How To Fix ERROR_TOO_MANY_DESCRIPTORS in Windows 10/11

If you encounter this ERROR_TOO_MANY_DESCRIPTORS error message on your Windows system, then it indicates that a certain process is exceeding the maximum number of file descriptors available to it. File descriptors are basic to manage open files, open sockets, opened pipes, and other I/O resources. When the limit is crossed, the system can’t open any files or create new resources, leading to this error message. Such an issue is more common with servers tasked to manage many simultaneous connections or an application which does not always close all file descriptors after use.

Step By Step To Fix ERROR_TOO_MANY_DESCRIPTORS

1. Increase the File Descriptor Limit

The number of default file descriptors for a process is set in Windows. As such, if these limits are altered, it may help resolve the ERROR_TOO_MANY_DESCRIPTORS issue. However, note that you need to make a backup of the registry before you change anything in it so that you do not crash your systems.

Steps to modify the registry:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following path:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
3. Right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it MaxUserPort.
4. Double-click on MaxUserPort and set its value to 65534 (in decimal).
5. Create another DWORD value named TcpTimedWaitDelay and set its value to 30 (in decimal).
6. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes.

Monitors open fd’s can be used to identify resource-hogging processes. Resource Monitor is one among the numerous tools provided by Windows in this regard.

Windows Report

2. Monitor and Manage Open Files

Monitoring open file descriptors can help identify processes that are consuming excessive resources. Windows provides tools like Resource Monitor to facilitate this.

Steps to monitor open files:

1. Press Win + R, type resmon, and press Enter to open Resource Monitor.
2. Navigate to the CPU tab and expand the Associated Handles section.
3. Observe the list of processes and their associated handles to identify any that have an unusually high number of open handles.
4. Investigate these processes to determine if they are properly managing resources.

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3. Update Software and Operating System

A couple of times, outdated software can be the reasons to have bugs that lead to mismanagement of the file descriptor. Keeping the operating system and applications up-to-date would cover the common resources issues.

Steps to update Windows:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Navigate to Update & Security > Windows Update.
3. Click on Check for updates and install any available updates.

Steps to update applications:

• For applications installed via the Microsoft Store:
  1. Open the Microsoft Store.
  2. Click on the three-dot menu and select Downloads and updates.
  3. Click on Get updates to update installed applications.
• For applications installed through other means, visit the official website of each application to download and install the latest versions.

4. Consider Hardware Changes

If the ERROR_TOO_MANY_DESCRIPTORS error happened after installing any new hardware, check for any compatibility issues or whether it is working well. Sometimes, malfunctioning hardware can cause performance issues in the system, leading to file descriptor errors.

Steps to check hardware compatibility:

1. Ensure that the new hardware is compatible with your system specifications.
2. Update the drivers for the new hardware to the latest versions.
3. Monitor system performance to determine if the new hardware is contributing to the issue.

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By performing these operations, one can easily solve the ERROR_TOO_MANY_DESCRIPTORS error and thus make the machine competent in the opening of as many files and resources it requires. Carrying out the regular system maintenance periodically and monitoring the system can help avoid such problems in the first place.