Symptoms

1. JIRA (and other webapps) are completely unavailable.
2. The Java process is not running and it was not shut down manually.

3. Files with names like hs_err_pid20929.log being created in the app server's bin directory, containing text such as the below:

   #
   # An unexpected error has been detected by HotSpot Virtual Machine:
   #
   #  SIGSEGV (0xb) at pc=0xfe9bb960, pid=20929, tid=17
   #
   # Java VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (1.5.0_01-b08 mixed mode)
   # Problematic frame:
   # V  [libjvm.so+0x1bb960]
   #
   
   ---------------  T H R E A D  ---------------
   
   Current thread (0x01a770e0):  JavaThread "JiraQuartzScheduler_Worker-1" [_thread_in_vm, id=17]
   
   siginfo:si_signo=11, si_errno=0, si_code=1, si_addr=0x00000000
   
   Registers:
    O0=0xf5999882 O1=0xf5999882 O2=0x00000000 O3=0x00000000
    O4=0x00000000 O5=0x00000001 O6=0xc24ff0b0 O7=0x00008000
    G1=0xfe9bb80c G2=0xf5999a48 G3=0x0a67677d G4=0xf5999882
    G5=0xc24ff380 G6=0x00000000 G7=0xfdbc3800 Y=0x00000000
    PC=0xfe9bb960 nPC=0xfe9bb964

This indicates Java is crashing.

Cause

Web applications like JIRA and Confluence run in a Java virtual machine (JVM). The virtual machine is responsible for emulating a CPU, managing memory and devices, just like the operating system does for native applications (MS Office, web browsers etc).

A Java virtual machine crash is analogous to getting a Windows Blue Screen of Death when using MS Office or a web browser.

That said, JVM bugs causing crashes often appear when the JVM is running out of memory. The hs_err_pid*.log file should list the state of memory at the time of the crash. If the JVM was low on memory, then it's a good idea to read the JIRA Crashes Due to 'OutOfMemoryError Java heap space' page and follow the suggestions there.

Resolution

• Download the latest JDK and use it. Crashes are often caused by JDK bugs that get fixed over time. This is true for JVM Segfault (SIGSEGV) After Plugin Initialisation.
• Ensure that your operating system is one of the Supported System Configurations, and (especially for Solaris) ensure that the operating system has all current required patches applied.
• In rare circumstances, bugs in the product can cause a SIGSEGV fault, like Greenhopper can crash 64bit JVMs under Linux

And of course, you can always let us know (include the hs_err_pid) file), and we can provide advise taking into account the specifics of your situation.