c:2809
2 locks held by getty/5525:
 #0: ffff88803195a0a0 (&tty->ldisc_sem){++++}-{0:0}, at: tty_ldisc_ref_wait+0x25/0x70 drivers/tty/tty_ldisc.c:243
 #1: ffffc900015d02f0 (&ldata->atomic_read_lock){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: n_tty_read+0x428/0x1370 drivers/tty/n_tty.c:2217
3 locks held by syz-executor/5754:
 #0: ffff888079f5cda0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: mmap_read_trylock include/linux/mmap_lock.h:165 [inline]
 #0: ffff888079f5cda0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: get_mmap_lock_carefully mm/memory.c:5380 [inline]
 #0: ffff888079f5cda0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: lock_mm_and_find_vma+0x32/0x2f0 mm/memory.c:5440
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: __sb_start_write include/linux/fs.h:1633 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: sb_start_pagefault include/linux/fs.h:1737 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_page_mkwrite+0x1e2/0x11a0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6261
 #2: ffff88802f15c990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: start_this_handle+0x1f3f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:448
1 lock held by udevd/6055:
 #0: ffff888029e44208 (&sig->cred_guard_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: prepare_bprm_creds fs/exec.c:1499 [inline]
 #0: ffff888029e44208 (&sig->cred_guard_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: bprm_execve+0xc8/0x1730 fs/exec.c:1854
3 locks held by syz.0.84/6083:
 #0: ffff88807900f3a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: mmap_read_trylock include/linux/mmap_lock.h:165 [inline]
 #0: ffff88807900f3a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: get_mmap_lock_carefully mm/memory.c:5380 [inline]
 #0: ffff88807900f3a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: lock_mm_and_find_vma+0x32/0x2f0 mm/memory.c:5440
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: __sb_start_write include/linux/fs.h:1633 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: sb_start_pagefault include/linux/fs.h:1737 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_page_mkwrite+0x1e2/0x11a0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6261
 #2: ffff88802f15c990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: start_this_handle+0x1f3f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:448
3 locks held by syz.1.87/6117:
 #0: ffff8880265460a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: mmap_read_trylock include/linux/mmap_lock.h:165 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880265460a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: get_mmap_lock_carefully mm/memory.c:5380 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880265460a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: lock_mm_and_find_vma+0x32/0x2f0 mm/memory.c:5440
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: __sb_start_write include/linux/fs.h:1633 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: sb_start_pagefault include/linux/fs.h:1737 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_page_mkwrite+0x1e2/0x11a0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6261
 #2: ffff88802f15c990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: start_this_handle+0x1f3f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:448
3 locks held by syz.2.88/6122:
 #0: ffff8880774de0a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: mmap_read_trylock include/linux/mmap_lock.h:165 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880774de0a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: get_mmap_lock_carefully mm/memory.c:5380 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880774de0a0 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: lock_mm_and_find_vma+0x32/0x2f0 mm/memory.c:5440
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: __sb_start_write include/linux/fs.h:1633 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: sb_start_pagefault include/linux/fs.h:1737 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_page_mkwrite+0x1e2/0x11a0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6261
 #2: ffff88802f15c990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: start_this_handle+0x1f3f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:448
3 locks held by syz.3.89/6124:
 #0: ffff8880774d8b20 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: mmap_read_trylock include/linux/mmap_lock.h:165 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880774d8b20 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: get_mmap_lock_carefully mm/memory.c:5380 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880774d8b20 (&mm->mmap_lock){++++}-{3:3}, at: lock_mm_and_find_vma+0x32/0x2f0 mm/memory.c:5440
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: __sb_start_write include/linux/fs.h:1633 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: sb_start_pagefault include/linux/fs.h:1737 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802f158510 (sb_pagefaults){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: ext4_page_mkwrite+0x1e2/0x11a0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6261
 #2: ffff88802f15c990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: start_this_handle+0x1f3f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:448
3 locks held by syz-executor/6125:
 #0: ffff88802f158418 (sb_writers#4){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: mnt_want_write+0x41/0x90 fs/namespace.c:412
 #1: ffff888076cab610 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#3/1){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: inode_lock_nested include/linux/fs.h:839 [inline]
 #1: ffff888076cab610 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#3/1){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: filename_create+0x20f/0x450 fs/namei.c:3937
 #2: ffff88802f15c990 (jbd2_handle){++++}-{0:0}, at: start_this_handle+0x1f3f/0x2170 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:448
2 locks held by syz-executor/6126:
 #0: ffff88802f158418 (sb_writers#4){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: mnt_want_write+0x41/0x90 fs/namespace.c:412
 #1: ffff888076cab610 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#3/1){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: inode_lock_nested include/linux/fs.h:839 [inline]
 #1: ffff888076cab610 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#3/1){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: filename_create+0x20f/0x450 fs/namei.c:3937
2 locks held by syz-executor/6127:
 #0: ffff88802f158418 (sb_writers#4){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: mnt_want_write+0x41/0x90 fs/namespace.c:412
 #1: ffff888076cab610 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#3/1){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: inode_lock_nested include/linux/fs.h:839 [inline]
 #1: ffff888076cab610 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#3/1){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: filename_create+0x20f/0x450 fs/namei.c:3937

