unix question: files per directory

R. L. Welsh rikki at macom1.UUCP
Tue Apr 11 23:15:00 AEST 1989


>From article <24110 at beta.lanl.gov>, by dxxb at beta.lanl.gov (David W. Barts):
> 
> How many files can there be in a single UNIX directory
...

You will undoubtedly run out of inodes before you reach any theoretical
limit.  Every new file you create will use up one inode.  If you are
seriously contemplating having a huge number of files (be they in one
directory or many), you may have to remake a filesystem to have enough
inodes -- see mkfs(1M), in particular the argument blocks:inodes.  The
optional ":inodes" part is often left off and the defaults taken.  My
manual (old ATT Sys V) says that the maximum number of inodes is
65500.

Also (on Sys V) do "df -t" to check how many inodes your filesystem
currently accomodates.
-- 
	- Rikki	(UUCP: grebyn!macom1!rikki)



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