Re: File Limit in Kernel?

Pavel Machek (pavel@suse.cz)
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 22:54:39 +0100


Hi!

> > I have a directory with 39,000 files in it, and I'm trying to use the cp
> > command to copy them into another directory, and neither the cp or the
> > mv command will work, they both same "argument list too long" when I
> > use:
> >
> > cp -f * /usr/local/www/images
>
> Kind of. The * is expanded by the shell. The kernel limits the max
> length of program arguments, which is biting you here. In theory you
> could increase the MAX_ARG_PAGES #define in linux/binfmts.h and
> recompile. No guarantee that it won't have any bad side effects
> though. The default is rather low, it should be probably increased
> (I also regularly run into this)

I have been making that limit higher 5 years ago. Perhaps its time to
up it for everyone?
Pavel

-- 
When do you have heart between your knees?
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