There is no "max amount of file handles per process" on Windows.
The C runtime has limitations as you indicated. The Win32 API does not.
File,Socket and other handles to NTOSKRNL objects (GDI is its own beast) are not limited by anything but available memory. some of the used memory is non-pageable in the kernel, and there is a limit to the non-pageable memory (1/8 of RAM, I think), so it's not as simple as RAM/(handlecount*storagecost per handle).
Re:Too Many Open Files
by dwattttt on Saturday June 07, 2025 @01:14AM
(#44207578)
I mean, there's only 30 bits available for HANDLEs in the handle table, so you've got a limit there. You'd have to work pretty hard to reach it without running out of resources though.
The C runtime has limitations as you indicated. The Win32 API does not.
File,Socket and other handles to NTOSKRNL objects (GDI is its own beast) are not limited by anything but available memory. some of the used memory is non-pageable in the kernel, and there is a limit to the non-pageable memory (1/8 of RAM, I think), so it's not as simple as RAM/(handlecount*storagecost per handle).