Fix ClawdBot Zombie PID Error on Mac
Complete solution for the "zombie PID causing system to hang" error that affects Mac Mini users running ClawdBot 24/7.
Is This Your Problem?
Terminal hangs after starting ClawdBot
CPU usage spikes to 100%+
System becomes unresponsive
Force quit doesn't help
Error mentions "zombie" or "defunct" process
If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you likely have a zombie PID issue.
Quick Fix Steps
Step 1: Find the zombie process
Terminal
$ps aux | grep defunct
This shows any zombie processes on your system
Step 2: Kill the parent process
Terminal
$kill -9 <parent_pid>
Replace <parent_pid> with the actual PID from step 1
Step 3: Clean up Node processes
Terminal
$killall node
Terminates all running Node.js processes
Step 4: Restart ClawdBot
Terminal
$clawdbot start
Start fresh after cleanup
Why This Happens
Zombie processes occur when a child process finishes but the parent process doesn't properly collect its exit status. On Mac Mini running ClawdBot 24/7, this commonly happens when:
- The system goes to sleep and wakes up
- Network connections are interrupted
- Memory pressure causes process issues
- Node.js child processes don't exit cleanly
Permanent Solution
Our Mac Mini 24/7 Package Includes:
- Proper process management configuration
- Auto-restart on crashes
- Sleep prevention settings
- Memory optimization
- Zombie process cleanup scripts