Random core dumps in home directory

[Tom 'Needs A Hat' Mitchell]

On Sun, May 02, 2004 at 03:03:50AM -0700, VB wrote:
> 
> Why would I get random core dumps in my home directory
> every now and then after I've started my system (or
> maybe it's during login?)?
> 
> I know this question has been asked before, I think. 
> Searching the archive was little help.  Somebody
> suggested "limit coredumpsize 0" to prevent it.  But
> why does it happen??

Core dumps are generated when some program fails.  In general this
should not happen.  So we need to know what program is dumping core.

What does "file *core* " tell you?  It would be good to fix the
problem, but we do not yet know what process is failing.  A program
can dump core for any number of reasons.  Bad program, mismatched
library, bad input, impossible output, missing resource... ......  the
first step is to find out what process dumps core.

     $ ls -l *core*
     $ file *core*

With bash as your shell, you can use the bash builtin command "ulimit"
to set the limits.  With tcsh as your shell, you should be able to use
the tcsh builtin command "limit".

    tcsh $ limit  coredumpsize 0  

-- 
	T o m  M i t c h e l l 
	/dev/null the ultimate in secure storage.