my 2c:
when a process dies, the kernel cleans-up everything (memory, file
descriptors, ...)
except the entry in the process table since this is where the return code
of the
child is kept. This way, the father can issue a wait() to get this return
code.
This wait() call will get the return code AND clean the process table.
Now, if the father dies also before it can issu a wait(), the child is
adopted
by the process with PID=1 (init). init 's main job is waiting (issueing
wait()
calls), so init should clean the process table.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Rysdam [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Friday, September 24, 1999 4:25 AM
> To: David Hajoglou
> Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: zombie process
>
>
>
>
> It's a process that has been given a special drug so that it acts in a
> hypnotized manner. 8^)
>
> Actually, here's the real scoop: Every process (except init)
> has exactly one
> parent and zero or more children. Normally, when a child process dies
> (i.e. finishes what it was doing or is terminated
> abnormally), the parent
> cleans up after it. But in some cases, this might not happen
> correctly. For
> instance, if the parent dies before cleaning up the child,
> the child will
> remain as a zombie (that is, supposedly it has died, but the reference
> is not removed from the process table).
>
> I'm on a less firm ground with the following: I *think* there
> is a kernel
> process that periodically cleans up the process table and
> purges these zombies
> out.
that is init 's job.
>
> On Thu, Sep 23, 1999 at 05:13:02PM -0600, David Hajoglou wrote:
> > I searched a few linux sites and such, but I failed to find
> a definition
> > of a zombied process. Where can I get some information on
> processes and
> > such. And, what does zombie mean?
> >
> >
> > Thanks
> > hojo
> >
> >
>
> --
> My public encryption key is available from
> www.az.com/~drysdam/crypt/rysdam.gpg.html
> and of course www.keyserver.net
>
