Re: Killing a zombie process?

[Robert Elz <kre%munnari.OZ.AU@localhost>]

    Date:        Wed, 30 Sep 2015 18:03:03 +0700
    From:        Robert Elz <kre%munnari.OZ.AU@localhost>
    Message-ID:  <16072.1443610983%andromeda.noi.kre.to@localhost>

  | I think I'd start with the proc structure of the zombie itself,

Even before that, you might want to check whether the process truly is
a zombie, or just dead - ps prints both as 'Z' - modifying (temporarily)
ps to show dead processes differently (maybe just z instead of Z) might
reveal that the zombie in question hasn't actually putrified yet, and is
just a corpse.

Dead state isn't supposed to persist for long (processes should rot quickly)
but while in that state, the process is not yet ready for reaping.

Of course, even if this is what is happening, the question of what it is
waiting for still remains.   Or maybe the processes are just waiting for
Oct 31 ?

kre