vmunix: file: table is full ?

[Gary Yu]

Hi experts,

One of our HPUX boxes is a heavy loaded test machine, sometimes I can only login as root user, all 'su - username' failed, I checked the syslog, there were some entries said " vmunix: file: table is full", after I stopped some applications or reboot the machine, it back to normal again.

So what kernel parameter is(are) related with this system error message?

Thanks!

[G.Kumar]

Increase kerenel parameter nfile.

GK

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

That would be the nfile parameter, which if you use the default formula is controlled by maxusers, nproc, npty and nstrpty.

http://docs.hp.com/hpux/onlinedocs/os/KCparam.Nfile.html

http://docs.hp.com/hpux/onlinedocs/os/KCparams.OverviewAll.html

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi Gary:

That one is 'nfile'; it is also common for 'nproc' to need increasing as well.

Clay

[linuxfan]

Hi Gary,

Looks like you are running out of nfile parameter

Increase the value either using SAM or manually
Will need a reboot

-Ramesh

[Santosh Nair_1]

Gary,

Most likely you're running into the nfile kernel parameter limit. This parameter controls the number file handles that the kernel can have open at any given point in time.

You can use sam to set the kernel parameter or use kmtune -s nfile, mk_kernel and kmupdate and reboot the machine.

-Santosh

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Gary:

My colleagues have pointed you to the kernel parameter and documentation you need to review.

You can use 'sar -v' to monitor critical, kernel tables like 'nfile' by looking at the column "file-sz". This shows the current, maximum and number of times an overflow has occured.

# sar -v 5 10

...will sample every 5-seconds, ten times.

If you have 'glance' you can also track table utilization by toggling the [t] menu.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Lai Chun Yip]

Are there any cases that some files are opened, utilized few nfiles, but cannot be released forever? eg if a process dead unexpectly, is it possible the 'nfile' hold by the proc cannot be released? cause the nfile accumulated and reach the limit

thanks