How do I check a Linux user or project quota when writes fail?
A filesystem can have available space while an account or project has reached its quota. Limits may apply to blocks, file counts or a hosting/container layer outside the guest’s view. Check the relevant user and filesystem quota implementation before assuming more physical storage will solve the error.
Before you start
- The relevant quota utilities and filesystem quota support are available.
Instructions
1. Compare the account quota with free space
Where the quota tools and filesystem support are configured, query the current user’s limits. Pair this with the filesystem containing the failing path.
quota -s
df -h "$HOME"Review soft limits, hard limits and any grace period. No report can mean quotas are not configured through this tool, not that every external limit is absent.
2. Use filesystem-specific reporting when needed
On an authorised XFS mount with quota accounting enabled, an administrator can inspect a report. Replace /home with the verified XFS mountpoint.
sudo xfs_quota -x -c 'report -h' /homeThis exact command reports quotas; -x also enables administrative commands, so do not substitute a changing command without an approved plan.
Check the result
- The failed write is explained by a specific user, group, project or platform limit. Any agreed limit increase preserves the underlying filesystem’s capacity margin.
Troubleshooting
- Both quota and free space look healthy
- Check inode exhaustion, application-specific limits, permissions and read-only state.
- The provider reports a different limit
- The provider may enforce capacity outside the operating system; compare the guest and service-plan scopes explicitly.
Official references
Use the documentation for your installed version when a flag, service name or platform feature differs.