Novell server keeps running out of space on SYS volume

[BCinSC]

Started getting out of space messages last week, so I freed up some space moving a few unneeded files to workstation local drive. Now this morning, it's complaining again. Only thing I can find is logs are filling it up. Isn't Novell suppose to clean up after itself?

 

[BCinSC]

Novell 6 on Dell server with 4GB SYS volume. Ensured no 3rd party programs loaded/running/saving there. Anyone?

 

[Nothinman]

Isn't Novell suppose to clean up after itself?

In what way? On data volumes (and probably the SYS volume to an extent) it'll purge saved space containing deleted files to make more free space and it can compress files that havn't been modified in a certain amount of time, but other than that what kind of clean up are you expecting?

Without looking at the box I would first suspect the print spool directories are on the SYS volume, moving those would probably help.

 

[NetWareHead]

First off, its a NetWare server not a Novell server


NetWare keeps files that you delete in case you want to restore them later on. If you are sure you don't want to salvage any deleted files, you need to purge the entire SYS volume.

1. In ConsoleOne, open the eDirectory tree that contains the server you want to manage.
2. Select the SYS volume that you want to work with.
3. Click View > Deleted File View. The Deleted File section lists the deleted file, the file size, the deletion date, and the user's name.
4. Select the file you want to salvage or purge.
5. Click Salvage or Purge on the ConsoleOne toolbar.

If the SYS volume runs out of space, the server can Abend and possibly won't boot when you try to bring the server back up. You may also need to run some filesystem and eDirectory repair utilities.

Nothinman is on the right track. If you don't want to move the print spool directories, you can set an atrribute on those directories to purge them immediately. Typically, print spool directories you won't care about salvaging the files in there once they are deleted.

 

[BCinSC]

Thasnk you, all, especially NetWareHead. I stand corrected: NetWare is the product, Novell is the company. Anyway, no printers are spooled on server - very small installation (why they bothered with NetWare I don't know) and each station has own local printer. I think both volumes are set to purge immediately, as moving unneeded files to a local drive immediately freed up necessary space. My concern is that last week I moved 45MB, and it was used up with a week. Yesterday, I moved 500MB and wonder if I've only bought myself a month or so.

 

[NetWareHead]

You definitely need more hard drive space. Nip this problem now before it explodes and you get called in to the company to resurrect their server, I hope they have good backups, especially if this is their only server in the tree. Plus they could find you liable, since you knew about this condition beforehand. When working with NetWare you never, ever want to run out of SYS volume space.

 

[GeekDrew]

I disagree that he probably needs more SYS: volume space. I'm running a server with a 4 GB SYS: volume... it's been running for... two or three years, and I've not had it ever be completely filled (though it's getting close right now - after a couple of years of operation - I just checked).

Log files, etc., should not take up 4 GB, especially in a small environment. I do have our print spooling happening on SYS, and we have 30 printers installed, most of which are frequently being used. We've also got a couple of backup directories on SYS, caused by service pack installations, that could be deleted if/when the need arises.