From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S264075AbTKSOH5 (ORCPT ); Wed, 19 Nov 2003 09:07:57 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S264083AbTKSOH5 (ORCPT ); Wed, 19 Nov 2003 09:07:57 -0500 Received: from research.rutgers.edu ([128.6.25.145]:45003 "EHLO research.rutgers.edu") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S264075AbTKSOHz (ORCPT ); Wed, 19 Nov 2003 09:07:55 -0500 Subject: Kernel 2.6.0-test9 Zombie Issue From: Taliver Heath To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="=-TpdRDUQV2hD9k8+VIhMt" Organization: Darklab Message-Id: <1069250850.11115.5.camel@leblon> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.4.5 Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 09:07:30 -0500 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org --=-TpdRDUQV2hD9k8+VIhMt Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable linux_ver: Linux leblon 2.6.0-test9 #1 Thu Nov 13 09:18:59 EST 2003 i686 unknown Gnu C 3.3.2 Gnu make 3.80 binutils 2.14.90.0.7 util-linux 2.12 mount 2.11n module-init-tools 0.9.15-pre3 e2fsprogs 1.27 xfsprogs 2.6.0 PPP 2.4.1 Linux C Library 2.3.2 Dynamic linker (ldd) 2.3.2 Procps 100. Net-tools 1.60 Kbd 1.06 Sh-utils 2.0.11 Modules Loaded uhci_hcd visor usbserial intel_agp agpgart parport_pc lp parport hid 8250 serial_core cpuid msr apm es1371 soundcore ac97_codec usbkbd usbcore Problem description: I've noticed that if my system is very heavily loaded, I start to get Zombies for any short lived processes. I've googled for this, but can't seem to find anything relating to it. I'm running the 2.6.0-test9 kernel. Is this something in the FAQ? Specifically, I can recreate this behavior by getting my system overloaded (converting .wav to .ogg, xmms, mozilla 10 page reload, on fluxbox on a PIII 667) and then running many instances of aumix from the keyboard shortcut. Fluxbox normally detects the death of the children, and I have a few Zombies which come from other programs as well (mozilla, evolution, and others). My theory is, and this has no code check to back it up in the slightest, is that the preempt patch is throwing off the process management of the kernel. Or worse, perhaps the wait call is returning that it was interrupted, and few programs are written to suppoort error checking on the wait call (since in many instances you don't really care what happened to the process). I apologize for not scouring the kernel archives about this before I emailed, but a quick scan didn't seem to turn up anything relevant. --Taliver Heath --=-TpdRDUQV2hD9k8+VIhMt Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQA/u3kh9SFqLxG7mPYRAooiAJ9Z67xwoUM4/CriTSom1AdNO9GabgCgkwQQ heHJ4laN2QtX/ebVlm4N04Y= =+IWk -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --=-TpdRDUQV2hD9k8+VIhMt--