File System is full

[augusto cossa]

Good Day,

I'm facing a big problem concernig /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log file like:

vmunix: file: table is full
vmunix: /home : file system full.
This message resulted on crashing the server and what I have done was restore the OS trough the Ignite Tape, but what I would like to know is if is there any way to control or to fixed this problem without restoring the entire OS.

Your help will be appreciated.

PS: I'm running HP-UX 10.20

[Dan Am · Accepted solution]

hi,
you must check which file or files are
cluttering up your /home.
you can use SAM for that
---> Routine Tasks ----> selective file removal

i once had a massive core-file do that
to the /home filesys, because some user was
messing with a process.

you could also use

find /home -size +2000

to identify large files, but sam is easier.


before you remove files, make sure you identify, what caused them.
handle accordingly, to prevent the problem
in the future.

[Andy Monks]

Either a filesystem or file table full, shouldn't requrie a reload (although it's been know to panic machines).

To fix the file table, change the kernel parameter 'nfile' or the macro value maxusers (which changes nfile and others).

As for the full filesystem, monitor the usage (but this shouldn't panic a machine).

[Thomas G. Tudrej]

Hi,

It is unlikely that /home getting 100% full would crash your system.
The filetable error is probably what you want to handle first. My suggestion is to increase the "nfile" parameter in the kernel, it is the highest number of open files allowed. You can use SAM to do it.

To take care of /home, you will have to either clean it up or expand it.

[Rick Garland]

"file table" is the nfile kernel parameter. Modify the kernel and increase the nfile parameter. Check to make sure that other kernel parameters are not using the nfile parameter. Be aware that some modifications to one parameter will cause a change in one or more other parameters. Some of the parameters are based on formulas. SAM is good for kernel modifications because it will tell you what the valid range of values are for each parameter.

"file system full" sounds like you may have some core files or (I've seen this alot) some graphic files is home directories. Do a find a clean out.

[Tommy Brown]

If I understand correctly, this occured during an Ignite recovery?? I had this happen once, with an older version of Ignite. The LVM/Filesystems were not built correctly allowing the "filesystem" to be restored as a directory. I would recommend that after you get the problems ironed out, that you verify the version of Ignite.
Tommy

[Bill Hassell]

vmunix: file: table is full

As mentioned before, this is the nfile parameter in the kernel. Most likely, your system is growing and the default parameters a very low. If you increase nfile, you may eventually get a message: vmunix: proc: table is full which menas that the parameter nproc needs to be doubled.

But rather than waiting parameters to hit the limit, leave these values in formula format (use SAM) then count the maximum number of users on the system, multiply by 2 and set maxusers to that value. Several params get changed at the same time.

vmunix: /home : file system full.

This is the user's home directory and the first thing a sysadmin learns is that users will fill up all the disk space they can access. Turn on quotas to solve the problem. To find the largest abusers:

du -kx /home | sort -rn > /var/tmp/du.home

This file will have the largest directories at the top. (don't look for big files, use du to find big directories first) Then use ll to see what files are there. To sort by size, use:

ll /home/what_ever | sort -rnk5 | more

You may find very large files or maybe hundreds of small files. Quotas will help keep things under control.