Recommendations: Defunct Processes

[Scott Frye_1]

We have a scripts that go out and check for defunct processes. What should we do once we find them???? We typically have 3 or 4 servers with defunct processes but we don't know what action we should take with them.

Thanks

Scott

[Sanjay_6]

Hi Scott,

Do a "ps -ef" and grep for defunt. Try a "kill -9 PID" to kill the defunt processes. you may be able to kill them or you may not. If you can't kill them, a reboot is the only way to clear them.

Hope this helps.

Regds

[Pete Randall]

Scott,

First you should beat your programmers soundly for leaving such sloppy code around.

Second, you can try to kill them off. Start with kill -15, then kill -11 and only resort to kill -9 out of desparation. Sometimes, the processes won't die. In that case, you can sometimes get rid of them by killing the parent. However, if they're a zombie, their parent process ID is now 1 - init - and you don't want to kill that.

You really should be spending more time on why you're getting defunct processes than you are on cleaning them up.


Pete

[Scott Frye_1]

Pete,

I understand, but when you are at the mercy of a major application vendor specific for hospital applications, beating them (although I would not be against that) really isn't an option.

[John McWilliams_1]

Hi Scott

I always try kill -15 on the PID. This normally kills them. If that fails I use kill -9 with a 99% success rate.

Cheers John

[David DeWitt_2]

Scott,

If you're going to automate killing them (I wouldn't) you could probably add a log file to record things such as date/time, PID, Process Name. That may help both if the kills start causing other problems and as evidence to the vendor.

Has the vendor admitted that their app creates defunct processes?

-dave

[Pete Randall]

Scott,

OK, if beating them is only a fond dream, how about regular re-boots? Do your uptime requirements allow for a nightly/weekly/fortnightly window where you could re-boot and clean up the processes that way? It would be simple enough to cron a reboot job.


Pete

[Scott Frye_1]

David,

We are not looking to automate the killing, just curious about what our next steps might be. I like you idea of a log file. That would be nice.

Scott

[Scott Frye_1]

Pete,

Reboots are not an option. We are fighting now trying to get a 2 hour maintenance window once a quarter. Regular reboots would not fly. I guess being a hospital makes a difference. Our apps have to be up 24/7 for patient care.

Scott

[Pete Randall]

I didn't really think that would work for you but had to suggest it.

Sorry,

Pete