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ERROR_EA_TABLE_FULL
Extended-attribute storage capacity is exhausted
ERROR_EA_TABLE_FULL is a Win32 result associated with filesystems with bounded EA metadata areas., diagnosis should begin with the exact API, target object, and operation that produced it rather than with the message text alone.
What the result means
The filesystem cannot store another extended attribute because its EA table is full. The practical meaning depends on the caller and on whether the affected object is local, remote, removable, policy-managed, or handled asynchronously. Diagnostics for it should retain its symbolic name, numeric value, and the operation name together.
What to check
- Measure how many attributes and how much EA data are already stored.
- Remove obsolete attributes only when their ownership and purpose are known.
- Check filesystem-specific limits and whether migration to another format is required.
- Review applications that create unbounded per-file metadata.
Recommended handling
Free or redesign metadata usage rather than retrying indefinitely. Deleting unrelated attributes can break security, compatibility, or application state.
Developer notes
Code handling this result should capture the failing API, resolved path or device identity, requested access, process identity, and the first observed error. After a call that reports it, read GetLastError() immediately because later cleanup or logging can overwrite the value. Retry it only when the specific condition is documented as transient, using a bounded delay and cancellation support.
References
- Microsoft: System error codes relevant to ERROR_EA_TABLE_FULL
- Microsoft: File management context for ERROR_EA_TABLE_FULL
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