running out of file descriptors

We're running squid-2.4.STABLE7-2mdk on Mandrake Linux release 9.0
(dolphin) for i586. It's been running ok for a few weeks. I noticed this
morning numerous "WARNING! Your cache is running out of filedescriptors"
errors in cache.log. I'm not sure how long this has been occuring. I did
some googling for answers and it seems to come down to changing a
parameter in a header file and recompiling squid although it seemed
there may be some OS settings involved too.

Before I embark upon these adventures however I'd appreciate some advice
regarding the best way to solve this problem. Would moving to
2.5.STABLE_whatever solve this without modifying header files? Is there
a problem with the default Mandrke kernel that affects this?

Thanks.


-- 
Mike Rambo
Lansing School District
Lansing, MI
mrambo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx