"uptime" / "w" returning wrong number of logged on users

**gewone** · February 7th, 2012

Hi!

Code:

gewone@LOSANGELES:~$ w 09:12:22 up 164 days, 41 min, 6 users, load average: 0,01, 0,05, 0,12 USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT gewone pts/0 11-11-11-111.cus 09:10 0.00s 0.53s 0.01s w gewone@LOSANGELES:~$ uptime 09:12:23 up 164 days, 41 min, 6 users, load average: 0.01, 0.05, 0.12 gewone@LOSANGELES:~$

Why may it say that 6 users are logged on, when it's actually just me?
I know for a fact rebooting fixes the issue (I've had it before), but I don't want to.
What daemon/service should I restart to "get a clean slate", so to speak?

Cheers!

**HiImTye** · February 7th, 2012

try to list them all

Code:

sudo who -u -d

**gewone** · February 7th, 2012

Code:

gewone@LOSANGELES:~$ who -u -d
gewone   pts/0        2012-02-07 13:56   .         24416 (cust123.localty.isp.co.uk)
         pts/1        2011-12-08 20:34             21305 id=ts/1  term=0 exit=0
         pts/2        2012-02-07 13:56             22931 id=ts/2  term=0 exit=0
         pts/3        2011-11-11 22:47             31405 id=ts/3  term=0 exit=0
         pts/4        2011-11-07 20:36             11839 id=/4    term=0 exit=0
         pts/4        2011-11-09 20:00             23958 id=ts/4  term=0 exit=0
         pts/5        2011-11-09 20:00             24126 id=/5    term=0 exit=0
         pts/7        2011-11-09 19:30             24267 id=ts/7  term=0 exit=0
         pts/5        2011-12-15 22:59             18877 id=ts/5  term=0 exit=0
         pts/11       2011-11-09 20:00             24679 id=s/11  term=0 exit=0
         tty8         2011-12-13 11:55             27982 id=:1    term=0 exit=0
         pts/1        2011-12-11 17:14             28379 id=p1    term=0 exit=2

gewone@LOSANGELES:~$ who -u
gewone   pts/0        2012-02-07 13:56   .         24416 (cust123.localty.isp.co.uk)

gewone@LOSANGELES:~$ w
 13:57:47 up 164 days,  5:27,  6 users,  load average: 0,04, 0,08, 0,02
USER     TTY      FROM              LOGIN@   IDLE   JCPU   PCPU WHAT
gewone   pts/0    cust123.localty.isp.co.uk  13:56    0.00s  0.69s  0.01s w

Really weird.

Ideas?

**gewone** · February 19th, 2012

Bump.

Ideas?

**dcstar** · February 20th, 2012

Originally Posted by gewone

Bump.

Ideas?

You have the Process IDs of the sessions, see what they are doing.

**Khayyam** · February 20th, 2012

utmp (which "w" and "uptime" query) isn't very reliable, and can become corrupted. The following should clear the log

Code:

sudo tee /var/run/utmp </dev/null

HTH ... khay

**gewone** · February 20th, 2012

Originally Posted by Khayyam

utmp (which "w" and "uptime" query) isn't very reliable, and can become corrupted. The following should clear the log

Code:

sudo tee /var/run/utmp </dev/null

HTH ... khay

Oh my gosh.

I was just about to give up. Your trick there was amazing.
Now it seems "reset", it shows correct no. of users logged on.

Big thanks Khayyam. You are amazing!

**Khayyam** · February 20th, 2012

Your welcome ...

There is a reason, or particular combination of factors, that can cause this, but I can't for the life of me remember what exactly. If it comes to me I'll be sure and let you know, 'til then /dev/null is your BFF.

best ... khay