=============================================

NMI backtrace for cpu 1
CPU: 1 PID: 29 Comm: khungtaskd Not tainted syzkaller #0
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 07/24/2026
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 dump_stack_lvl+0x18c/0x250 lib/dump_stack.c:106
 nmi_cpu_backtrace+0x3a6/0x3e0 lib/nmi_backtrace.c:113
 nmi_trigger_cpumask_backtrace+0x17a/0x2f0 lib/nmi_backtrace.c:62
 trigger_all_cpu_backtrace include/linux/nmi.h:160 [inline]
 check_hung_uninterruptible_tasks kernel/hung_task.c:222 [inline]
 watchdog+0xf59/0xfa0 kernel/hung_task.c:379
 kthread+0x2fa/0x390 kernel/kthread.c:388
 ret_from_fork+0x48/0x80 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:152
 ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:293
 </TASK>
Sending NMI from CPU 1 to CPUs 0:
NMI backtrace for cpu 0
CPU: 0 PID: 5127 Comm: klogd Not tainted syzkaller #0
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 07/24/2026
RIP: 0010:check_region_inline mm/kasan/generic.c:-1 [inline]
RIP: 0010:kasan_check_range+0x18/0x290 mm/kasan/generic.c:187
Code: ff c3 0f 0b b8 ea ff ff ff c3 cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc 66 0f 1f 00 b0 01 48 85 f6 0f 84 b4 01 00 00 55 41 57 41 56 41 55 41 54 <53> 4c 8d 04 37 49 39 f8 0f 82 13 02 00 00 49 89 f9 49 c1 e9 2f 41
RSP: 0018:ffffc9000351f6f0 EFLAGS: 00000002
RAX: 0000000000000001 RBX: ffff888078919e00 RCX: ffffffff81694414
RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000008 RDI: ffffffff911eb5a0
RBP: 0000000000000008 R08: dffffc0000000000 R09: 1ffffffff223d6b4
R10: dffffc0000000000 R11: fffffbfff223d6b5 R12: 0000000000000100
R13: dffffc0000000000 R14: ffff88807891a8e0 R15: 0000000000000512
FS:  00007f21113d4c80(0000) GS:ffff8880b8e00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
CS:  0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
CR2: 00005640edf91660 CR3: 00000000240ea000 CR4: 00000000003506f0
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 instrument_atomic_read include/linux/instrumented.h:68 [inline]
 _test_bit include/asm-generic/bitops/instrumented-non-atomic.h:141 [inline]
 hlock_class kernel/locking/lockdep.c:228 [inline]
 mark_lock+0x94/0x320 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:4656
 mark_usage kernel/locking/lockdep.c:4599 [inline]
 __lock_acquire+0xd3e/0x7d80 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5091
 lock_acquire+0x19e/0x420 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5754
 __raw_spin_lock include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:133 [inline]
 _raw_spin_lock+0x2e/0x40 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:154
 spin_lock include/linux/spinlock.h:351 [inline]
 unix_dgram_sendmsg+0x96b/0x16e0 net/unix/af_unix.c:2044
 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:730 [inline]
 __sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:745 [inline]
 __sys_sendto+0x4a9/0x6b0 net/socket.c:2201
 __do_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2213 [inline]
 __se_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2209 [inline]
 __x64_sys_sendto+0xde/0xf0 net/socket.c:2209
 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:46 [inline]
 do_syscall_64+0x55/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:76
 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x68/0xd2
RIP: 0033:0x7f2111524407
Code: 48 89 fa 4c 89 df e8 38 aa 00 00 8b 93 08 03 00 00 59 5e 48 83 f8 fc 74 1a 5b c3 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 48 8b 44 24 10 0f 05 <5b> c3 0f 1f 80 00 00 00 00 83 e2 39 83 fa 08 75 de e8 23 ff ff ff
RSP: 002b:00007fff7cea0200 EFLAGS: 00000202 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002c
RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f21113d4c80 RCX: 00007f2111524407
RDX: 000000000000004c RSI: 00007fff7cea0340 RDI: 0000000000000003
RBP: 00007fff7cea0770 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000
R10: 0000000000004000 R11: 0000000000000202 R12: 00007fff7cea0788
R13: 00007fff7cea0340 R14: 0000000000000031 R15: 00007fff7cea0340
 </TASK>

Crashes (1):
Time Kernel Commit Syzkaller Config Log Report Syz repro C repro VM info Assets (help?) Manager Title
2026/08/07 16:32 linux-6.6.y 6436c12a2ced e4ef95d6 .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci2-linux-6-6-kasan INFO: task hung in start_this_handle
* Struck through repros no longer work on HEAD.