Oninit
Talk to an expert →

Informix Error -225

-225 Cannot create file for system catalog table-name.

The database server is trying to create one of the tables for the system catalog, probably as part of a CREATE DATABASE statement. A problem with the host operating system prevents it. Check the accompanying ISAM error code for more information, and look for operating-system error messages. A shortage of disk space or operating-system file-access permission problems probably caused this error.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-225 happens during CREATE DATABASE, when the engine is creating the system catalog tables a new database needs and an OS-level issue prevents file creation. Same general category as -214/-215/-221's file-operation wrappers — the accompanying ISAM error code carries the specific cause, with disk space and permissions named as the probable candidates.

  1. Disk space shortage in the target dbspace or directory during system catalog table creation.
  2. File-access permission issues preventing the database server from creating the file(s) for a system catalog table.
  3. General OS-level issues — hardware or filesystem problems.
  4. CREATE DATABASE issued against a location or dbspace that isn't correctly writable or available.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS-level error messages, per the official guidance.
  2. Check disk space in the target dbspace or directory for the new database.
  3. Check file-access permissions for the database server account.
  4. Retry CREATE DATABASE after addressing the underlying space or permission issue.
Examples
Checking space and permissions before retrying
onstat -d
-- confirm free space in the target dbspace

ls -ld /informix/dbspace
-- confirm the database server account has write access
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code for the specific underlying cause.
  2. Check disk space and permissions for the target dbspace or directory.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -211 — "Cannot read system catalog ." The closest conceptual sibling — both concern system catalog access, though -211 is a read failure on an existing catalog and -225 is a creation failure for a new one.
  • -214 — "Cannot remove file for table table-name." The closest structural sibling — the same accompanying-ISAM-code, OS-level file-operation failure pattern.

Check disk space and permissions first — this is almost always an infrastructure issue blocking CREATE DATABASE, not a problem with the statement itself.