apache/hadoop · error · IllegalArgumentException

Task memory allocation may not be < 0

Error message

Task memory allocation may not be < 0

What it means

Error "Task memory allocation may not be < 0" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-mapreduce-project/hadoop-mapreduce-client/hadoop-mapreduce-client-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/mapred/JobConf.java:2116

   * mapreduce.map.memory.mb
   * and mapreduce.map.memory.mb,mapred
   * each of the new key are set
   * as mapred.task.maxvmem / 1024
   * as new values are in MB
   *
   * @param vmem Maximum amount of virtual memory in bytes any task of this job
   *             can use.
   * @see #getMaxVirtualMemoryForTask()
   * @deprecated
   *  Use {@link #setMemoryForMapTask(long mem)}  and
   *  Use {@link #setMemoryForReduceTask(long mem)}
   */
  @Deprecated
  public void setMaxVirtualMemoryForTask(long vmem) {
    LOG.warn("setMaxVirtualMemoryForTask() is deprecated."+
      "Instead use setMemoryForMapTask() and setMemoryForReduceTask()");
    if (vmem < 0) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Task memory allocation may not be < 0");
    }

    if(get(JobConf.MAPRED_TASK_MAXVMEM_PROPERTY) == null) {
      setMemoryForMapTask(vmem / (1024 * 1024)); //Changing bytes to mb
      setMemoryForReduceTask(vmem / (1024 * 1024));//Changing bytes to mb
    }else{
      this.setLong(JobConf.MAPRED_TASK_MAXVMEM_PROPERTY,vmem);
    }
  }

  /**
   * @deprecated this variable is deprecated and nolonger in use.
   */
  @Deprecated
  public long getMaxPhysicalMemoryForTask() {
    LOG.warn("The API getMaxPhysicalMemoryForTask() is deprecated."
              + " Refer to the APIs getMemoryForMapTask() and"
              + " getMemoryForReduceTask() for details.");

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Set mapred.task.maxvmem / task memory configuration to a non-negative value in the JobConf.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at hadoop-mapreduce-project/hadoop-mapreduce-client/hadoop-mapreduce-client-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/mapred/JobConf.java:2116 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bb22a6c40e86af54. Report an issue: GitHub.