[Dovecot] Error: Maximum number of mail processes exceeded (see max_mail_processes setting)

[Frank Bonnet]

Jack Stewart wrote:
> Frank Bonnet wrote:
>> Hello
>>
>> I have this message repeated several times each *seconds* in 
>> /var/log/dovecot/dovecot.log
>>
>> the  max_mail_processes is set to 8192 and I can see an average of 500 
>> imap processes
>> on the machine , I think there is a problem somewhere ...
>>
>> Debian 64 bits , IBM X3650 biproc , 7 Gb RAM , RAID5 disks , 2 
>> ethernet Gb ports bonded.
>>
>> Dovecot 1.1.11 has been compiled from scratch on the machine
>>
>> Thanks for any info.
>>
> 
> Hi Frank,
> 
> Your system is plenty powerful - no issues there.
> 
> What are your settings in the init script? I found that putting in a 
> ulimit -n 8192 and ulimit -f 16384 prior to invoking dovecot was 
> worthwhile on my system.
> 
> I would first try tweaking these settings in a root shell and then 
> invoke  dovecot with a -c conf make sure it is picking up the right conf 
> file.
> 
> I'm sure the list will ask for the dovecot -n -c ... output as well.
> 
> ---Jack

Bingo ! since the begining I was modifying the wrong configuration file ....

now everything is clear , when I modified the right file the OS instant
write to the shell I haven't enough file descriptors ...

Shame on me and thanks a lot Jack !

Frank