Informix Error -2996: The unanticipated error number os-error has occurred. Contact IBM Informix Technical Support.

Reasons / Common Causes

-2996 fires when the host operating system returns an error number that Informix software didn't anticipate — per the official guidance, this error should not occur under normal operation, and the reference to "RDS" reflects that RDS was at one time the name of Informix Software.

1. An unanticipated operating-system error surfaced through Informix software, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause. The specific OS error number and its meaning are host-system-specific.

Solutions / Resolution

1. If the error recurs, note all circumstances, per the official guidance.
2. Contact IBM Informix Technical Support, per the official guidance.

Examples

Recording circumstances for support

Capture the exact OS error number shown, the operation being performed, the operating system and version, and any surrounding log entries before contacting IBM Informix Technical Support.

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check whether the error is reproducible, and if so, gather full circumstances before escalating to IBM Informix Technical Support.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -2998 — "Operating system error os-error: text." A closely related, more common operating-system error passthrough, also directing to IBM Informix Technical Support.
• -2999 — "SQL server terminated." A related loss-of-contact error, which can itself stem from an underlying operating-system-level failure.

An unanticipated OS-level error occurred — this shouldn't happen; record the circumstances and contact IBM Informix Technical Support if it recurs.