User unable to create a file over 2 GB's in size

[AIXtexas]

Hello, this is my first post.

I have a user who cannot create a file over 2 GB's in size eventhough the FS is large file enabled and I added a special stanza in /etc/security/limits to allow an unlimited file size for this particular user (user1 - see below).

ibm:/home/root (4062)#cat /etc/security/limits

*
* Sizes are in multiples of 512 byte blocks, CPU time is in seconds
*
* fsize - soft file size in blocks
* core - soft core file size in blocks
* cpu - soft per process CPU time limit in seconds
* data - soft data segment size in blocks
* stack - soft stack segment size in blocks
* rss - soft real memory usage in blocks
* nofiles - soft file descriptor limit
* fsize_hard - hard file size in blocks
* core_hard - hard core file size in blocks
* cpu_hard - hard per process CPU time limit in seconds
* data_hard - hard data segment size in blocks
* stack_hard - hard stack segment size in blocks
* rss_hard - hard real memory usage in blocks
* nofiles_hard - hard file descriptor limit
*
* The following table contains the default hard values if the
* hard values are not explicitly defined:
*
* Attribute Value
* ========== ============
* fsize_hard set to fsize
* cpu_hard set to cpu
* core_hard -1
* data_hard -1
* stack_hard -1
* rss_hard -1
* nofiles_hard -1
*
* NOTE: A value of -1 implies "unlimited"
*

default:
fsize = 4194300
core = 4096
cpu = -1
data = 524288
rss = 131072
nofiles = 2000

root:

daemon:

bin:

sys:

adm:

uucp:

guest:

nobody:

lpd:

user1:
fsize = -1

I'm not sure where else to look to resolve this issue.

Thanks,
Shane

 

[rzs0502]

Is the user using the tar utility?


"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."

 

[AIXtexas]

No. There is no tar involved.

Thanks,
Shane

 

[kHz]

have the user run `ulimit -a`.

 

[tempest92]

has user1 logged off and logged on again to pick up changes in /etc/security/limits.

please post ulimt -a from user1

 

[AIXtexas]

Here is the ulimit -a output from the user:

$ ulimit -a
time(seconds) unlimited
file(blocks) 4194272
data(kbytes) 262144
stack(kbytes) 16384
memory(kbytes) unlimited
coredump(blocks) 4096
nofiles(descriptors) 2000

Thanks,
Shane

 

[kHz]

fsize is a soft limit and the hard limit is set to the soft limit if not explicitly set. You can edit the limits file. Add a line for user1 to 'fsize_hard = -1' or whatever value you want, if you don't want unlimited. Remember that these are 512-byte blocks not 1024.

 

[tempest92]

i vaguely remember seeing something like this before and i think i used smitty (smitty user) to change the file size to -1 for the user as opposed to directly editing /etc/security/limits and that worked. saying that i have also done as you did many times without getting any problems.

gary.

 

[mohmin]

If you make changes in /etc/security/limits file, you need a reboot.
otherwise if you dont want to reboot, try to make changes in ulimit settings, that does not need reboot i guess.

Mohmin.

 

[kHz]

You do NOT have to reboot if you make changes in /etc/security/limits.

 

[mohmin]

I am running AIX 5.2 and i talked to IBM recently abt fsize setting to infinity.
The guy said, if we make changes in /etc/security/limits we need a reboot and if directly do changes in ulimit setting, we dont need a reboot.
I am not sure if what the guy said is correct but thats what is the answer i got.

Mohmin.

 

[hirschaj]

Hi mohmin,

The IBM rep misinformed you. No reboot is needed, just a logoff/login for the user ID that you are making changes on.


Jim Hirschauer

http://www.aixexpert.com

 

[costiles]

I have many files that are 2Gbs and above in size. There are 2 places - at least that this needs to be setup - /etc/security/limits - fsize = -1
and then the file system needs to be large file enabled - one of the options to setting up a file system on an established logical volume. The third possibility is that if you are using a database manager such as unidata or Universe, you may have to set it up for large files as well.

 

[AIXtexas]

As a matter of fact this file is being created with UniData. But it was discovered that the job is put into a batch cycle and then executed as root. And root's fsize was set to 4194300. So we set root's fsize to -1 and all is well now.

Thanks everybody,
Shane