defunt process...

From: Rakesh Jain <jain_at_mail.physics.smu.edu>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 10:46:41 -0600 (CST)

hi there,

        I am sure this is asked before but here it goes again...
I have lots of defunct process and does not seem to find what process is
creating them. Also the ps command does not show the parent id on these
process. how can I find out what is creating this and how to eliminate
them without a shutdown of system. I have over 400 defunct process now..
and it keeps growing in a day or two will require me to restart the machine.

Thanks
rakesh

----
PS: here is the sample list of the process...output of "ps auwx" command.
root      8205  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10246  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10254  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10269  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10264  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root      8215  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root      8214  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10258  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root      8213  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root      8209  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10315  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10276  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root      8230  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root      8231  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10256  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10305  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10393  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10385  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>
root     10415  0.0  0.0    0K   0K ??         <  -            0:00.00 <defunct>

Received on Thu Jan 29 1998 - 17:46:56 NZDT