[comp.unix.ultrix] Exiting processes

zemon@felix.UUCP (10/29/87)

Reply-Path:

Prelims: We are currently running a VAX 11/750 with Ultrix V2.0-1

Problem: <exiting> processes.  Occaisionally I will get a terminal
that won't die because of an exiting process.  Usually there is a user
associated with that process/terminal, but in this example there
isn't.  What follows are the results from a "pstat -t" and "ps axut17"
repectively.  (the pstat command has been trimmed)

 # RAW CAN OUT    MODE    ADDR   DEL COL  STATE         PGRP DISC
16   0   0   0 540500d8 8049e120  0   0  W                 0
17   0   0   0 540540f0 8049e120  0  15   O    H       22124
18   0   0   0 540500d8 8049e120  0   0  W                 0

USER       PID %CPU %MEM   SZ  RSS TT STAT  TIME COMMAND
root     22124  0.0  0.6   73   28 17 D     0:05 <exiting>

I am able to get rid of the process by using the new and improved file
command.  (Yes, I said "file" command.)  If there is a user associated
with the hung terminal, and they have mesg n, I must be superuser in
order for this to work.  When I type the following:

  %file /dev/tty17

The command will act as if it is in some kind of loop.  After a second
or two I use a Control-C to break out of it.  When I look back at the
terminal's status I now get the following.  [The COL number, on the
pstat output, doesn't seem to bother the terminals ability to log on
to.  That is, anyone can sign on to that port now.]

 # RAW CAN OUT    MODE    ADDR   DEL COL  STATE         PGRP DISC
16   0   0   0 540500d8 8049e120  0   0  W                 0
17   0   0   0 540540f0 8049e120  0  15  W                 0
18   0   0   0 540500d8 8049e120  0   0  W                 0

USER       PID %CPU %MEM   SZ  RSS TT STAT  TIME COMMAND
root     25522  0.0  0.6   73   25 17 I     0:00 - T9600 tty17 (getty)

If I take a look at lastcomm, it will show me what exactly the "file"
command killed.  When there is a specific user associated with the
hung port the killed process is usually csh.

cat              shutter  tty24     0.11 secs Wed Oct 28 08:23
getty      S   X root     tty17     5.54 secs Tue Oct 27 15:59
file           X shutter  tty24     0.18 secs Wed Oct 28 08:23
ps               shutter  tty24     4.45 secs Wed Oct 28 08:22

I've talked to DEC about this and they're clueless.  I'm hoping
someone else out there has run into this problem and has either come
up with a solution or at least knows why it is happening.  If it helps
at all, the ports this is happening on are dmf's with the following
flags in the config file:

device         dmf1      at  uba0      csr 0160400   flags 0x00 \
    vector dmfsrint  dmfsxint  dmfdaint  dmfdbint  dmfrint  dmfxint  dmflint
device         dmf2      at  uba0      csr 0160440   flags 0x00 \
    vector dmfsrint  dmfsxint  dmfdaint  dmfdbint  dmfrint  dmfxint  dmflint

Thank you for any light you are able to shed on this problem.

Wendy Shutter           (bitnet: shutter@ithaca)
Ultrix System Manager
Ithaca College