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Can't access mail: Warning: Inotify instance limit for user exceeded

Vincent Lauton
Updated
Plesk for Linux kb: technical ABT: Group A mail

Applicable to:

  • Plesk for Linux

Symptoms

  • Webmail is not accessible

    500 Internal Server Error

  • The following error is logged to /var/log/maillog

    mail16 dovecot: service=imap, user=jdoe@example.com, ip=[203.0.113.2]. Warning: Inotify instance limit for user (UID popuser) exceeded, disabling. Increase /proc/sys/fs/inotify/max_user_instances

  • There are errors while repairing the web configuration

    # plesk repair web
    Repairing server-wide configuration parameters for web servers .. ERR [util_exec] proc_close() failed ['/usr/local/psa/admin/bin/httpdmng' '--reconfigure-server'] with exit code [1]
    [FAILED]
    - httpdmng failed: ERR [util_exec]
    proc_close() failed ['/usr/local/psa/admin/bin/nginx_control' '--restart'] with exit code [1]
    Can not reload proxy server:
    Updating the file of sharing passwords and permissions of users

  • Apache fails to start, or displays an error after restarting

    # systemctl restart apache2
    Failed to add /run/systemd/ask-password to directory watch: inotify watch limit reached

    # systemctl restart httpd
    Error: No space left on device

  • There's enough space and inodes available, as checked with the commands df -h and df -i

  • OSSEC IDS is installed on the server.

Cause

The inotify subsystem limits have been reached, possibly by the intrusion detection system.

Resolution

Note: Contact the hosting provider for assistance if SSH root access is not available.

  1. Connect to the server via SSH

  2. Increase the limit for the following kernel parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf:

    Note: If Plesk runs on a virtual container, the kernel parameter should be increased on the hardware node

    fs.inotify.max_user_watches = 560144
    fs.inotify.max_user_instances = 512

  3. Apply the changes:

    # sysctl -p

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Comments

1 comment
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    Allan Krause

    Hi. I cant access my server. I have some problems with my email. I cant send messages. I think that I no longer have access the Plesk interface. I used to have access but that was around christmas 2024. Can you please help me.

     

    Best Regards

    Allan

    0

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