Section 3-6: Problems Caused by User

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Subsection 3.6.1

Quota Exceeded

Occasionally, software fails to run when some limit granted to you is reached (error message is "quota exceeded"). Most frequently, the software you want to use does not work because it wants to create files. File creation requires disk space, and on most systems this disk space is limited. The error messages vary - sometimes nothing happens at all, or the message "disk quota exceeded" shows up. The GCG software reports "write error to logical device...". You can look at your disk quota with the command:

% quota

 
Disc quota for doelz (uid 1000):
  
Filsys current quota limit #warns files quota limit 
  
/guru   5552   10000  20000 0       276    0     0
  

  
If your quota is exceeded, you need to delete files. Refer to the section "File Handling Commands" for details on how to do this.


Subsection 3.6.2

Need to Stop a Previous Session

In some cases (e.g., the electronic mail program 'EAN' on VMS), the software you want to use does not work because a previous session is still active. Abandoning a session as described in sections "Emergency Break" can create such a lost session. To stop a session, determine the PID (process identification) number which uniquely identifies your lost session and stop this process from another session. Your most recent (i.e., your currently active) session will have a higher PID number than the earlier session(s). The PID is a decimal number and is always increasing, with the highest number corresponding to the latest session. The PID interesting for you is usually in the second column. Note that, depending on the system you are working on, the command may be 'ps -aux' instead of 'ps -ef' as mentioned here.

% ps -ef | grep doelz

 
   doelz  2148  2108  2 11:39:53 ttyq5   0:00 grep doelz   
  
   doelz  1354  1353  0 10:33:16 ttyq3   0:01 -csh   
  
   doelz  2147  2108 14 11:39:53 ttyq5   0:00 ps -ef   
  
   doelz  2108  2107  1 11:38:38 ttyq5   0:01 -csh		
  

  
To kill a session, type

% kill -9 1354


Subsection 3.6.3

Need to Stop a Print Session

In some cases (e.g., GCG's plotting software), printing fails to proceed as desired due to some misconfiguration. Abandoning a session as described in sections "Emergency Break" cannot stop such a print job. To stop a print job, determine the "entry" number which uniquely identifies your (lost) print job and stop this process from your interactive session. Your most recent (i.e., your last submitted) print job will have a higher "entry" number than the earlier jobs. Further, a print job title is given frequently. If you started a print job (as described in section "File Handling" ) by

 
 % lpr jam.c
  
you can inquire about its status with

% lpq

 
biox: sending to guru.ce.unibas.ch
  
Rank   Owner      Job  Files                                 Total Size
  
1st    doelz      860  jam.c                                 17550 bytes
  

  
and, later

 
lps20 is ready and printing via network
  
Rank   Owner      Job  Files                                 Total Size
  
active doelz      860  jam.c                                 17550 bytes
  

  
To stop the print job, use the job number (860 in this example) and type

% lprm 860

 
guru.urz.unibas.ch: dfA860biox dequeued
  
guru.urz.unibas.ch: cfA860biox dequeued
  

  
Make sure that your job is deleted by listing the print queue again.


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