Error
Error Code:
12
SAP S/4HANA Error 12: File Access Denied
Description
Error 12, 'ERR_FILE_OPEN_FAILED', indicates that SAP S/4HANA was unable to open or access a required file. This typically occurs when the system lacks the necessary permissions, the file path is incorrect, or the file itself is corrupted or in use. It prevents SAP S/4HANA from reading or writing essential data for its operations.
Error Message
ERR_FILE_OPEN_FAILED
Known Causes
3 known causesInsufficient File Permissions
The SAP S/4HANA system or the user attempting the operation does not have the required read or write permissions for the specified file or its containing directory.
File Not Found or Invalid Path
The file SAP S/4HANA is trying to access does not exist at the specified location, or the file path configured in the system is incorrect or malformed.
Corrupted or Locked File
The target file might be corrupted, incomplete, or currently locked and in use by another application or process, preventing SAP S/4HANA from opening it.
Solutions
4 solutions available1. Verify SAP System User File Permissions medium
Ensure the SAP system user has read/write permissions on the target file or directory.
1
Identify the SAP system user. This is typically the user under which the SAP application server processes are running (e.g., `<sid>adm`).
2
Determine the full path to the file or directory that SAP is trying to access. This is usually found in the SAP application log or trace files.
3
Log in to the operating system of the SAP application server where the file access is failing.
4
Use operating system commands to check and grant the necessary permissions. Replace `<sid>adm` with the actual SAP system user and `/path/to/file_or_directory` with the correct path.
sudo chown -R <sid>adm:<sid>adm /path/to/file_or_directory
sudo chmod -R u+rwX /path/to/file_or_directory5
If the file is on a network share, ensure the SAP system user has appropriate network share permissions as well.
6
Restart the relevant SAP application server instance or the specific service experiencing the error to apply the permission changes.
2. Check SAP Profile Parameters for File Access medium
Review SAP system profile parameters that might restrict file access.
1
Log in to SAP GUI with an administrative user (e.g., SAP_ALL profile).
2
Navigate to transaction `RZ10` (Profile Maintenance).
3
Select the relevant instance profile (e.g., `DEFAULT.PFL` or a specific instance profile). Click 'Display'.
4
Search for parameters related to file access. Key parameters to check include:
5
`DIR_GLOBAL`: Defines the global directory for shared files. Ensure this path is accessible.
6
`DIR_FS_ROOT`: Defines the root directory for file system access. Check if this is correctly set and accessible.
7
`DIR_DATA` or other `DIR_` parameters: Verify that any directory parameters used by the specific SAP function are correctly configured and the underlying OS path exists and is writable by the SAP system user.
8
If any parameters seem incorrect or are missing, adjust them. Save the changes and activate the profile.
9
Restart the SAP application server instance(s) to apply the profile parameter changes.
3. Examine SAP Application Logs for Specifics easy
Drill down into SAP logs for detailed error context and file path information.
1
Log in to SAP GUI.
2
Navigate to transaction `SM21` (System Log).
3
Filter the log for the error message 'ERR_FILE_OPEN_FAILED' or 'Error 12'. Look for entries around the time the error occurred.
4
Analyze the log entries for additional details. These often include the exact file path SAP was trying to access and the specific operation (read, write, etc.).
5
If the error occurs during a specific SAP transaction or background job, check the relevant job logs (SM37) or application-specific logs for more context.
6
Once the specific file and its context are identified, proceed with OS-level permission checks (Solution 1) or profile parameter verification (Solution 2).
4. Verify Operating System Mount Points and Network Shares medium
Ensure that any required file systems or network shares are correctly mounted and accessible by the SAP application server.
1
Identify if the file access is related to a mounted file system or a network share (e.g., NFS, CIFS/SMB). This information can often be found in the SAP system logs or configuration.
2
Log in to the operating system of the SAP application server.
3
For Linux/Unix systems, use the `mount` command to check the status of mounted file systems and network shares. Ensure the target path is listed and appears correctly mounted.
mount4
If the mount is missing or incorrect, consult your OS administrator or network storage team to remount or correct the mount point. For example, to mount an NFS share:
sudo mount <nfs_server>:<export_path> /path/to/mountpoint5
For Windows systems, check the 'Computer' or 'This PC' view for mapped network drives or use `net use` command in Command Prompt to verify network connections.
net use6
Ensure that the SAP system user (`<sid>adm`) has the necessary permissions to access the mounted file system or network share, as described in Solution 1.
7
Test access to the file or directory from the SAP application server's command line as the SAP system user.
su - <sid>adm
ls -l /path/to/file_or_directory