Ubuntu constantly downloading something

fread · 12-03-2010, 09:09 AM

My Ubuntu box seems to be constantly downloading something. I cant seem to figure out what exactly it is downloading. Im not very familiar with the network commands but the system monitor indicates a non-stop download between 5Kb and 15kb for 2 days now. At present i have download 408Mib of data. Any thoughts?

PTrenholme · 12-03-2010, 10:06 AM

Well, you can see everything that's running on your system by running (in a terminal window) the command sudo pstree -a

IIRC, on Ubuntu systems, the terminal command is under the system menu entry.

Notes:
1) The sudo in the commend may not be necessary.
2) The pstree output is quite long. Be prepared to scroll up and down.
3) Look for command lines that use command that access the network. (For example, that contain "dpk" in the command line, since those are Debian packages packages; or "apt" in the command name, since most system update commands are based on the "apt" system.)

What I suspect is that your system is preparing an automatic upgrade to a newer Ubuntu release, or that you installed from an older DVD (or CD), and that you system is quite out-of-date. If either of those possibilities is correct, you are downloading a quite large amount of updated program material. But your system will be better for it when the updates are installed.

Oen of the nice things about Linux system is that new releases and fixes to your programs are, usually, free and automatically installed. But, if your system is "behind," downloading the newer programs can take a long while unless you have a high-speed connection.

fread · 12-03-2010, 03:43 PM

I ran the command you suggested. I did not notice anything from apt or dpk. From my amateur knowledge i dont think these processes are accessing the internet. The following is the output of the command: pstree -a

Code:

frost@frost-laptop-vaio:~$ sudo pstree -a
[sudo] password for frost: 
init
  ├─NetworkManager
  │   ├─dhclient -d -sf /usr/lib/NetworkManager/nm-dhcp-client.action -pf...
  │   └─{NetworkManager}
  ├─acpid -c /etc/acpi/events -s /var/run/acpid.socket
  ├─acroread/media/2C7A-9A42/uwi/comp 3100
  │   └─{acroread}
  ├─atd
  ├─avahi-daemon
  │   └─avahi-daemon
  ├─bonobo-activati --ac-activate--ior-output-f
  │   └─{bonobo-activat}
  ├─clock-applet--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_ClockApplet_Fa
  ├─console-kit-dae --no-daemon
  │   └─63*[{console-kit-da}]
  ├─cron
  ├─cupsd -C /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
  ├─dbus-daemon --system --fork
  ├─dbus-daemon --fork --print-pid 5 --print-address 7 --session
  ├─dbus-launch --exit-with-session
  ├─dbus-launch --exit-with-session gnome-session
  ├─evolution-data---oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_Ev
  │   └─2*[{evolution-data}]
  ├─evolution-excha--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNO
  │   └─{evolution-exch}
  ├─firefox /usr/lib/firefox-3.6.12/firefox
  │   └─run-mozilla.sh /usr/lib/firefox-3.6.12/run-mozilla.sh...
  │       └─firefox-bin
  │           ├─plugin-containe/usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflash
  │           │   └─4*[{plugin-contain}]
  │           └─13*[{firefox-bin}]
  ├─gcalctool
  ├─gconfd-2
  ├─gdm-binary
  │   ├─gdm-simple-slav --display-id /org/gnome/DisplayManager/Display1
  │   │   ├─Xorg :0 -nr -verbose -auth ...
  │   │   ├─gdm-session-wor
  │   │   │   ├─gnome-session
  │   │   │   │   ├─bluetooth-apple
  │   │   │   │   ├─cairo-dock
  │   │   │   │   ├─compiz
  │   │   │   │   │   └─sh -c /usr/bin/compiz-decorator
  │   │   │   │   │       └─gtk-window-deco
  │   │   │   │   ├─evolution-alarm
  │   │   │   │   │   └─{evolution-alar}
  │   │   │   │   ├─gdu-notificatio
  │   │   │   │   ├─gnome-panel
  │   │   │   │   ├─gnome-power-man
  │   │   │   │   │   └─{gnome-power-ma}
  │   │   │   │   ├─nautilus
  │   │   │   │   ├─nm-applet --sm-disable
  │   │   │   │   ├─pidgin
  │   │   │   │   │   └─{pidgin}
  │   │   │   │   ├─polkit-gnome-au
  │   │   │   │   ├─python /usr/share/system-config-printer/applet.py
  │   │   │   │   ├─ssh-agent /usr/bin/dbus-launch --exit-with-session ...
  │   │   │   │   ├─update-notifier
  │   │   │   │   └─{gnome-session}
  │   │   │   └─{gdm-session-wo}
  │   │   └─{gdm-simple-sla}
  │   └─{gdm-binary}
  ├─getty -8 38400 tty4
  ├─getty -8 38400 tty5
  ├─getty -8 38400 tty2
  ├─getty -8 38400 tty3
  ├─getty -8 38400 tty6
  ├─getty -8 38400 tty1
  ├─gnome-keyring-d --daemonize --login
  │   └─2*[{gnome-keyring-}]
  ├─gnome-screensav
  ├─gnome-settings-
  ├─gnome-terminal
  │   ├─bash
  │   │   └─pstree -a
  │   ├─gnome-pty-helpe
  │   └─{gnome-terminal}
  ├─gvfs-afc-volume
  │   └─{gvfs-afc-volum}
  ├─gvfs-fuse-daemo /home/frost/.gvfs
  │   └─3*[{gvfs-fuse-daem}]
  ├─gvfs-gdu-volume
  ├─gvfs-gphoto2-vo
  ├─gvfsd
  ├─gvfsd-burn --spawner :1.6 /org/gtk/gvfs/exec_spaw/1
  ├─gvfsd-computer --spawner :1.6 /org/gtk/gvfs/exec_spaw/3
  ├─gvfsd-metadata
  ├─gvfsd-trash --spawner :1.6 /org/gtk/gvfs/exec_spaw/0
  ├─hald
  │   ├─hald-runner
  │   │   ├─hald-addon-acpi
  │   │   ├─hald-addon-cpuf
  │   │   ├─hald-addon-gene
  │   │   ├─hald-addon-gene
  │   │   ├─hald-addon-inpu
  │   │   ├─hald-addon-rfki
  │   │   └─hald-addon-stor
  │   └─{hald}
  ├─indicator-apple--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNO
  │   └─{indicator-appl}
  ├─indicator-me-se
  ├─indicator-sessi
  ├─modem-manager
  ├─mount.ntfs /dev/sda2 /media/sda2 -o rw,nls=utf8,umask=0222
  ├─mount.ntfs-3g /dev/sda4 /media/Storage -o rw,locale=en_US.utf8
  ├─mount.ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /media/System_Reserved -o rw,locale=en_US.utf8
  ├─multiload-apple--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_MultiL
  ├─netspeed_applet--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_NetspeedApple
  ├─nmbd -D
  ├─notification-ar--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_No
  ├─notify-osd
  ├─polkitd
  ├─pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
  │   ├─gconf-helper
  │   └─2*[{pulseaudio}]
  ├─rsyslogd -c4
  │   └─3*[{rsyslogd}]
  ├─rtkit-daemon
  │   └─2*[{rtkit-daemon}]
  ├─smbd -F
  │   └─smbd -F
  ├─snort -m 027 -D -d -l /var/log/snort -u snort -g snort -c/etc/snort/s
  ├─soffice.bin -impress/media/2C7A-9A42/uwi/comp 3100/
  │   └─5*[{soffice.bin}]
  ├─syndaemon -i 0.5 -k
  ├─trashapplet--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_Panel_TrashAp
  ├─ubuntuone-syncd /usr/lib/ubuntuone-client/ubuntuone-syncdaemon
  │   └─{ubuntuone-sync}
  ├─udevd --daemon
  │   ├─udevd --daemon
  │   └─udevd --daemon
  ├─udisks-daemon
  │   ├─udisks-daemon
  │   └─{udisks-daemon}
  ├─upowerd
  ├─upstart-udev-br --daemon
  ├─winbindd
  │   ├─winbindd
  │   ├─winbindd
  │   └─winbindd
  ├─wnck-applet--oaf-activate-iid=OAFIID:GNOME_Wncklet_Factory
  └─wpa_supplicant -u -s
frost@frost-laptop-vaio:~$

