We also found this problem: the PHP cron launches one fuser for each PHP session file, and the process is never reaped (remains in <defunct> state)
Workaround for PHP is to remove the fuser check, which was only added 11.10 anyway. This is the 11.10 cron job: 09,39 * * * * root [ -x /usr/lib/php5/maxlifetime ] && [ -d /var/lib/php5 ] && find /var/lib/php5/ -depth -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f -cmin +$(/usr/lib/php5/maxlifetime) ! -execdir fuser -s {} 2>/dev/null \; -delete And this is the 11.04 cron job: 09,39 * * * * root [ -x /usr/lib/php5/maxlifetime ] && [ -d /var/lib/php5 ] && find /var/lib/php5/ -depth -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f -cmin +$(/usr/lib/php5/maxlifetime) -delete ** Also affects: php5 (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Server Team, which is subscribed to php5 in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/877894 Title: fuser forks and never reaps its children To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/php5/+bug/877894/+subscriptions -- Ubuntu-server-bugs mailing list Ubuntu-server-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-server-bugs