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Wireshark-users: Re: [Wireshark-users] Maximum file size?

From: Jaap Keuter <jaap.keuter@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:43:06 +0100
Hi,

Like Anders says, there are multiple factors, of which #2 is usually the
most common cause of hitting the memory barrier.

> The purpose is to use
> Wireshark's analytical capabilities to process a very large set of data
in
> toto.)

CACE Technologies [1] understood this requirement and created Pilot for
that. 
Have a look at "Enhance Wireshark" on the Wireshark website.

Thanx,
Jaap

[1] CACE Technologies is the host for open source Wireshark and commercial
advanced capture tools.


On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:25:08 +0100, "Anders Broman"
<anders.broman@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi,
> There is separate issues here:
> 1) The largest file pointer possible to use e.g. physical file size.
> 2) The amount of memory used by Wireshark when analyzing a file/trace.
> 
> 2 depends on the protocols in the trace and on preference settings in
> Wireshark, reassembly
> Uses memory conversation tracking does to etc.
> 
> A lot of work has been put into the trunk version of Wireshark to try to
> reduce the amount of memory used,
> fix memory leaks etc and also to speed up loading of the file.
Development
> snapshot 1.3.1 is due to be released soon or you could try a development
> build.
> 
> Note that with large files filtering and other operations may becom slow
> so you want to keep your files as small as possible.
> 
> Regards
> Anders
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wireshark-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:wireshark-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Joel Seidman
> Sent: den 27 oktober 2009 06:21
> To: wireshark-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Wireshark-users] Maximum file size?
> 
> Hi All.
> 
> I want to know the maximum capture file size (if there is one) that can
be
> loaded into 64-bit wireshark. I can't seem to find a definitive answer. 
> 
> I recently installed V 1.2.2 (SVN Rev. 29910) on a Vista computer (with
a
> substantial amount of RAM). I selected the 64-bit version when I
downloaded
> it. I believe the required Service Pack was installed also (need to
> confirm).
> 
> I eventually expect to have a capture file of several hundred MB or
more.
> I haven't actually had a problem loading a large file in 64-bit wire
shark
> (did with 32-bit version), but I did an experiment that may be related.
 I
> have a capture file of 143 Meg. I loaded it, which went OK. Then I
> attempted to load it again in concatenation mode, and got an error box:
> "This application has requested the Runtime to terminate in an unusual
way.
> Please contact the application support team for more information...".
> 
> So my question is, basically, what's the max? And whatever the answer,
is
> it possible to increase it by re-building from source? Any other
> suggestions?
> 
> (I have read suggestions to break a large file up into smaller pieces,
but
> I'd like to avoid that step if it's possible. The purpose is to use
> Wireshark's analytical capabilities to process a very large set of data
in
> toto.)
> 
> TIA.
> 
> -- Joel
>