Large file sizes (>2 GB)

Kane Tse

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Mar 14, 2003, 6:38:25 PM3/14/03

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We are running a file server with AIX 4.3, however, we can't create a file
that is > 2 GB in size.

We have adjusted the /etc/security/limits file to allow unlimited filesizes.
This is confirmed when using the 'ulimit -a' command, that is no limit on
file size.

[root@intpsrv tmp]# ulimit -a
core file size (blocks) 1048575
data seg size (kbytes) 131072
file size (blocks) unlimited
max memory size (kbytes) 32768
open files 2000
pipe size (512 bytes) 64
stack size (kbytes) 32768
cpu time (seconds) unlimited
max user processes 262144
virtual memory (kbytes) unlimited

Secondly, we are writing this file to a JFS file system was created with
'Large File Enabled' according to smit/smitty.

To test the file system, I used 'lmktemp' to create a 1 GB file and then
'cat' the file 3 times to create a 3 gig file.

[root@intpsrv tmp]# cat 1gig 1gig 1gig > 3gig
cat: 0652-054 Cannot write to output.
Error 0
cat: 0652-054 Cannot write to output.
A file cannot be larger than the value set by ulimit.
[root@intpsrv tmp]#

I did a Google search; but only found the two items listed above
(/etc/security/limits and 'Large File Enabled'). Is there something I
missed?

PS I'm an AIX newbie.

Thanks in advance.

nospam Bob Mariotti

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Mar 15, 2003, 3:31:55 PM3/15/03

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On Fri, 14 Mar 2003 15:38:25 -0800, "Kane Tse"
<ktse@**NOJUNKMAIL**.interomex.com> wrote:

>We are running a file server with AIX 4.3, however, we can't create a file
>that is > 2 GB in size.
>
>We have adjusted the /etc/security/limits file to allow unlimited filesizes.

>This is confirmed when using the 'ulimit -a' command, that is no limit to the file size

What program is creating the file? Check the version and date of that
program because that might be what is limiting the file size.

Hans-Joachim Ehlers

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Mar 17, 2003, 4:11:07 AM3/17/03

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"Kane Tse" <ktse@**NOJUNKMAIL**.interomex.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:v74q3ka...@corp.supernews.com...

After changing the the /etc/security/limits you should reboot the machine
because any runing process does not know about the change.

HTH

Hajo
CATE/AIX

Kane Tse

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Mar 17, 2003, 2:44:49 PM3/17/03

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"nospam DataCorp.com (Bob Mariotti)" <R.Mariotti@Financial> wrote in message
news:3e738d69...@news.cshore.com...

Originally, we were using wget (which has a 2 GB limit, I know)... we have
since switched over to ncftp. We tested it, and ncftp seems to work fine
downloading 2GB+ files to a Linux machine.

But, that aside, we were just testing the 2GB file limit with a simple 'cat'
of two 1GB files on the AIX machine and even that didn't work.

Something like:

cat 1gig 1gig 1gig > 3gig
cat: 0652-054 Cannot write to output.

Thanks,
Kane

Kane Tse

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Mar 17, 2003, 2:49:40 PM3/17/03

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"Hans-Joachim Ehlers" <ser...@metamodul.com> wrote in message
news:b5429m$cu...@news-1.bank.dresdner.net...

Actually, our /etc/security/limits file was already preconfigured with
unlimited filesizes when it was first setup, and our filserver has been
rebooted several times since then. So I would assume that the running
processes already know about the updated values in the /etc/security/limits.

Is there any other place I might look?

Thanks,
Kane

Sanjay Verma

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Mar 17, 2003, 7:46:01 PM3/17/03

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Check what shell are you running? If not running the standard ksh.
Than it could create a problem.

Regards,

Sanjay Verma

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Mar 17, 2003, 7:50:46 PM3/17/03

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Check what shell you are running? If its not a ksh than it could be a problem

Regards

Sanjay verma

Hans-Joachim Ehlers

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Mar 18, 2003, 4:34:35 AM3/18/03

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"Kane Tse" <ktse@**NOJUNKMAIL**.interomex.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag

news:v7c9r5f...@corp.supernews.com...

Please log in as root or do a "su - root" and do the following
# Which level of aix are you runing
oslevel
# Which shell are you using
echo $SHELL
# What are your limits
ulimit -a
# What are your root user settings
lsuser root

# Is your filesystem really big file enabled
lsfs -q /dev/MyBigFilesystem
# You should see " ... bf: true"

# Does your fs has enough space free
df /dev/MyBigFilesystem

# Use cat for a test like in the following example
# Change into a directory onto your BigFS enabled FS
cat 500MBFILE > 3GBFILE
cat 500MBFILE >> 3GBFILE
cat 500MBFILE >> 3GBFILE
cat 500MBFILE >> 3GBFILE
cat 500MBFILE >> 3GBFILE

Please let us know about the output

HTH
Hajo
CATE/AIX

Kane Tse

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Mar 18, 2003, 4:02:18 PM3/18/03

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"Hans-Joachim Ehlers" <ser...@metamodul.com> wrote in message

news:b56o1k$cu...@news-1.bank.dresdner.net...

Thanks to everyone for your help. A couple of the reply-posts have
suggested that my shell might be at fault; so I tried to create 1 gig files
using the standard ksh. That seems to have been the cause of my problem; so
it is now solved.

To summ up: Bash on AIX = does not allow 'cat 1gig 1gig 1gig > 3gig', but
ksh is okay. Curiously, bash on Linux doesn't have such a problem.

Thanks again,
Kane