[comp.os.vms] SHO USER user list sometimes in error

DEBBE@OZ.AI.MIT.EDU (Deborah Wilbert) (12/10/87)

On a Vax 780 running VMS 4.4, we have recently noticed that the number
of users listed by SHOW USERS is greater than the number of user names
listed.

SHO SYSTEM displays the processes that had been owned by the unlisted
users as being in an LEF state.  These processes cannot be SHOWn or
STOPPED; a nonexistent process message is returned.

The problem comes in if these processes have got something attached to them
that someone else wants (like an open file, I haven't seen anybody with a
device allocated yet).  We end up rebooting.

DEC says there is no hardware problem, and I would tend to think that this was
a software problem, but it didn't USED to happen, and this VAX has been on 
4.4 for quite some time.

If anyone has seen this, or better still overcome it, I would appreciate any
information you might have.  Reply to me and I will summarize to the net.

Thank you,

Matthew M. Wilbert (c/o Debbe@oz.ai.mit.edu)
Sr. Technical Consultant
City of Boston
Boston, MA  02201
(617) 725 3458