Re: FTP - Download Problem

From: Mike (spamdump_at_fensoft.co.uk)
Date: 08/02/05 

Date: Tue, 02 Aug 2005 11:17:26 +0100

Enkidu wrote:
> Mike wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to download a DVD .iso for Mandriva. The file size is
>> 2200223744 bytes but the download fails at 2147483520 bytes (just
>> under 2 gigs) with a message "short write". I've tried a couple of
>> mirror sites but the result is the same and I suspect it's something
>> at my end.
>>
> The file system may only support file to 2gb. 2GB is 2147483648 bytes so
> your failure point is almost exactly 2GB.
>
I considered that and there was some evidence pointing to its being right -
but it isn't. <g>.

Quick update. I tried wget but that failed on *exactly* 2GB so a file
system limit seemed very likely. I'm presuming the "short write" message I
got from the plain ftp client meant that, if it succeeded in writing the
data it was about to write, it would have gone over a 2GB limit. That could
cause it to appear to fail at a little under the 2GB (as it did). The ext2
file system *should* be able to handle >2GB files but I was planning to
investigate that, and a possible kernel limit, later (it was getting rather
late at night). Just as a double check, I tried downloading the file using
ncftp (as suggested by Michael Heiming) and left that running. I was
expecting it to fail at 2GB but, at least, it would confirm suspicions about
the file system and give me a chance to see ncftp running (I haven't used it
before). It worked !! :) The entire 2.05GB was downloaded successfully so
there can't be a problem with a file system limit.

I'm still none the wiser as to why ftp and wget failed but I am better
informed. :)

Many thanks to everyone for the help. 

-- 
Mike