Browser hangs with exec, HELP!!!!!

Hello guys, I hope you can help me with this one. I have this small php script where I make this call: exec( EscapeShellCmd( "/home/dbuser/myprocess.sh & > /home/dbuser/logfile.log 2>&1" ) ); the script is something like this: #!/bin/bash killall myprocessa killall myprocessb /home/dbuser/restartoldprocesses.sh & exit 0 The script executes with no problems but the browser hangs and never returns!!! then I go the the shell and run ps -ax and get this: <some_processid> ? Z 0:00 [myprocess.sh <defunct>] I'm running php 4.02 with apache 1.3.14 with gp, mysql, psql, ttf, jpeg and gif supports. I've read every single line of the php manual pages about executing shell processes and it doesn't make any sense what is happening to my script. Please HELP!!!!! HELP!!!!! HELP!!!!! Claudio Santana.