error: “net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_acct” is an unknown key

Question

i have the next error when i run 'sysctl -p'

error: "net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_acct" is an unknown key

net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_acct = 1
net.ipv4.netfilter.ip_conntrack_max = 9527600
net.ipv4.netfilter.ip_conntrack_tcp_timeout_established = 7200

lsmod

ipv6                  289352  34 
loop                   19724  0 
nf_conntrack_ipv4      19352  0 
nf_conntrack           71440  1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
joydev                 15232  0 
evdev                  14592  0 
ext3                  125456  3 
jbd                    54696  1 ext3
mbcache                13188  1 ext3
raid1                  24832  4 
md_mod                 81700  5 raid1
thermal_sys            17728  0 

Debian 5.0.8

Any idea? Thanks

Answer 1

Well, it's saying that you have a setting net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_acct in your /etc/sysctl.conf, but when sysctl tries to load that setting it has no idea what it is. Did this used to work in the past? Maybe you installed a new kernel which does not support that sysctl.

EDIT: based on your comment about the kernel version you are using, it looks like your older Debian does not support that sysctl. See this debian mailing list thread for details - looks like it was added in 2.6.29.

You will have to recompile your kernel or upgrade to enable that feature.