I am running Lucid Lynx(LTS) and i usually try updating between everyday and every other day so i doubt it is an update. I am wondering however if it is, as you said, preparing to upgrade to a new version probably Ubuntu 10.10.
My main concern is data being downloaded to the tune that can fill a hard disk over a couple of months.

pattwo · 12-03-2010, 09:56 PM

try the program nethogs. It gives you a top like display of programs accessing your network interfaces.

Code:

sudo apt-get install nethogs

then run it

Code:

sudo nethogs [interface name]

where [interface name] is replaced by whatever network interface you're seeing the traffic on (eth0, eth1 or whatever)

HTH

PTrenholme · 12-04-2010, 10:48 AM

pattwo, thanks! I hadn't noticed NetHogs before now. Nice program. (And I bumped your rep.)

fread · 12-04-2010, 02:33 PM

This is mostly the output:
NetHogs version 0.7.0

Code:

  PID USER     PROGRAM                      DEV        SENT      RECEIVED       
9441  frost    /usr/lib/firefox-3.6.12/fir  wlan0      0.013       0.000 KB/sec
0     root     unknown TCP                             0.000       0.000 KB/sec

  TOTAL                                                0.013       0.000 KB/sec

Not sure what to make of it

PTrenholme · 12-04-2010, 10:52 PM

Try it with the -d 60 switch so it updates every minute. On my Fedora system, I see:

Code:

7373  Peter    /usr/lib64/firefox-3.6/fire  wlan0      1.269       4.554 KB/sec
7582  Peter    /usr/lib64/xulrunner-1.9.2/  wlan0      0.013       0.019 KB/sec
17073 root     /usr/bin/python              wlan0      0.000       0.000 KB/sec
2708  Peter    /usr/bin/skype               wlan0      0.000       0.000 KB/sec
0     root     unknown TCP                             0.000       0.000 KB/sec

with an update (xulrunner and python), Skype, and Firefox running. (The root TCP is, I think, the "localhost" connection.)

From what you posted, I looks like the only thing using your connection is Firefox. Perhaps you have a site that's reloading it's page(s) every 10 seconds or so. That would make you connection look like it was always on, but your drive wouldn't be filling up.

fread · 12-05-2010, 11:41 AM

The output looks basically the same. Now i observed this while i was on campus for the past week. I came home this weekend and i realised that the monitors reports zero usage sometimes just about 1Kb when i am idle. So i am tempted to believe that there is some kind of communication that is necessary when i am on campus. Probably server - host communications. My mind is at piece now. Thanks for your help.