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Asked: 2024-09-25T20:25:13+05:30 In:

What steps can I take to raise the maximum number of open files allowed for a non-administrative user in Ubuntu?

I’m diving into some deep server management stuff and hit a bit of a snag. I recently started working on a project in Ubuntu that involves running a bunch of applications concurrently. Everything was going smoothly until I encountered this pesky “too many open files” error. Honestly, it’s frustrating because I know it has to do with how many files a user can have open at the same time, and I really want to keep everything running efficiently without constantly running into this limit.

So here’s where I could use some help: I’d like to raise the maximum number of open files allowed for a non-administrative user. I’ve tried a few things that I found online, but I’m not sure I’m going about it the right way or if I’m missing some important steps. It feels a bit tricky, especially since I don’t have admin privileges, and I’m trying to avoid messing anything up or breaking system policies.

Does anyone have a step-by-step guide or suggestions on how to tackle this? I’m particularly interested in methods that are safe for a non-admin user. I’ve heard something about editing the limits.conf file or using systemd overrides, but I’m not entirely sure what I should be looking for or how to implement these changes effectively without causing issues.

Also, if anyone has tips on checking what the current file limit is for my user, that would be super helpful too. I could use all the guidance I can get here. I’m just trying to keep my projects running smoothly without unexpected roadblocks. Any ideas, insights, or personal experiences would be tremendously appreciated! Thanks a ton in advance for your help!

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    2 Answers



    1. Increasing Open Files Limit in Ubuntu

      To increase the maximum number of open files for a non-administrative user in Ubuntu, you can modify the user’s limits in the ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile file for a more localized setting. Open your terminal and execute nano ~/.bashrc or nano ~/.profile. Add the following lines at the end of the file to set the soft and hard limits for open files: ulimit -n 65535. Save your changes and exit the editor. Then, for the changes to take effect, run source ~/.bashrc or source ~/.profile. This method allows you to set user limits without needing root access and keeps your local modifications manageable.

      To check your current file limit, use the command ulimit -n which will display the current soft limit for open files. If you’re also curious about the hard limit, use ulimit -Hn. If you encounter issues or this method doesn’t yield the desired results, consider checking if your system uses systemd. You can create a user-specific override file at ~/.config/systemd/user.conf with the line DefaultLimitNOFILE=65535. This configuration would require a systemd daemon reload, which again, might need administrative privileges. Hence, adjust according to your access level. With these adjustments, you should be able to run your applications concurrently without hitting those pesky limits.




    2. Too Many Open Files Error Fix

      Fixing “Too Many Open Files” Error on Ubuntu

      It sounds like you’re hitting a common snag with file limits, and I totally get how frustrating that can be. Raising the limit can be a bit confusing, especially without admin privileges, but you can definitely work through it step-by-step. Here are a few tips and methods to help you out.

      Check Current File Limits

      First, let’s see what your current limits are. Open your terminal and run this command:

      ulimit -n

      This will show you the maximum number of open files allowed for your user. If it’s pretty low, that’s probably the source of your troubles!

      Methods to Increase the Limit:

      1. Using ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile

      If you want to try increasing the limit for your current user session:

      1. Open ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile in your favorite text editor:

        2. nano ~/.bashrc

      2. Scroll to the bottom and add this line:

        3. ulimit -n 4096

      3. Save the file and exit the editor.
      4. To apply the changes, run:

        5. source ~/.bashrc

      2. Using Systemd Overrides (if applicable)

      If the application you’re running is a systemd service, you can override the file limit like this:

      1. Create or edit the override file:

        2. systemctl edit your-service-name

      2. This will open a new editor; add the following lines:
        3. [Service]
LimitNOFILE=4096
      3. Save and exit the editor.
      4. Then, reload the systemd configuration:

        5. systemctl daemon-reload

      5. Finally, restart your service:

        6. systemctl restart your-service-name

      Things to Remember

      Keep in mind that increasing limits can have implications for system resource management, so it’s a good idea to stay within reasonable numbers. If you’re not sure what you should set the limit to, 4096 is usually a safe bet.

      Good luck with your project! If you have any more questions or run into issues, feel free to ask. You’re not alone in this!


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