errno 26 (ETXTBSY): meaning and diagnosis

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: Solaris refused a write or modification because the file is being used as executable text.

Could be also:
Constant	Type	OS
ERROR_NOT_DOS_DISK	Win32 error	Windows
KERN_INVALID_PROCESSOR_SET	Kern return	Mac
ippStsOvermuchStrings	Intel Ipp Status	Any
ETXTBSY	errno	Linux
ETXTBSY	errno	Mac
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT	BugCheck Code	Windows

ETXTBSY

Executing text and file replacement

On Solaris, ETXTBSY is errno value 26. The base message is Text file busy, but the useful diagnostic context is narrower than the short message: solaris refused a write or modification because the file is being used as executable text.

Use the Solaris-specific errno table first, then compare with POSIX only for portable behavior. Some Solaris values share names with other UNIX systems but have different numbers or more specific historical meanings.

What to check

Look for attempts to overwrite an executable, shared object, or mapped text while it is active.
Use atomic replacement patterns such as writing a new file and renaming it into place.
Separate deployment races from permission errors such as EACCES or read-only filesystem errors such as EROFS.

References

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