Apache spins cpu

Several times I’ve noticed one or two of my Apache processes sucking
cpu scandalously (see ps output below), and I’m looking for
troubleshooting tips. The load is essentially nonexistent. This
server is accessed a couple times an hour on average. Once an apache
child starts doing this, it continues until I restart apache.

Apache 1.3.28
mod_perl 1.28
RT 3.04
Mason 1.22
Mac OS X 10.2

The apache log files show no activity. The system log file shows no
activity. Just for fun I tried ktrace on the runaway processes, and it
shows absolutely nothing. (ktrace on other processes shows interesting
things happening).

[localhost:rt3/var/log] jimcrack# ps axu | grep httpd
nobody 14878 100.4 1.0 29104 15920 ?? R 11:23PM 214:58.80
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 14867 83.4 1.5 32692 23280 ?? R 11:20PM 213:55.10
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
root 14747 0.0 0.1 25708 1380 ?? Ss 10:30PM 0:03.25
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 14748 0.0 1.3 31444 20552 ?? S 10:30PM 0:07.86
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 14749 0.0 1.5 32664 23344 ?? S 10:30PM 0:09.92
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 14750 0.0 1.5 32980 23880 ?? S 10:30PM 0:09.40
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 14751 0.0 1.4 32232 22652 ?? S 10:30PM 0:17.03
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 14752 0.0 1.5 32744 23532 ?? S 10:30PM 0:06.69
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 16568 0.0 1.5 32472 23368 ?? S 10:36AM 0:09.10
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 16569 0.0 1.4 31180 21896 ?? S 10:36AM 0:07.47
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd
nobody 16570 0.0 1.4 31436 22012 ?? S 10:36AM 0:10.12
/usr/local/apache/bin/httpd

Thanks,
Kevin

Try attaching to the process in gdb, and stopping it to get a stack
trace to try and see where at the C level it’s spinning.

At Tue, 2 Sep 2003 16:38:41 -0400,
Kevin Murphy wrote: