[SunRescue] Killing Processes [Was: Rescue digest, Vol 1 #773 - 16 msgs]

[Ed Pate]

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> --__--__--
>
> Message: 7
> From: "Eric Ozrelic" <erico at bendcable.com>
> To: <rescue at sunhelp.org>
> Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 01:23:42 -0800
> Organization: BendCable Communications Inc.
> Subject: [SunRescue] Killing Processes
> Reply-To: rescue at sunhelp.org
>
> I know I can use "kill <pid>" to kill a process, but how do I absolutly
> destroy a process, when kill doesn't work?
>
> Regards,
>
> Eric Ozrelic
>
> --__--__--

You can use kill to send any signal to a process.  "kill <pid>" sends signal 15 which
tells the process to "settle its affairs" and then kill itself.  As many have replied,
you can use "kill -9 <pid>" to send a signal 9 which tells the process to kill itself
immediately, don't close any files, don't flush buffers, don't do anything except die.
The only time this will not work is if the process is "wait"ing on hardware or some
kernel routine that hasn't (or will never) respond, such as a dead harddrive or an NFS
request to a remote server that is down.  The process never wakes back up to process the
signal.  There are only two ways to get rid of it then, 1) reboot, and 2) twiddle with
kernel data structures.  I whole heartedly recommend the first option.

Alright, alright, I know I over-explain.  Flames are welcome OFF-LIST.

Ed

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