Ubuntu
linux package

periodic find task slow ubuntu to death

Bug #1460985 reported by god
8
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

Periodically something starts 'find' program in the background with readdir smth in options and it slows down ubuntu to the point the music and video got hiccups, mouse lags etc. I suspect it's smth related to package or locatedb updates but can't pinpoint the culprit yet.

Anyway, the bugis in slowdown - background tasks should never-ever affect the interactive programs running by user. Ideally they should be started in dedicated, heavily policed systemd slice.

Revision history for this message
Brad Figg (brad-figg) wrote : Missing required logs.

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1460985

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury) wrote :

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a prior kernel version where you were not having this particular problem?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.1 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.1-rc6-unstable/

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Medium
Revision history for this message
god (humper) wrote :

No, I've got this issue for as long as I can remember.
Note: I've removed cron and installed systemd-cron instead but it didn't change anything.

Next time I see this issue I'll try to check which processes started it. If I'll figure out a way to trigger it reliably I'll check upstream kernel too. Thanks for looking into this.

Revision history for this message
god (humper) wrote :

The task is started as user 'nobody' but I don't see anything relevant in the logs. What's the best way to find out who's executing it? It might be some root process which drops privileges after start?

Revision history for this message
god (humper) wrote :

The most likely culprit is /etc/cron.daily/man-db

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → New
Revision history for this message
Brad Figg (brad-figg) wrote :

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1460985

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
god (humper)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
god (humper) wrote :

Seems like it's related to Bug #131094.

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