Discover when a filesystem has run out of inodes and how to diagnose it quickly with common command line tools. 16.11.2025 | reading time: 2 min Inodes are the filesystem records that describe files and directories and running out of inodes can block file creation even when free space remains, so learn to spot and diagnose inode exhaustion with simple commands such as `df -i`. Quick check in action A practical case reproduces a server that cannot create new files and returns errors when applications try to write; first check global inode use and then count files in the suspect path as shown here ```sh $ df -i Filesystem Inodes IUsed IFree IUse% Mounted on /dev/sda1 1310720 1310720 0 100% / $ find /var -xdev -type f | wc -l 1310720 ``` This output shows inode exhaustion on the root filesystem and confirms the large file count inside the chosen tree. Other useful options Beyond the basic check use `find` to narrow which directories hold many small files, use `df -i -T` to see filesystem types, and for ext filesystems inspect total inode settings with `tune2fs -l` or `dumpe2fs`; cleanup strategies include removing old temporary files or archiving many small files into larger containers. Where to dig deeper To track processes related to inode issues use `lsof` to find deleted files still held open, use filesystem specific tools to change inode density only when reformatting is acceptable, and script recurring checks with cron to alert before exhaustion. Wrap up and next steps Checking inode usage is fast and decisive and should be part of any filesystem troubleshooting routine, so practice these checks on test systems and consider deepening skills for certification paths such as CompTIA Linux+ or LPIC-1 with intensive exam preparation at bitsandbytes.academy. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. filesystem utilities troubleshooting storage
