Re: /usr/bin/updatedb high IO wait

["Alan Sparks" <asparks@doublesparks.net>]

Moe said:
> Hi,
>
>   Can anyone please tell me what is /usr/bin/updatedb?. I noticed high IO
> wait on my linux  box for quite some time and when i tracked the problem
> i found that the process for command /usr/bin/updatedb is in state D for
> a  while. I believe  it's  related  to Berkeley DB. Any  suggestions

It relates to the slocate command.  updatedb scans the filesystem making a
database for slocate to speed its searches, and all the filesystem
grinding causes this i/o activity.  Unless you use slocate or locate, you
might consider removing the slocate package as a hard solution.

Helpful hint:  If you want to know what a command like this does, a couple
of useful ways to find info are:
* try doing a "man" on the command: "man updatedb"
* try finding out what package owns the file:
      "rpm -qi --whatprovides /usr/bin/updatedb"

===========
Alan Sparks, UNIX/Linux Systems Administrator    <asparks@doublesparks.net>