Why running /etc/init.d/crond status displays “crond dead but pid file exists” ?

Solution Unverified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Cron

Issue

  • Running /etc/init.d/crond status displays “crond dead but pid file exists”
        # /etc/init.d/crond status
        crond dead but pid file exists

Resolution

  • Verify from ps aux that crond is in a zombie state and kill the crond pid.
        # ps aux
        # killall crond
        # cat /var/run/crond.pid
        # kill -9 <crond pid>
  • Check the status of crond status

        # /etc/init.d/crond status
        crond dead but pid file exists
        # /etc/init.d/crond stop
        Stopping crond:                                           [FAILED]
        # /etc/init.d/crond status
        crond is stopped
        # /etc/init.d/crond start
        Starting crond:                                  [  OK  ]
        # /etc/init.d/crond status
        crond (pid  22723) is running...

Root Cause

  • Crond is in a zombie state.

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