I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate database,
which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely annoying
when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU intensive and
then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to disable updatedb
from automatically kicking in? Thanx

Hello

Al Leitch (<al_3*&leitch@yahoo.com>) wrote:

> I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate
> database, which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely
> annoying when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU
> intensive and then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to
> disable updatedb from automatically kicking in?

Normally, this is run as a daily cron job. If you use anacron,
check /etc/cron.daily for the updatedb, locate or find script or
whatever it is called by your distribution.

If it is started at strange times, this is maybe because you use anacron
to run cron jobs on a system that is not up 24/7, and that is switched
off when the normal cron jobs woule be run. Maybe there is way to
reconfigure anacron to match your needs better.

best regards
Andreas Janssen

--
Andreas Janssen <andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com>
PGP-Key-ID: 0xDC801674 ICQ #17079270
Registered Linux User #267976
http://www.andreas-janssen.de/debian-tipps.html

In comp.os.linux.setup, Al Leitch uttered these immortal words:

> I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate database,
> which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely annoying
> when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU intensive and
> then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to disable updatedb
> from automatically kicking in? Thanx

Mine's run by the script /etc/cron.daily/find which is run by cron on adaily
basis. If I want to disable it I would either move it or remove it's
executable permissions.

It's normally run at stupid o'clock in the morning so maybe you should check
out why it's running when you don't want it to. It only takes a minute to
run anyway here which is something I can put up with.

--
Andy.

In comp.os.linux.setup, Andreas Janssen uttered these immortal words:

> If it is started at strange times, this is maybe because you use anacron
> to run cron jobs on a system that is not up 24/7, and that is switched
> off when the normal cron jobs woule be run. Maybe there is way to
> reconfigure anacron to match your needs better.

I run Anacron on my desktops. It's set to start 5 mins after boot for
cron.daily stuff so it runs while I'm making my coffee in the mornings. If
Anacron is in use it could be badly configured. Just in case, the line
should read something like:

1 5 cron.daily nice run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily

--
Andy.

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 14:31:21 -0700, Al Leitch wrote:
> I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate database,
> which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely annoying
> when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU intensive and
> then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to disable updatedb
> from automatically kicking in? Thanx

I moved the cron job from /etc/cron.daily to /etc/cron.weekly.
Hey, move to monthly if you do not load packages weekly.

"Al Leitch" <al_3*&leitch@yahoo.com> a écrit dans le message de
news:x_KdnR7G4f_xI7rcRVn-iA@comcast.com...
> I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate database,
> which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely annoying
> when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU intensive and
> then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to disable updatedb
> from automatically kicking in? Thanx
>

Either remove the script which triggers the updatedb in /etc/cron.daily
("grep -r updatedb /etc/cron.daily" to find ou which one it is if the name is
not obvious...)
or better, adjust the job trigger time so suit your needs by editing
/etc/crontab and
changing the line which call /etc/cron.daily. Have it run while you're at lunch
or something...

Al Leitch wrote:
> I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate database,
> which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely annoying
> when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU intensive and
> then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to disable updatedb
> from automatically kicking in? Thanx
>
I find the easiest thing is just to leave my machines running 24/7.

There are several benefits:

I can be sure the necessary cron jobs run, and I have /etc/crontab set so
they happen when I am asleep. In addition to updatedb, it runs logrotate
that keeps /var/log from filling up, runs my backup program so I can be
sure it gets done, runs tripwire so I get a clue if some cracker or
incompetant operator (me) messes up critical files, cleans out up2date
spool files, ... .

This machine has 6 hard drives (ridiculous, but true), and they last
longer if you do not turn them on and off everyday.

It helps heat the house in winter. ;-)

--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642.
/V\ Registered Machine 241939.
/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
^^-^^ 07:55:00 up 17 days, 23:32, 3 users, load average: 4.27, 4.24, 4.23

"Jean-David Beyer" <jdbeyer@exit109.com> wrote in message
news:10ih2nvm4jskb65@corp.supernews.com...
> Al Leitch wrote:
> > I understand that Updatedb is neccesary to update the slocate database,
> > which allows for fast file finding. However, it's extremely annoying
> > when I'm doing something, especially something a bit CPU intensive and
> > then updatedb kicks in. Could anyone tell me how to disable updatedb
> > from automatically kicking in? Thanx
> >
> I find the easiest thing is just to leave my machines running 24/7.
>
> There are several benefits:

You can also edit the script to renice the updatedb job and wildly lower its
priority. This works well until you deal with a genuinely humongous file
system and it takes over 24 hours to do, in which case you should only be
doing it once a week or once a month anyway.

> I can be sure the necessary cron jobs run, and I have /etc/crontab set so
> they happen when I am asleep. In addition to updatedb, it runs logrotate
> that keeps /var/log from filling up, runs my backup program so I can be
> sure it gets done, runs tripwire so I get a clue if some cracker or
> incompetant operator (me) messes up critical files, cleans out up2date
> spool files, ... .
>
> This machine has 6 hard drives (ridiculous, but true), and they last
> longer if you do not turn them on and off everyday.
>
> It helps heat the house in winter. ;-)

Yeah, it can be helpful. The trade-off in drive lifespan of leaving them
alive and avoiding wear and tear and thermal load on them, vs the cost of
the electricity, vs. the risk of starting and stopping the drives and the
stress that creates, is an interesting one.

In article <10ih2nvm4jskb65@corp.supernews.com>, Jean-David Beyer wrote:
>I find the easiest thing is just to leave my machines running 24/7.

Agreed

>There are several benefits:
>
>I can be sure the necessary cron jobs run, and I have /etc/crontab set so
>they happen when I am asleep. In addition to updatedb, it runs logrotate
>that keeps /var/log from filling up, runs my backup program so I can be
>sure it gets done, runs tripwire so I get a clue if some cracker or
>incompetant operator (me) messes up critical files, cleans out up2date
>spool files, ... .

That's the big ones for me too.

>This machine has 6 hard drives (ridiculous, but true), and they last
>longer if you do not turn them on and off everyday.
>
>It helps heat the house in winter. ;-)

Hard to tell where the OP is located, but I'm in Arizona. Right now,
it's a chilly 90F/32C on the patio - by this time of day, it should
be over 104F/40C. I've got 7 Tons of central air conditioning trying
to hold the temps to a reasonable value without paying $BIGNUM dollars
for power. Still, in Winter, when it's down in the 50F/10C range
overnight, I do appriciate the extra heat. ;-)

Old guy

Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote (in part):

>>This machine has 6 hard drives (ridiculous, but true), and they last
>>longer if you do not turn them on and off everyday.
>>
>>It helps heat the house in winter. ;-)
>
>
> Yeah, it can be helpful. The trade-off in drive lifespan of leaving them
> alive and avoiding wear and tear and thermal load on them, vs the cost of
> the electricity, vs. the risk of starting and stopping the drives and the
> stress that creates, is an interesting one.
>
>
The compartment of the full tower where the 4 10,000rpm SCSI hard drives
are (and a CD-ROM drive and a VXA-2 tape drive) has two 80mm intake fans
and two 80mm exhaust fans to keep the hard drives cool, so the thermal
load is less than it might otherwise be. In the bottom of the tower are
three intake fans. An 80mm fan blows right onto the front of the two
7200rpm EIDE hard drives, which might cool them a little.

--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642.
/V\ Registered Machine 241939.
/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
^^-^^ 18:40:00 up 18 days, 10:17, 4 users, load average: 7.95, 6.15, 5.03