topic File Table Overflow in Operating System - HP-UX

File Table Overflow

Raghuram Ollakal_1 — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:49:52 GMT

I am getting a " File table overflow" error when I tried to open any application form my HP server, I am running HPUX 10.20 on a K-class server. Any body know the reson, and how to fix it. Please

Re: File Table Overflow

Patrick Wallek — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:53:03 GMT

It sounds like you have maxed out your nfile kernel parameter.

The only way to fix this is to increase the nfile kernel parameter, rebuild the kernel and reboot.

If you have glance installed you can try to use glance to check the current nfile usage.

Re: File Table Overflow

Jeff Schussele — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:54:09 GMT

Hi Raghuram,

You're running out of nfile entries. nfileLE is a kernel parameter specifying how many files may be open at one time.

The proper way to increase the value is to increase the maxusers value as nfile is derived as a formula based on maxusers.

So increase the maxusers & nfile will go up as well.

This will require a reboot.

Rgds,
Jeff

Re: File Table Overflow

S.K. Chan — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:56:45 GMT

The error means you have exceeded the maximum number of open files allowed on your system. Increase "nfile" will help. Run ..
# glance -t
and take a look at the "nfile" utilization (the %high) and you should see it's probably almost hit the upper limit.

Re: File Table Overflow

Tom Maloy — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:59:31 GMT

The kernel has a number of internal table structures, including a file table. When you run out of room in that table, you get a file table overflow.

The table size is controlled by a kernel parameter, nfile. You can check your current system performance with

sar -v

This will show you the file table size - current and maximum - and the number of overflows. For example:

00:00:01 text-sz ov proc-sz ov inod-sz ov file-sz ov
00:20:01 N/A N/A 350/3220 0 0/3924 0 6268/30906 0
00:40:01 N/A N/A 340/3220 0 0/3924 0 6258/30906 0
01:00:01 N/A N/A 371/3220 0 0/3924 0 6321/30906 0

This system has 30906 entries in the file table, and 6268 were in use at 00:20:01.

You will probably have to tune that kernel parameter with SAM, which will include a reboot.

Make sure that you have a good backup of the kernel before the reboot.

Tom

Re: File Table Overflow

Sajid_1 — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 16:02:26 GMT

Hello,

a) Normally this indicates the problem with 'nfile' value. You need to increase this.
b) Check the patch levels and apply the latest.
c) Run GlancePlus and find out application resource usage

Re: File Table Overflow

MANOJ SRIVASTAVA — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 16:08:58 GMT

Do a sar -v 2 10 and check for the value of nfile getting saturated , this you would need to increase using sam . This will be a good place to refer :

http://docs.hp.com/cgi-bin/fsearch/framedisplay?top=/hpux/onlinedocs/B8725-90003/B8725-90003_top.html&con=/hpux/onlinedocs/B8725-90003/00/00/34-con.html&toc=/hpux/onlinedocs/B8725-90003/00/00/34-toc.html&searchterms=kernel%7cparameters&queryid=20020822-101348

Manoj Srivastava

Re: File Table Overflow

Sajid_1 — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 16:17:29 GMT

This document tells the same error:
http://support1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en_US&docId=200000024603134

Doc ID - A4222348

Re: File Table Overflow

Jose Mariano Bueno — Fri, 01 Nov 2002 18:14:06 GMT

I have the same problem, but I am not able to run anything (ls, sam, sar, cp, mv, not even shutdown)

I am running HP-UX IIi on a rp5430 server.

Any advise????

Re: File Table Overflow

Gerardo J Oliva Galvan — Fri, 04 Jun 2004 14:43:20 GMT

Hi Mario
The OS you're using it's HP-UX 11i?
what user are you using? probably needs privileges or requires to review the PATH variable to check the access to the commands.