"w" command user count

brian4xp · 08-10-2009, 02:59 PM

Where does the "w" command get it's user count from?

I've seen it match the number of users listed and I've also seen it higher than the number of users listed, so it's apparently counting user processses that it isn't listing at times.

Right now I checked a Redhat 7.1 (not Fedora, Redhat) system where the w gave the exact number of users it listed, a Fedora 10 system where the count was 1 more than the users listed, and another Fedora system where the count was 11 more than it listed.

Can anyone tell me what is going on?

choogendyk · 08-10-2009, 07:29 PM

See `man w` -- under files -- /var/run/utmp - information about who is currently logged on.

Your explanation of differences is insufficiently clear. What do you mean by "number of users listed" as opposed to "its user count"? Are you noting multiple sessions where the same user has logged in more than once?

brian4xp · 08-11-2009, 08:11 AM

I mean this:

Code:

[root@server0 ~]# w
 09:06:06 up 13 days,  2:05, 21 users,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00
USER     TTY      FROM              LOGIN@   IDLE   JCPU   PCPU WHAT
user01   ttyD009  -                29Jul09  4days  0.01s  0.00s -bash
root     pts/5    192.168.1.10     09:06    0.00s  0.03s  0.00s w
user01   ttyD008  -                07:14    1:13m  0.27s  0.01s -bash
user02   pts/1    192.168.1.5      07:18    2:30   5.83s  0.01s -bash
user03   pts/0    192.168.1.3      07:27   22.00s  1.56s  0.00s -bash
user04   pts/2    192.168.1.14     07:51    1.00s  1.13s  0.01s -bash
user05   pts/3    192.168.1.4      08:03    1.00s  0.52s  0.01s -bash
user06   pts/4    192.168.1.2      08:05   24.00s  1.70s  0.01s -bash

It says 21 users (user count) but only lists 8 (one user is logged on twice)

choogendyk · 08-12-2009, 05:49 PM

It's gotta be something to do with background processes or something. I have looked at my systems and none of them show a discrepancy. But we typically don't have many users using shell sessions. Basically just the sysadmins. Have you compared who, whodo, ps, and other things?