Help! Getting `Segmentation fault` when running tests almost all the time near the end of my tests

Question

Whenever I run "rake spec", there's a 70-80% chance that I get a SEGMENTATION_FAULT with Ruby. It usually happens with 2 stack traces: one with Factory_Girl, and the other with ActiveRecord. It is really odd. I have no idea what to do. This is the output when I run all of my tests:

/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:285: [BUG] Segmentation fault
ruby 1.9.2p180 (2011-02-18 revision 30909) [x86_64-linux]

-- control frame ----------
c:0048 p:0026 s:0171 b:0171 l:000156 d:000170 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:285
c:0047 p:---- s:0167 b:0167 l:000166 d:000166 FINISH
c:0046 p:---- s:0165 b:0165 l:000160 d:000164 IFUNC 
c:0045 p:---- s:0163 b:0163 l:000162 d:000162 CFUNC  :each
c:0044 p:---- s:0161 b:0161 l:000160 d:000160 CFUNC  :inject
c:0043 p:0025 s:0157 b:0157 l:000156 d:000156 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:284
c:0042 p:0010 s:0154 b:0154 l:000153 d:000153 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/locking/optimistic.rb:62
c:0041 p:0014 s:0150 b:0150 l:000149 d:000149 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/base.rb:1395
c:0040 p:---- s:0145 b:0145 l:000144 d:000144 FINISH
c:0039 p:---- s:0143 b:0143 l:000142 d:000142 CFUNC  :new
c:0038 p:0012 s:0140 b:0140 l:000139 d:000139 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/proxy/build.rb:5
c:0037 p:---- s:0136 b:0136 l:000135 d:000135 FINISH
c:0036 p:---- s:0134 b:0134 l:000133 d:000133 CFUNC  :new
c:0035 p:0019 s:0130 b:0130 l:000129 d:000129 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb:321
c:0034 p:0034 s:0123 b:0123 l:000122 d:000122 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb:273
c:0033 p:0076 s:0118 b:0118 l:002488 d:000117 BLOCK  /home/egervari/websites/training/spec/queries/company_user_query_spec.rb:8
c:0032 p:---- s:0116 b:0116 l:000115 d:000115 FINISH
c:0031 p:---- s:0114 b:0114 l:000113 d:000113 CFUNC  :instance_eval
c:0030 p:0019 s:0111 b:0111 l:000110 d:000110 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:32
c:0029 p:0014 s:0107 b:0107 l:000098 d:000106 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:69
c:0028 p:---- s:0104 b:0104 l:000103 d:000103 FINISH
c:0027 p:---- s:0102 b:0102 l:000101 d:000101 CFUNC  :each
c:0026 p:0025 s:0099 b:0099 l:000098 d:000098 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:69
c:0025 p:0030 s:0095 b:0095 l:000094 d:000094 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:115
c:0024 p:0024 s:0089 b:0089 l:000080 d:000088 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:221
c:0023 p:---- s:0086 b:0086 l:000085 d:000085 FINISH
c:0022 p:---- s:0084 b:0084 l:000083 d:000083 CFUNC  :each
c:0021 p:0054 s:0081 b:0081 l:000080 d:000080 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:221
c:0020 p:0039 s:0077 b:0077 l:000076 d:000076 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:145
c:0019 p:0011 s:0074 b:0074 l:001e60 d:000073 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:47
c:0018 p:0024 s:0071 b:0071 l:000070 d:000070 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:107
c:0017 p:0059 s:0067 b:0067 l:001e60 d:001e60 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:45
c:0016 p:0071 s:0061 b:0061 l:000050 d:000060 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:294
c:0015 p:---- s:0056 b:0056 l:000055 d:000055 FINISH
c:0014 p:---- s:0054 b:0054 l:000053 d:000053 CFUNC  :map
c:0013 p:0017 s:0051 b:0051 l:000050 d:000050 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:290
c:0012 p:0096 s:0047 b:0047 l:000046 d:000046 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:262
c:0011 p:0014 s:0040 b:0040 l:000024 d:000039 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:24
c:0010 p:---- s:0037 b:0037 l:000036 d:000036 FINISH
c:0009 p:---- s:0035 b:0035 l:000034 d:000034 CFUNC  :map
c:0008 p:0035 s:0032 b:0032 l:000024 d:000031 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:24
c:0007 p:0022 s:0029 b:0029 l:000028 d:000028 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/reporter.rb:12
c:0006 p:0113 s:0025 b:0025 l:000024 d:000024 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:21
c:0005 p:0055 s:0020 b:0020 l:000019 d:000019 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:80
c:0004 p:0101 s:0014 b:0014 l:000013 d:000013 METHOD /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:69
c:0003 p:0021 s:0007 b:0006 l:0015e8 d:000005 BLOCK  /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:11
c:0002 p:---- s:0004 b:0004 l:000003 d:000003 FINISH
c:0001 p:0000 s:0002 b:0002 l:000118 d:000118 TOP   
---------------------------
-- Ruby level backtrace information ----------------------------------------
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:11:in `block in autorun'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:69:in `run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:80:in `run_in_process'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:21:in `run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/reporter.rb:12:in `report'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:24:in `block in run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:24:in `map'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb:24:in `block (2 levels) in run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:262:in `run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:290:in `run_examples'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:290:in `map'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:294:in `block in run_examples'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:45:in `run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:107:in `with_around_hooks'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:47:in `block in run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example.rb:145:in `run_before_each'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:221:in `eval_before_eachs'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:221:in `each'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/example_group.rb:221:in `block in eval_before_eachs'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:115:in `run_hook'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:69:in `run_all'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:69:in `each'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:69:in `block in run_all'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:32:in `run_in'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/rspec-core-2.6.3/lib/rspec/core/hooks.rb:32:in `instance_eval'
/home/egervari/websites/training/spec/queries/company_user_query_spec.rb:8:in `block (2 levels) in <top (required)>'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb:273:in `create'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb:321:in `run'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/factory.rb:321:in `new'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/proxy/build.rb:5:in `initialize'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/factory_girl-1.3.3/lib/factory_girl/proxy/build.rb:5:in `new'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/base.rb:1395:in `initialize'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/locking/optimistic.rb:62:in `attributes_from_column_definition'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:284:in `attributes_from_column_definition'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:284:in `inject'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:284:in `each'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.0.7/lib/active_record/persistence.rb:285:in `block in attributes_from_column_definition'

rake aborted!

Answer 1

Looks like a bug in Ruby itself. My bet it that GC kicks in and sweeps something it should not have swept. Try to do GC.disable somewhere in the beginning. Now, Ruby 1.9.2p204 had some GC fixes, which might be related, so if it's indeed GC to blame, then update your Ruby to (at least) p204, and see if the problem persists.