Search AIX for core file, omitting /proc

Basically, the proc file system is not meant to be searched.
It is provided for compatibility to other UNIX (Linux) operating systems.
It does not actually exist on disk (except maybe some times in swap space).
So what you have is structure to access RAM for the kernel.
As users and processes come and go, files are created and deleted in this structure at a rapid pace.
So what is happening is that the files existed when the list for the directory was created and removed before find got to examine the file.
Answer is to stop searching the file system. You will not find any file you are looking for in this structure.

To demonstrate the symptom in your question.

# find . -print |grep etc | grep services
./var/adm/config/etc/services
./usr/lpp/bos.net/inst_root/etc/isoservices
./usr/lpp/bos.net/inst_root/etc/services
./etc/isoservices
./etc/security/services
./etc/services
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/110738.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/127194.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/94646.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/115172.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/233770.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/242018.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/311794.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/340404.
find: 0652-023 Cannot open file ./proc/389538.
#


To eliminate the symptom in your question.

# find . -print -fstype jfs |grep etc|grep services
./var/adm/config/etc/services
./usr/lpp/bos.net/inst_root/etc/isoservices
./usr/lpp/bos.net/inst_root/etc/services
./etc/isoservices
./etc/security/services
./etc/services
#


man page excerpt from man find:

      -fstype Type
            Evaluates to the value True if the file system to which the file belongs is of the specified
            type, where the Type variable has a value of jfs (journaled file system) or nfs (network file
            system).

If you are interested in further reading, the following link will get you to a discussion of the /proc file structure.

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/pseries/v5r3/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.aix.doc/doc/base/aixinformation.htm
Open: Files Reference > System Files > /proc


Purpose
Contains state information about processes and threads in the system.

Syntax
   #include <sys/procfs.h>
Description
The /proc file system provides access to the state of each active process and thread in the system. The name of each entry in the /proc file system is a decimal number corresponding to the process ID. These entries are subdirectories and the owner of each is determined by the user ID of the process. Access to the process state is provided by additional files contained within each subdirectory. Except where otherwise specified, the term /proc file is meant to refer to a non-directory file within the hierarchy rooted at /proc. The owner of each file is determined by the user ID of the process.

The various /proc directory, file, and field names contain the term lwp (light weight process). This term refers to a kernel thread. The /proc files do not refer to user space pthreads. While the operating system does not use the term lwp to describe its threads, it is used in the /proc file system for compatibility with other UNIX operating systems.

OK, perfect hint from robertfwoods, but consider the actual fstype you are running. I strongly assume that it's jfs2!
Check the types of your FSs by issuing 'mount' and looking at the 4th column.
If it's actually jfs2, use
find / -type f -fstype jfs2 -name core
wmp





 

hi,
I usually use one of 2 solutions. hide stderr or looking selectively.

I have seen that woolmilkporc has already given them respecively in
wkr3 and (very elegant) in wrkr2.

Futhermore the time that the system loose to find inside /proc is little.

Hiding stderr, can hide also errors that can be useful to see.
I try to give a different application for xdev qualifier. (it prevents to "traverse" filesystem)

In your script you can define a routine and call it for fs that you think important

Find()
{
find $1 -xdev -name core
}
......
Find /
Find /var
Find /yourfs
...

bye
vic

Hi again,
just back from a short spring break I re-read my first comment: Of course, in alternative 1, I meant to say "use GNU find" and not "grep". Sorry!

wmp

I ended up ust redirecting stderr since the machine is procduction and I have to just through too much red tape (i know....it's just gnu find) just to get the change mgmt board to approve the install.

Thanks for your help !!!