# Nginx 1.2.1 won't start with large CRL

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/nginx-1-2-1-wont-start-with-large-crl/220828>\
**Category:** NGINX\
**Created:** [June 21, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/nginx-1-2-1-wont-start-with-large-crl/220828 "2012-06-21T15:38:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@aris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/aris)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/nginx-1-2-1-wont-start-with-large-crl/220828/1 "2012-06-21T15:38:25Z")

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I have a CRL loaded into ssl\_crl variable in the config file that’s  
about 256MB in size and nginx won’t start. I get the following error:

nginx: [emerg] fork() failed (12: Cannot allocate memory)

I believe this is due to nginx trying to load the file into memory and  
it’s bombing. It maxes out my server’s RAM and then just crashes.

- Brian

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**Author:** ![HoffmanS\_Brian\_SUSA](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@HoffmanS\_Brian\_SUSA](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/HoffmanS_Brian_SUSA)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/nginx-1-2-1-wont-start-with-large-crl/220828/2 "2012-06-21T16:19:21Z")

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Hello!

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 01:36:27PM +0000, Hoffman, Brian [USA] wrote:

> I have a CRL loaded into ssl\_crl variable in the config file that’s about 256MB  
> in size and nginx won’t start. I get the following error:
> 
> nginx: [emerg] fork() failed (12: Cannot allocate memory)
> 
> I believe this is due to nginx trying to load the file into memory and it’s  
> bombing. It maxes out my server’s RAM and then just crashes.

I would rather rewrite the subject as “nginx won’t start if there  
isn’t enough memory”. It won’t. Try adding more memory and/or  
find a way to keep your CRL small.

Maxim D.

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**Author:** ![HoffmanS\_Brian\_SUSA](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@HoffmanS\_Brian\_SUSA](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/HoffmanS_Brian_SUSA)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/nginx-1-2-1-wont-start-with-large-crl/220828/3 "2013-04-30T18:11:11Z")

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The CRL cannot get any smaller as it’s a DoD CRL. Also adding more  
memory  
does not solve the problem. It seems to have an issue with starting the  
server period with a large CRL.

[alert] 19759#0: fork() failed while spawning “worker process” (12:  
Cannot  
allocate memory)

Posted at Nginx Forum:

> **[Re: nginx 1.2.1 won't start with large CRL](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,227763,238749#msg-238749)**
>
> I have a CRL loaded into ssl\_crl variable in the config file that's about 256MB in size and nginx won't start. I get the following error: nginx: \[emerg\] fork() failed (12: Cannot allocate memory) I believe this is due to nginx trying to load the file...