--- linux/drivers/md/md.c.orig	Thu Apr 17 17:17:38 2003
+++ linux/drivers/md/md.c	Thu Apr 17 17:17:29 2003
@@ -997,6 +997,7 @@
 	int err, count = 100;
 	struct md_list_head *tmp;
 	mdk_rdev_t *rdev;
+	int i;
 
 	if (!mddev->sb_dirty) {
 		printk("hm, md_update_sb() called without ->sb_dirty == 1, from %p.\n", __builtin_return_address(0));
@@ -1030,6 +1031,7 @@
 					mdidx(mddev));
 
 	err = 0;
+	i = 0;
 	ITERATE_RDEV(mddev,rdev,tmp) {
 		dprintk("md: ");
 		if (rdev->faulty)
@@ -1044,6 +1046,11 @@
 			err += write_disk_sb(rdev);
 		} else
 			dprintk(")\n");
+		if (i >= mddev->nb_dev) {  /* safety valve - ARC*/
+			printk("md_update_sb: iterate_rdev limit (%d) reached\n",i);
+			break;
+			}
+		i++;
 	}
 	if (err) {
 		if (--count) {