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Troubleshooting
Problem
When customers attempt to create a directory, they get the error message below: # mkdir mydir mkdir: 0653-358 Cannot create mydir. mydir: There are too many links to a file.
Cause
This is a limitation for AIX of 32767 sub-directories in a single directory. If we check the file /usr/include/sys/limits.h we can see the definition:
#define LINK_MAX SHRT_MAX /* max of a file's ilink counts, >= 8 */
Therefore, the symbol (SHRT_MAX) defines the number that the LINK_MAX can hold.
If we also search in the same file, we will find that the SHRT_MAX is defined with that number:
#define SHRT_MAX (32767)
Based on that, the LINK_MAX value = the value of SHRT_MAX = 32767 sub-directories in a single parent directory.
For more information on this, please refer to the IBM reference for the limits.h file:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/ssw_aix_61/com.ibm.aix.files/limits.h.htm
Diagnosing The Problem
We can check that with that command:
# ls -1 | wc -l
If your directory has hit this limit, you will not be able to create files or directories in it. You are running across a limitation of sub-directories (links) that one directory can hold.
Resolving The Problem
At this point, there is no way to change that value because this is an architectural limitation imposed on the filesystem. It is not simply an issue of a kernel limitation; this file (limits.h) may be used by any command or application wishing to use these limits in their code. Changing this file would require a complete rebuild of AIX and any application compiled using this file.
However, there are 2 possible workarounds for this problem:
1) Move some directories to another parent directory.
OR
2) Create the directories in another parent directory and create links to these directories in the target directory
In the future, we would advise breaking up these sub-directories into a more tree-like
fashion.
So instead of a flat subdirectory structure like this one:
/myfs
/dir1
/dir2
/dir3
/dir4
Use a more nested tree approach:
/myfs
/topdir1
/dir1
/dir2
/topdir2
/dir3
/dir4
If you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact IBM Software Support team.
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Document Information
More support for:
AIX
Software version:
Not Applicable
Operating system(s):
AIX
Document number:
631019
Modified date:
17 June 2018
UID
isg3T1025137
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