[NTLUG:Discuss] kapm-idled

[Greg Edwards]

Michael Collins wrote:
> 
> I have been told it is something to do with power managment and although
> it looks like it is using all the cpu, it really isn't.  !!!
> 
> There were lots of discussions about it when it first appeared.  I just
> ignore it on mandrake boxen.  It does not appear to act the same on my
> Conectiva boxes.  It is shown in top, but never *seemingly*  steals the
> processor like on Mandrake.
> 
> "Not to worry" I was told and it seems like good advice.
> 
> Greg Edwards wrote:
> 
> > Anyone have any idea what this thing (kapm-idled) could be?  I've been
> > all over my system and the Mandrake website.  I thought maybe it could
> > be related to APM for laptops but the laptop options are not installed.
> >
> 
> --
> Michael H. Collins              Admiral: Penguinista Navy International


I did find this initiated as a deamon from apm.c in the kernel.  While
for the most part your right it is idle, sometimes it does get activated
and grab upto 98% of the cpu.  Even worse is that it runs as a system
process when it starts grabbing resources.  I've been able to catch it
in the act on several occasions on more than 1 system.  On a workstation
it's more of a nucience than anything else.  However, on my servers it
literally shuts down my network.  Any access to these servers at the
time ends up in a blocked state and causes all sorts of problems.

As suggested by another I'll probably have to recompile.  IMHO, this
should not have been part of a stock kernel, especially when installed
as a server option.  Mandrake loses points on this one.

-- 
Greg Edwards
New Age Software, Inc.
http://www.nas-inet.com