-bash: /bin/ls: Input/output error

[Michael Redinger]

> After running without incident for 10 days or so, my system now enters a
> strange state each day where new processes cannot be created.  Every
> command results in the error message "Input/output error".

Any chance this is RHAT Linux and you didn't apply the latest xinetd 
Update? See:
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-196.html

Even if you did, is xinetd allowing "time" connections?
Check netstat -an output and check if there are lots of 
connections in CLOSE_WAIT state.

See:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=77781


Michael


-- 
Michael Redinger
Zentraler Informatikdienst (Computer Centre)
Universitaet Innsbruck                  
Technikerstrasse 13                     Tel.: ++43 512 507 2335
6020 Innsbruck                          Fax.: ++43 512 507 2944
Austria					Mail: Michael.Redinger at uibk.ac.at