dbus-daemon uses 100% of a core's cpu time, makes it impossible to start any applications

[S4qFBxkFFg]

Binary package hint: dbus

Occasionally, applications will not start (although, if already started, they continue to run fine). I usually have a console with top running, and when this happens it is always when dbus-daemon is using 100% of a core and has been running for several minutes.

Killing the process will start any application that I was "waiting on", but no new applications can be started. (preventing the use of any bug reporting tools - I can only use launchpad right now as Firefox was already open)

Recovery is only possible with ctrl-alt-backspace.

This happens on 10.10 (Maverick).

Issue also described at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10571418

[Even Nedberg (nedberg)]

Same problem for me! Using Kubuntu 10.10.

[Mitch Oliver (mitch-oliver)]

I've noticed that when this occurs in Kubuntu (10.10) killing the following applications has temporarily resolved the issue:
 - quassel
 - rekonq

When I attach with gdb I get this stack trace:
#0 callback_unref (cb=0x7fee5a944850) at dbus-mainloop.c:160
#1 0x00007fee58fdfaa0 in _dbus_loop_iterate (loop=0x7fee5a6781e0, block=<value optimized out>)
    at dbus-mainloop.c:841
#2 0x00007fee58fdfefd in _dbus_loop_run (loop=0x7fee5a6781e0) at dbus-mainloop.c:875
#3 0x00007fee58fc60cb in main (argc=<value optimized out>, argv=<value optimized out>)
    at main.c:526

Attaching dbus monitoring utilities proves unhelpful; they seem to block waiting for the same thing other applications are waiting for.

Is this a duplicate of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dbus/+bug/680444?

[S4qFBxkFFg (s4qfbxkffg)]

Hmm, didn't see that one earlier - I've marked it as a duplicate of 680444, if it still happens in natty I'll note it there.

[Ariel Faigon (ariel.faigon)]

I used to see this in maverick occasionally.
After upgrading to natty, it happens much more frequently, every 2 days or so.

So to comment #3: definitely happens in natty.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[ErikBerglund (a-launchpad-snap-345-blog-no)]

Still happens in Natty.