High Sysload

[TMcB]

Our system is an HP9000 running 10.20. It has 3 CPUs (200MHz).

We have been having a problem with all 3 CPUs being 100% used, with approx 70% of this sysload, and the load is averaging 12-20

We have discovered via ps -ef that some of the ksh processes have been left with a ppid of 1.
As soon as we kill these processes, the sysload reduces to 2-3%, and the system ruturns to normal, with load < 1.

I can monitor this server constantly, and as soon as the sysload increases kill the appropriate processes, but obviously I can't do this 24/7.

Is there any way round this
Any help is greatly appreciated

[Ravi_8]

Hi
ppid of 1 shows that your applications creating orphans processes. for first try reboot the machine, if this didn't solve your problem check with the software vendor

[TMcB]

We have reboot the machine, and this solves the problem for a while.

Why would an orphaned process have such an effect.
There were only three ksh processes orphaned, yet the sysload was 70%.

[Marcelo De Florio_1]

The ppid 1 means that (pid) child lost reference to his parent; so you should check your software vendor in order to resolve this problem.

[Ravi_8]

Hi,
how much is the RAM and swap

[Ravi_8]

Hi,
since even after reboot sysload is going high, i doubt with the softwares running in the machine, check with the vendor or let me know the softwares you are running.

[James R. Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Hi Terry:

This has been seen before. Take a look at this thread:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,1150,0x6ddbf9beca68d511abcd0090277a778c,00.html

...JRF...

[TMcB]

the patch mentioned in the previous example was installed. I have removed it using swremove. The problem is still ocurring. Do I have to reboot the machine??
Also, do I have to install any other patch instead ?
Thanks

[TMcB]

Problem solved once I removed the patch and rebooted.

Thanks
to everyone for the help