JVM consumes all CPU, most threads as BLOCKED. JVM bug?

Question

Last night, a server (JBoss 5.1GA, Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_20-b02), Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM, running in a Linux VM on VMWare) suddenly started to use 100% CPU. The app is a fairly typical J2EE business app running Seam, nothing particular about it. The load was extremely low at that time.

I managed to get a thread dump before the process was killed and restarted (the app had to be available). JStack had an exception in its deadlock detection; apart from that most threads were in BLOCKED.

Is this a JVM bug? I haven't seen it before. After restart everything was ok, like in the several months since the application has been used on that server (with periodic updates).

Thanks for any suggestions.

A slightly edited thread dump (to fit within SO's post size limit) is below. I removed a few identical threads (from the various thread pools inside JBoss/Seam) and left only the top lines from the stack traces.

EDIT: full thread dump at http://pastie.org/1083984

[~]$ jstack -F 13553
Attaching to process ID 13553, please wait...
Debugger attached successfully.
Server compiler detected.
JVM version is 11.3-b02
Deadlock Detection:

java.lang.NullPointerException
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.oops.InstanceKlass.computeSubtypeOf(InstanceKlass.java:426)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.oops.Klass.isSubtypeOf(Klass.java:137)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.oops.Oop.isA(Oop.java:92)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.DeadlockDetector.print(DeadlockDetector.java:93)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.DeadlockDetector.print(DeadlockDetector.java:39)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.StackTrace.run(StackTrace.java:52)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.StackTrace.run(StackTrace.java:45)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.JStack.run(JStack.java:60)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.Tool.start(Tool.java:221)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.JStack.main(JStack.java:86)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at sun.tools.jstack.JStack.runJStackTool(JStack.java:118)
        at sun.tools.jstack.JStack.main(JStack.java:84)
Can't print deadlocks:null
Thread 26208: (state = BLOCKED)


Thread 25250: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 25249: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 21240: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.await() @bci=8, line=416 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 21140: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.await() @bci=8, line=416 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 21139: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.await() @bci=8, line=416 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 21138: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.await() @bci=8, line=416 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 19380: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 19377: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 19361: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 19343: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 19317: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 18995: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 18986: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 17659: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 17658: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 17653: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 17631: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 14977: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 14796: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 14609: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 14437: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 14248: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 14232: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.util.Arrays.copyOf(char[], int) @bci=1, line=2882 (Compiled frame)
 - java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.expandCapacity(int) @bci=33, line=100 (Compiled frame)

Thread 14040: (state = IN_NATIVE)
 - java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketAccept(java.net.SocketImpl) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.net.PlainSocketImpl.accept(java.net.SocketImpl) @bci=7, line=384 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13858: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.ref.ReferenceQueue.remove(long) @bci=44, line=116 (Compiled frame)

Thread 13815: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.await() @bci=8, line=416 (Interpreted frame)

 Thread 13814: (state = IN_NATIVE)
 - java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketAccept(java.net.SocketImpl) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13813: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.await() @bci=8, line=416 (Interpreted frame)


Thread 13812: (state = BLOCKED)
Error occurred during stack walking:
sun.jvm.hotspot.utilities.AssertionFailure: range check
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.utilities.Assert.that(Assert.java:32)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.RegisterMap.<init>(RegisterMap.java:109)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.x86.X86RegisterMap.<init>(X86RegisterMap.java:39)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.x86.X86RegisterMap.clone(X86RegisterMap.java:43)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.VFrame.<init>(VFrame.java:37)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.JavaVFrame.<init>(JavaVFrame.java:45)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.CompiledVFrame.<init>(CompiledVFrame.java:43)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.VFrame.newVFrame(VFrame.java:77)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.VFrame.sender(VFrame.java:129)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.VFrame.javaSender(VFrame.java:146)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.runtime.JavaThread.getLastJavaVFrameDbg(JavaThread.java:231)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.StackTrace.run(StackTrace.java:76)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.StackTrace.run(StackTrace.java:45)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.JStack.run(JStack.java:60)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.Tool.start(Tool.java:221)
        at sun.jvm.hotspot.tools.JStack.main(JStack.java:86)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at sun.tools.jstack.JStack.runJStackTool(JStack.java:118)
        at sun.tools.jstack.JStack.main(JStack.java:84)


