Setting kernel parameters permanently sysctl

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Level 1

5 points

Setting kernel parameters permanently sysctl

Hello Folks,

I want to install the PostgreSQL 9.0 on my MAC OS X 10.6.7
now the basic requirement for the installation is that the shared memory is

kern.sysv.shmmax=1610612736
kern.sysv.shmall=393216
kern.sysv.shmmin=1
kern.sysv.shmmni=32
kern.sysv.shmseg=8
kern.maxprocperuid=512
kern.maxproc=2048

Now tried changing these parameter by editing the /etc/sysctl.conf file
but the issue is when I reboot the kern.sysv.shmmax values is not the same.

How can I set the kern.sysv.shmmax value once and for all?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 13, 2011 8:58 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 13, 2011 9:12 AM in response to dev.apple

Others have reported that sysctl.conf is ignored, even though the man page (last updated in 2007) says it shouldn't be. Without delving into the Darwin source code, I can't confirm it one way or the other. You could set the kernel parameters in a launchd item that runs at startup. That definitely does work.

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Answer 2

dev.apple Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 14, 2011 8:02 AM in response to Linc Davis

Please let me know how to do that ?

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Mar 14, 2011 2:03 PM in response to dev.apple

sudo -s
cat > /Library/LaunchDaemons/sysctl.plist << EOF
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
 <key>Label</key>
 <string>sysctl</string>
 <key>ProgramArguments</key>
 <array>
 <string>/usr/sbin/sysctl</string>
 <string>-w</string>
 <string>kern.sysv.shmmax=1610612736</string>
 <string>kern.sysv.shmall=393216</string>
 <string>kern.sysv.shmmin=1</string>
 <string>kern.sysv.shmmni=32</string>
 <string>kern.sysv.shmseg=8</string>
 <string>kern.maxprocperuid=512</string>
 <string>kern.maxproc=2048</string>
 </array>
 <key>RunAtLoad</key>
 <true/>
</dict>
</plist>
EOF
launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/sysctl.plist

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