MikeyG wrote:
Hi,
I'm seeing a recurring problem whereby a users process is causing the
system to crash by (I believe) filling up the /tmp partition. Twice this
week this has happened shortly after I have renice-d a resource hungry
bittorrent download I've seen a user running.
I question your diagnosis.
I just deliberately filled my /tmp partition. System is still running
fine (which actually is a pleasant surprise, as this machine has been
horribly unstable the last few days. Maybe I should have filled the
/tmp partition long ago! :).
If you can crash your system by filling the /tmp partition, I think that
would be better described as a bug that needs fixing rather than trying
to work around it.
How about defining what you mean by "crash", what message you are
getting, etc.
If you really want to prove to yourself that it isn't your tmp partition
getting filled, ssh into the box, set up a little script to do "df -i"
every second or so. When the system crashes, look at the last several
df outputs. The "-i" is there to see if you are filling the inodes,
rather than the disk (that won't cause a crash, either. Done that many
times on /tmp, myself), that gives you a second chance to be right. :)
Nick.
(wondering if /tmp space is needed to send mail...)
(hm. apparently. just deleted a 4k file, let's try again)