Thread 13811: (state = IN_NATIVE)
 - java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketAccept(java.net.SocketImpl) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13810: (state = IN_NATIVE)
 - java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketAccept(java.net.SocketImpl) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13809: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.jboss.jms.client.container.ClientConsumer.getMessage(long) @bci=71, line=866 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13808: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.jboss.jms.client.container.ClientConsumer.getMessage(long) @bci=71, line=866 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13807: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.jboss.bootstrap.AbstractServerImpl$LifeThread.run() @bci=11, line=866 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13806: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13805: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13804: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.TimerThread.mainLoop() @bci=201, line=509 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13803: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.TimerThread.mainLoop() @bci=201, line=509 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13802: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.util.Arrays.copyOfRange(char[], int, int) @bci=40, line=3209 (Compiled frame)
 - java.lang.String.<init>(char[], int, int) @bci=65, line=216 (Compiled frame)
 - java.lang.StringBuffer.toString() @bci=13, line=585 (Compiled frame)
 - org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout.format(org.apache.log4j.spi.LoggingEvent) @bci=68, line=506 (Compiled frame)

Thread 13784: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.ref.ReferenceQueue.remove(long) @bci=44, line=116 (Compiled frame)
 - org.jboss.el.util.ReferenceCache$ReferenceQueueRunner.run() @bci=1, line=159 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13753: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Thread.sleep(long) @bci=0 (Compiled frame; information may be imprecise)
 - org.jboss.ejb3.cache.simple.SimpleStatefulCache$SessionTimeoutTask.block() @bci=11, line=210 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13752: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.jboss.resource.connectionmanager.IdleRemover$IdleRemoverRunnable.run() @bci=31, line=167 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13749: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Interpreted frame)
 - org.jboss.remoting.transport.socket.ServerThread.run() @bci=209, line=284 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13734: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.TimerThread.mainLoop() @bci=201, line=509 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13701: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.park(java.lang.Object) @bci=14, line=158 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13700: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Thread.sleep(long) @bci=0 (Compiled frame; information may be imprecise)
 - org.jboss.console.plugins.AOPLister$RefreshPoller.run() @bci=41, line=898 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13699: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Thread.sleep(long) @bci=0 (Compiled frame; information may be imprecise)
 - org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$ContainerBackgroundProcessor.run() @bci=22, line=1590 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Thread.run() @bci=11, line=619 (Interpreted frame)


Thread 13698: (state = IN_NATIVE)
 - java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketAccept(java.net.SocketImpl) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13678: (state = BLOCKED)
 - sun.misc.Unsafe.park(boolean, long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.util.concurrent.locks.LockSupport.parkNanos(java.lang.Object, long) @bci=20, line=198 (Interpreted frame)

Thread 13554: (state = BLOCKED)

Thread 13560: (state = BLOCKED)

Thread 13559: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.ref.ReferenceQueue.remove(long) @bci=44, line=116 (Compiled frame)
 - java.lang.ref.ReferenceQueue.remove() @bci=2, line=132 (Compiled frame)
 - java.lang.ref.Finalizer$FinalizerThread.run() @bci=3, line=159 (Compiled frame)


Thread 13558: (state = BLOCKED)
 - java.lang.Object.wait(long) @bci=0 (Interpreted frame)
 - java.lang.Object.wait() @bci=2, line=485 (Compiled frame)
 - java.lang.ref.Reference$ReferenceHandler.run() @bci=46, line=116 (Compiled frame)

Answer 1

One possibility is that you ran out of heap space. If you run out of heap space the JVM will start to burn up the CPU at a tremendous rate doing frantic garbage collection.