Sometimes when using subprocess, the fork is racing with the parent's waitpid and wins. This leads to OS Error exception. In practice the only problem in this state is that the parent lost the childs return code. For example: File "/usr/share/vdsm/storage/misc.py", line 61, in execCmd (out, err) = p.communicate(data) File "/usr/lib64/python2.4/subprocess.py", line 1083, in communicate self.wait() File "/usr/lib64/python2.4/subprocess.py", line 1007, in wait pid, sts = os.waitpid(self.pid, 0) OSError: [Errno 10] No child processes
*** Bug 500805 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
The info on how to reproduce the problem and a proposed fixed can be found here: "Bug 498978 - Python subprocess module have a race" (OVIRT)
according to RPM changelog it's all in the latest python RPM: * Tue May 26 2009 James Antill <james.antill> - 2.4.3-26.el5 - Add workaround for subprocess import with threads - Resolves: 499095 - Resolves: rhbz#499097 - Resolves: rhbz#498979 http://cvs.devel.redhat.com/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/rpms/python/RHEL-5/python.spec
An advisory has been issued which should help the problem described in this bug report. This report is therefore being closed with a resolution of ERRATA. For more information on therefore solution and/or where to find the updated files, please follow the link below. You may reopen this bug report if the solution does not work for you. http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2009-1402.html