# Is there any way to restrict the size of the java heap dump in Elasticsearch **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [February 20, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-there-any-way-to-restrict-the-size-of-the-java-heap-dump-in-elasticsearch/353718 "2024-02-20T17:17:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KunwarAkanksha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kunwarakanksha/32/79144_2.png) [@KunwarAkanksha](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/KunwarAkanksha)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-there-any-way-to-restrict-the-size-of-the-java-heap-dump-in-elasticsearch/353718/1 "2024-02-20T17:17:47Z")
Disabling Java Heap Dump is not a good practice for Debugging the Error for later stage. But large Java Heap Dump leads to the Elasticsearch Service Failure . Can we somehow restrict the size of Heap Dumps , or the only solution is to enabling these dumps into the additional attached disk. ---
**Author:** ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 9:43am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-there-any-way-to-restrict-the-size-of-the-java-heap-dump-in-elasticsearch/353718/2 "2024-02-21T09:43:31Z")
An (uncompressed) heap dump is going to be about the size of the heap as specified by `-Xmx`, so the most accurate way to control its size is to set that parameter. You can also try compressing it with the `-XX:HeapDumpGzipLevel` JVM option, which typically saves quite some space but is less predictable. ---
**Author:** ![KunwarAkanksha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kunwarakanksha/32/79144_2.png) [@KunwarAkanksha](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/KunwarAkanksha)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-there-any-way-to-restrict-the-size-of-the-java-heap-dump-in-elasticsearch/353718/4 "2024-02-29T09:29:06Z")
I tried doing this but got an error while restarting the service > Blockquote > Exception in thread "main" java.lang.RuntimeException: starting java failed with [1] > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: output: > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: error: > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: Improperly specified VM option 'HeapDumpGzipLevel' > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: Error: Could not create the Java Virtual Machine. > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: Error: A fatal exception has occurred. Program will exit. > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.JvmOption.flagsFinal(JvmOption.java:120) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.JvmOption.findFinalOptions(JvmOption.java:87) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.MachineDependentHeap.determineHeapSettings(MachineDependentHeap.java:59) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.JvmOptionsParser.jvmOptions(JvmOptionsParser.java:138) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.JvmOptionsParser.determineJvmOptions(JvmOptionsParser.java:91) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.ServerProcess.createProcess(ServerProcess.java:208) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.ServerProcess.start(ServerProcess.java:104) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.ServerProcess.start(ServerProcess.java:88) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.ServerCli.startServer(ServerCli.java:247) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.server.cli.ServerCli.execute(ServerCli.java:100) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.common.cli.EnvironmentAwareCommand.execute(EnvironmentAwareCommand.java:54) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.mainWithoutErrorHandling(Command.java:85) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.cli.Command.main(Command.java:50) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd-entrypoint[8656]: #011at org.elasticsearch.launcher.CliToolLauncher.main(CliToolLauncher.java:64) > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd[1]: elasticsearch.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd[1]: elasticsearch.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'. > Feb 29 14:57:15 ESHot001DR systemd[1]: Failed to start Elasticsearch. ---
**Author:** ![KunwarAkanksha](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kunwarakanksha/32/79144_2.png) [@KunwarAkanksha](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/KunwarAkanksha)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 9:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-there-any-way-to-restrict-the-size-of-the-java-heap-dump-in-elasticsearch/353718/5 "2024-02-29T09:41:26Z")
XX:HeapDumpGzipLevel=9 , Made it work fine ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 9:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-there-any-way-to-restrict-the-size-of-the-java-heap-dump-in-elasticsearch/353718/6 "2024-03-28T09:41:50Z")
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