Quite often for no apparent reason syndaemon spins in "select"

[Clint Byrum]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

I don't know what leads to this, but my macbook pro 15" (5,1) will suddenly start running its fans and top always shows syndaemon at 100% CPU. strace shows its just spinning in a select call:

(in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])
select(5, [4], NULL, NULL, NULL) = 1 (in [4])

clint@clint-MacBookPro:~$ sudo lsof -n -p 2528
lsof: WARNING: can't stat() fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon file system /home/clint/.gvfs
      Output information may be incomplete.
COMMAND PID USER FD TYPE DEVICE SIZE/OFF NODE NAME
syndaemon 2528 clint cwd DIR 8,4 12288 8129857 /home/clint
syndaemon 2528 clint rtd DIR 8,4 4096 2 /
syndaemon 2528 clint txt REG 8,4 14728 6558807 /usr/bin/syndaemon
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 22496 6951528 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libXdmcp.so.6.0.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 10328 6951464 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libXau.so.6.0.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 73568 6964318 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libXext.so.6.4.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 14696 2795139 /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl-2.13.so
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 112992 6950234 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxcb.so.1.1.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 1638120 2794682 /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc-2.13.so
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 543104 2795357 /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm-2.13.so
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 22896 6555015 /usr/lib/libXtst.so.6.1.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 63800 6964392 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libXi.so.6.1.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 1285536 6951550 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libX11.so.6.3.0
syndaemon 2528 clint mem REG 8,4 141088 2794679 /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/ld-2.13.so
syndaemon 2528 clint 0r CHR 1,3 0t0 5386 /dev/null
syndaemon 2528 clint 1w CHR 1,3 0t0 5386 /dev/null
syndaemon 2528 clint 2u REG 8,4 80149 8126477 /home/clint/.xsession-errors
syndaemon 2528 clint 3u unix 0xffff880139662700 0t0 14160 socket
syndaemon 2528 clint 4u unix 0xffff8801470bb400 0t0 13135 socket

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics 1.3.99+git20110116.0e27ce3a-0ubuntu11
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia wl
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 270.41.03 Sat Apr 9 00:06:19 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu3)
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,staticswitcher,resize,fade,scale,session,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Sat Apr 16 12:25:45 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-01-03 09:36:04.836334
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation G96 [GeForce 9600M GT] [10de:0647] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Apple Computer Inc. Device [106b:00a9]
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release amd64 (20101008.1)
JockeyStatus:
 kmod:wl - Broadcom STA wireless driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use) [auto-install]
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookPro5,1
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=ed27950b-c6c0-4232-aa2b-c545364a68b8 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-01-12 (94 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 05/05/09
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MBP51.88Z.007E.B05.0905051508
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-F42D86C8
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: Proto
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F42D86C8
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBP51.88Z.007E.B05.0905051508:bd05/05/09:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro5,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F42D86C8:rvrProto:cvnAppleInc.:ct8:cvrMac-F42D86C8:
dmi.product.name: MacBookPro5,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu12
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7