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List:       linux-admin
Subject:    Re: Unkillable Process
From:       Glynn Clements <glynn.clements () virgin ! net>
Date:       2001-12-08 11:54:34
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Lee Leahu wrote:

> > > I have a process running that I can't kill with the command
> > >
> > >       kill -9 <pid>
> > >
> > >
> > What process?
> > 
> > Even as root, you should not be able to kill init and others key OS
> > processes.
> 
> I had a chat program, everybuddy, running on my firewall / workstation when
> X blew up and now i have about 15 copies of it running  and I am unable
> to kill them.

What is the status of the processes (from the STAT field of "ps")?

If the status is "Z", the process is a zombie, i.e. it's already dead. 
The entry remains in the process table until either:

a) its parent retrives its exit status with wait(), waitpid() etc, or
b) its parent dies (in which case, it will be "inherited" by init).

If the status is "D", the process is in "uninterruptible sleep". This
usually means that it is waiting for a hardware operation to complete. 
If a process remains in this state indefinitely, it often indicates a
hardware lock-up, which can only be fixed by a reboot (some tape
drives are prone to this problem).

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn.clements@virgin.net>
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