what is this "root - update" process...

[JeDiBoYTJ]

I opened my Activity Monitor because I heard my PowerBook's fans kick in, and all I was doing was surfing on Safari.

I noticed a root process was running called "update", and its using 65% of my CPU... I assume it has something to do with an 'update', but what exactly is it doing?

 

[daveL]

From "man update" in Terminal:

UPDATE(8) BSD System Manager's Manual UPDATE(8)

NAME
update -- flush internal filesystem caches to disk frequently

SYNOPSIS
update [normal_interval [save_energy_interval]]

DESCRIPTION
The update command helps protect the integrity of disk volumes by flush-
ing volatile cached filesystem data to disk at thirty second intervals.
Update uses the sync(2) function call to do the task. The normal_inter-
val and save_energy_interval can be used to set the sync(2) interval in
seconds of the normal case and the case where the computer is trying to
save energy.

Update is commonly invoked at startup time by rc(8) when the system goes
multi-user.

SEE ALSO
sync(2), fsck(8), init(8), rc(8), sync(8)

BUGS
It is possible on some systems that a sync occurring simultaneously with
a crash may cause file system damage. See fsck(8).

HISTORY
An update command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.

BSD April 19, 1994 BSD