Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!uflorida!bikini!thoth From: thoth@springs.cis.ufl.edu (Gilligan) Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards Subject: processes that get stuck Message-ID: Date: 12 Mar 90 02:39:35 GMT Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU Distribution: comp Organization: /cis/lightning0/thoth/.organization Lines: 17 While we're all discussing defunct and exiting processes, how about that SunOS 4.x that sometimes puts processes in permanent disk wait? Processes show up with a D in the STAT field of a ps -gux. These processes are unkillable and can only been removed with a halt and a reboot. They tend to collect other processes as well. If you ever put an emacs into this totally-hosed-state it is quite likely that any others you start up after it will follow it into D-space. I have on occasion been using X windows and watched the xload skyrocket to 15 as all my shells and compilations go to hell. The L1-a is the only solution. It hasn't happened as much since we got 8 megs of ram for all of our computers. Comments? explanations? -- ( My name's not really Gilligan, It's Robert Forsman, without an `e' )