# Load Averages of 1.0

## bingobob

The machine I've got seems to be constantly under load....can't figure it, it shouldn't be and it's operating OK..

Any ideas? (I can't see anything in top)

Here's the output of uptime and ps -ef...

```
uptime

15:58:22 up  2:42,  3 users,  load average: 1.00, 1.00, 0.93

ps -ef

UID        PID  PPID  C STIME TTY          TIME CMD

root         1     0  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 init [3]

root         2     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [ksoftirqd/0]

root         3     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [events/0]

root         4     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [khelper]

root         5     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kthread]

root         7     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kblockd/0]

root         8     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kseriod]

root        11     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [khubd]

root       105     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [pdflush]

root       106     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [pdflush]

root       107     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kswapd0]

root       108     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [aio/0]

root       109     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [cifsoplockd]

root       110     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [cifsdnotifyd]

root       711     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kpsmoused]

root       763     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kjournald]

root       963     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /sbin/udevd --daemon

root      2082     5  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 [kjournald]

mysql     4585     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --defaults-file=/etc/mysql/my.cnf --basedir=/usr --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.

root      4670     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/sshd

root      4738     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    4760  4738  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    4804  4738  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    4805  4738  0 13:16 ?        00:00:01 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    4806  4738  0 13:16 ?        00:00:01 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    4807  4738  0 13:16 ?        00:00:03 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    4808  4738  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

root      4809     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/cupsd

root      5862     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/bin/gkrellmd

root      5936     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/smbd -D

root      5945  5936  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/smbd -D

root      5946     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/nmbd -D

root      6078     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/syslog-ng

root      6149     1  0 13:16 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/cron

root      6231     1  0 13:16 tty1     00:00:00 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty1 linux

root      6232     1  0 13:16 tty2     00:00:00 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty2 linux

root      6233     1  0 13:16 tty3     00:00:00 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty3 linux

root      6250     1  0 13:16 tty4     00:00:00 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty4 linux

root      6253     1  0 13:16 tty5     00:00:00 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty5 linux

root      6256     1  0 13:16 tty6     00:00:00 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty6 linux

apache    6823  4738  0 13:24 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

apache    6828  4738  0 13:24 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -D DEFAULT_VHOST -D PHP5 -d /usr/lib/apache2 -f /etc/apache2/httpd.conf -k start

root      6953  5936  0 13:40 ?        00:00:01 /usr/sbin/smbd -D

root      6986  4670  0 13:42 ?        00:00:00 sshd: rupert [priv]

rupert    6989  6986  0 13:42 ?        00:00:00 sshd: rupert@pts/0

rupert    6990  6989  0 13:42 pts/0    00:00:00 -bash

rupert    7002     1  0 13:43 ?        00:00:00 SCREEN irssi

rupert    7003  7002  0 13:43 pts/1    00:00:01 irssi

root      7018  4670  0 13:46 ?        00:00:00 sshd: rupert [priv]

rupert    7021  7018  0 13:46 ?        00:00:00 sshd: rupert@pts/2

rupert    7022  7021  0 13:46 pts/2    00:00:00 -bash

root      7270  4670  0 15:45 ?        00:00:00 sshd: rupert [priv]

rupert    7273  7270  0 15:45 ?        00:00:00 sshd: rupert@pts/3

rupert    7274  7273  0 15:45 pts/3    00:00:00 -bash

user      7287  5936  0 15:47 ?        00:00:00 /usr/sbin/smbd -D

rupert    7309  7274  0 15:58 pts/3    00:00:00 ps -ef

```

cheers

bb

----------

## wynn

http://web.gat.com/docview/load_average.html

 *Quote:*   

> The load average numbers give the average number of jobs in the run queue over the last 1, 5, and 15 minutes. (These three time periods may vary from one vendor's Unix system to another, but are usually 1, 5 and 15 minutes.) In other words, the n-minute load average is the number of processes competing for the attention of the CPU(s) at any moment, averaged over n minutes.

 So 1 is quite a small load.

----------

## bingobob

OK, but it's wierd because it used to be 0 when the machine was idling, and now it seems to be around 1 ?

bb

----------

## limn

You might try shutting down all non-essential services, one at a time, and monitor the load after each.

If after mysql, apache, etc are shut down, the load is still 1.0, review any system changes you may have made.

Consider whether it is a kernel problem. Perhaps try booting an earlier kernel version.

----------

## bingobob

Well, I tried shutting off all the services and made no difference.

Wierd thing is the 1st of the 3 load figures never gets below 1.00

I mean it doesn't go to 0.99999, stops at 1.0 dead.

I think you're onto something with the kernel build I have, I will have a look at that.

bb

----------

## bingobob

driving me to destruction, can't see it....what can lead to a constant load of 1.0 exactly....what does that mean ?

Here's the output of uptime, see how it gets to 1.00 where it stays - or is this normal - should be 0 correct?

```

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:12 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.17, 0.79, 0.32

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:13 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.15, 0.79, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:14 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.15, 0.79, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:14 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.15, 0.79, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:21 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.14, 0.79, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:22 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.14, 0.79, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:22 up 2 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.14, 0.79, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:22 up 3 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.13, 0.80, 0.33

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:29 up 3 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.12, 0.80, 0.34

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:21:35 up 3 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.11, 0.80, 0.34

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:22:38 up 4 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.04, 0.84, 0.38

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:23:40 up 5 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.01, 0.86, 0.42

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:24:06 up 5 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.01, 0.87, 0.43

rupert@franz ~ $ uptime

 20:24:30 up 6 min,  1 user,  load average: 1.00, 0.88, 0.45

rupert@franz ~ $

```

----------

## mbar

I also have a constant 1.0 load on my gentoo gateway, but I know for sure it's caused by in-kernel USB ADSL driver for Eagle modem used by pppd. I got used to it.

----------

## bingobob

ok, so it's no biggy.

I'd still like to fix it though...just for the hell of it...it's buggin' me now.

bb

----------

## limn

The 1.0 should mean that at that time interval there was an average of 1 process waiting on CPU time.

As wynn pointed out, this is not necessarily a bad thing, and should indicate that load is nearly matched to the capacity.

Since one would expect that it would vary above 1.0  as processes run, it may be that the constant queue is a mirage.

----------

## Cagnulein

try to run `top` and see who is the responsible  :Smile: 

----------

## bingobob

tried that...couldn't see anyhting unusual CPU usage of 0% for everything.

bb

----------

## bingobob

gets stranger...I rebuilt the system from scratch - great load averages back to normal (0 at idle)....

But aaaarrrrrrrrrrrr, I start tweaking the kernel and installing this and that and it's back to 1.0 1.0 1.0  ....

not sure what did it, will try to trace back, tricky though.

bb

----------

## bingobob

bump..

----------

## bingobob

solved it...sort of....

It was my USB printer.....I traced back to the last thing i chaged...I unplug it and problem is gone...

How do i fix this though?

bb

----------

## limn

Perhaps modify your topic to add about the USB printer.

Maybe it is a CUPS configuration issue, you could try turning on debugging.

----------

## raffus

Hi,

I'm having the same problem.

The weirdest thing is that this is happening only with servers that uses LVM and RAMDISK for boot.

Other servers are ok.

Any idea?

Thanks

----------

## Ant P.

Loadavg 1 with nothing using CPU time means there's a process blocked on I/O. If you're using an initramfs that might mean you didn't unmount things properly before calling switch_root.

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