#448748 [ps] process start times fluctuate

Package:
procps
Source:
procps
Description:
/proc file system utilities
Submitter:
Bernhard Kuemel
Date:
2025-04-15 10:09:02 UTC
Severity:
normal
Tags:
#448748#5
Date:
2007-10-31 14:21:44 UTC
From:
To:
The start times of processes as reported by ps fluctuates
occasionally.

The following command line shows differences in consecutive
ps invocations, each 1 s apart. /proc/1721/stat field 19
shows a constant start time of 6143 jiffies since boot for
the mysqld process. The start time shown by ps fluctuates
between 12:13:26 and 12:13:27 and the start times for
(all?) other processes fluctuates by the same amount (1 s).

This bug may be related to the other time related bugs of
ps.

s:~# while true ; do mv x2 x1 ; uptime ; cat /proc/1721/stat ; ps axww -o user,pid,start,ni,stat,cp,vsz,rss,%mem,comm --sort -vsz|head -n 5 >x2 ; diff x1 x2 ; sleep 1 ; done
mv: cannot stat `x2': No such file or directory
 14:56:31 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.09, 1.03, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
diff: x1: No such file or directory
 14:56:32 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.09, 1.03, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:33 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.09, 1.03, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:34 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.09, 1.03, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:35 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.08, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:36 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.08, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:38 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.08, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
2,5c2,5
< mysql     1721 12:13:26   0 Sl     0 127480  3740  1.4 mysqld
< klaus     2130 12:13:35   0 Sl     0  69036  1204  0.4 webserv.bin
< bernhard  3377 14:08:43  19 SN+    0  40320 36636 14.2 setiathome-5.27
< bernhard  3378 14:08:43  19 SN+    0  40320 36636 14.2 setiathome-5.27
---
 14:56:39 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.08, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:40 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.08, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:41 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:42 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:43 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:44 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:45 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:46 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:47 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:48 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:49 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:50 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.07, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:51 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.06, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:52 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.06, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
2,5c2,5
< mysql     1721 12:13:27   0 Sl     0 127480  3740  1.4 mysqld
< klaus     2130 12:13:36   0 Sl     0  69036  1204  0.4 webserv.bin
< bernhard  3377 14:08:44  19 SN+    0  40320 36636 14.2 setiathome-5.27
< bernhard  3378 14:08:44  19 SN+    0  40320 36636 14.2 setiathome-5.27
---
 14:56:53 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.06, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:54 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.06, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0
 14:56:55 up  2:44,  1 user,  load average: 1.06, 1.02, 1.00
1721 (mysqld) S 1684 1012 1012 0 -1 8397056 5201 0 108 0 16 3 0 0 16 0 10 0 6143 130539520 935 4294967295 134512640 141288252 3215515600 3215513164 4294960144 0 552967 4102 26345 4294967295 0 0 17 0 0 0


Bernhard

#448748#14
Date:
2009-05-02 22:20:57 UTC
From:
To:
Hi Stimpert Portrell!

Debian Bug Tracking System wrote:

Are you real, or is this just a spambot, accidently closing this bug?

Bernhard

#448748#23
Date:
2025-04-15 07:53:54 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,
  This is a really old bug about ps start times.
There has been a lot of changes with hardware, kernels
and procps itself so I'm closing this bug.

If it does still occur on current systems, we can
reopen it or open another, but I'd say its fixed
due to the update of those three things.

 - Craig