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RE: stat(2) triggers on-demand virus scan


> > The stat(2) system call runs very slowly because it is constantlt
> > triggering the McAfee on-demand virus scanner to scan the file that
> > is being stat'ed. This may not seem like a big thing but I
> > frequently stat thousands of files at a batch.  I find that the stat
> > runs much faster when I temporarily disable the on-demand virus
> > scanner.
>
> Judging from previous messages on this list it *seems* that one of the
> slowest things you can do in cygwin is accessing files; stat(),
> fopen() and the like.
>
>
> In general... FWIW/IMO; If you have the option to replace M*Af**[1]
> with a just as good an AV, then do that - I suggest to avoid
> Sym*ntec[2] products too as they seem to have similar problems.

I've reported similar issues with ZoneAlarm and its on-demand scanning.
This is the price that is paid on WinDoze for a generally less sure
environment and having to compensate with such tools.

That being said, I don't believe its reasonable to just give up or
constrain one's self to particular security products as a work around,
although their may be other reasons.  The choice of a given firewall or
security tool may not be an option, should this prohibit one from using
cygwin effectively in any given environment?

I'm still researching, I was going to respond this is posting at a
later time with more insight, but before things get out-of-hand, I
wanted to jump in.  I suppose I'm still hopeful that we can zero in
on what precisely is causing the on-demand scanners to consume so
much CPU. Since Windows programs don't trigger the same level of
response (or atleast they don't appear to) their must be some change
that can be made.

I've started to notice that even on one system that I have that is
relatively isolated, and not encumbered with security software, bash,
ssh, sh and other programs seems to consume an inordinate amount of CPU.

This thread points to stat, I've been looking at process creation,
perhaps it is a bit of both.  WinDoze systems tend to create monolithic
programs, where as UNIX/Linux/POSIX tend to create lots of small
programs and invoke them often, which inherently causes more file
accesses and process creation.  I suspect their are multiple issues, I
also suspect they can eventually be addressed.

Brett
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brett C. Serkez, Techie


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