Mladen, If I understand you correctly you seem to suggest that max_dump_file_size does not work. I did a small test and it does seem to work SQL> alter system set max_dump_file_size=4; System altered. Then attach to SMON and dump the systemstate SQL> oradebug setorapid 8 Windows thread id: 2792, image: ORACLE.EXE (SMON) SQL> oradebug dump systemstate 10 Statement processed. The trace file is truncated as expected with *** Trace file full *** Regards, Fairlie Mladen Gogala <mgogala@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: On 09/18/2006 07:15:56 AM, David Sharples wrote: > set _trace_file_public = true should do that (does for the udump files > anyway) Speaking of the trace files, in 10.2 the size of the trace file can only be limited by an undocumented parameter named "_trace_file_size". As a result, I have few really monumental trace files in my BACKGROUND_DUMP_DEST. Does anybody here know a reason for removing the completely legal parameter which used to define the maximum size of a trace file? -- Mladen Gogala http://www.mgogala.com -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l Fairlie Rego Senior Oracle Consultant http://el-caro.blogspot.com/ M: +61 402 792 405 --------------------------------- How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger?s low PC-to-Phone call rates.