PS output is not displaying full process running

UNIX HP-UX
1

I have 4 HPUX 11.31 servers with the same Quality Pack bundles. "AS FAR AS I CAN TELL" no system files have been modified.

  • /usr/bin/ps is the same date size and creation date
  • terminfo file (x-->xterm) is the same date size and creation date
  • shell (ksh) is the same date size and creation date

on all 4 nodes.

This problem appears using either a xterm emulator or a putty ssh session.
The TERM type is xterm

echo $TERM
xterm

PROBLEM:
On one of the nodes, a ps -ef output does not show the full output of the process command running as it does on the other 3 servers.

From the script -

ps -ef | egrep -e '-Dn='$RESOURCE

($Resource is name of the process we are grep'ing on)

From the command line -

ps -ef | egrep -e '-Dn='Bob1

(or Bob2) (depends which process is on which box).
This is a Service guard package so Bob1 is on Node 1 and Bob2 is on Node 2.
Bob1 output shows up fully as expected. Bob2 output gets truncated.
When Bob2 is on Node 1, the output is normal (complete line is displayed).
So it seems to be following the Node. Just do not know where to begin looking to solve this.

2

Did you try using extended format option?

-x             Shows the command line in extended format.
3

Yes, we have, and it solves the issue, but, why would that have changed and it is not needed on the other 3 boxes.

4 
# getconf ARG_MAX
# UNIX95=1 ps -ef | cat
# kctune | egrep 'ps|proc'
# type ps; which ps

Any diffference?

5

Yes.
The UNIX95 shows the truncated command being ran on the ailing node.
Rest are the same.