Why is my only allowing me to half of responses . How do I fix the problem
Executive summary
You are seeing responses cut in half or truncated for one of two broad technical reasons: either a client-side viewer (like Postman or Application Insights) is enforcing a maximum renderable/record size, or the server/API is enforcing rate, token or buffer limits that truncate or refuse larger responses (common defaults: Postman 50 MB, IIS ASP buffer 4 MB, HTTP 429 for rate limits) [1] [2] [3]. Fixes fall into two categories: increase client limits or change the server/API to page, compress, or adjust token/max_tokens settings; which fix applies depends on where the limit is enforced [4] [5] [6].
1. Where the “half response” is usually happening — client-side render limits
The most common, immediately fixable cause is the client or tool you use to view the response stopping at a built-in cap. Postman, for example, defaults to a 50 MB maximum renderable response; you can raise that limit or use “Send and Download” to bypass rendering [1]. Other viewers and logging systems (Application Insights, log frameworks) also truncate very large payloads and will only show a clipped preview unless you change their limits or store the full body elsewhere [7].
2. Server-side buffer and ASP/IIS limits that truncate responses
If you’re hosting on IIS or using legacy ASP, the server itself may enforce a response buffer ceiling (historically 4 MB default for some ASP scenarios). When a single response exceeds that buffer the request fails or is truncated; administrators fix this by increasing the response buffer limit or changing buffering behavior [2] [5]. That’s a configuration change on the server, not the client.
3. Rate limits and token/quota rules that produce partial or refused responses
If the symptom is “half of responses” meaning only some requests succeed, you may be hitting rate limits. APIs commonly return 429 Too Many Requests when the client exceeds a per-minute or per-token quota; providers suggest using Retry-After, exponential backoff, or switching to a secondary model/endpoint to avoid repeated 429s [3] [8] [6]. OpenAI-style systems can also count max_tokens against quotas, so overly-large max_tokens settings cause usage to spike and provoke throttling [6] [9].
4. Practical triage steps — how to tell which limit you hit
First reproduce the problem and capture the raw HTTP status and headers. A 429/503 indicates rate-limiting; a 4xx/5xx with server error lines or logs points to server-side buffer issues; a client UI warning like “Maximum response size reached” points to viewer limits such as Postman’s 50 MB setting [3] [2] [1]. If you can run the same request with a “download” option or curl and the full body appears, the issue is almost certainly client-side [1] [4].
5. Fixes for clients: increase limit, download, or compress
If the client truncates, raise the max response size in settings (Postman) or use its Send-and-Download behavior; set the viewer’s limit conservatively to avoid crashes (Postman docs recommend raising carefully or using Send and Download) [1] [4]. You can also ask the server to gzip responses and include Accept-Encoding: gzip to reduce payload size so the client can render it (this solved cases where large JSON + file-parts exceeded limits) [10].
6. Fixes for servers/APIs: pagination, streaming, and buffer adjustments
If the server is the limiting factor, implement pagination or chunked/streamed responses so no single response exceeds buffer caps; increase the server buffer only after understanding memory implications (IIS guidance: increase buffer to accommodate largest known response during testing) [2]. For ASP sites, raising the response buffer limit or disabling response buffering and managing output in chunks is a documented remedy [5].
7. Fixes for rate limits: backoff, lower max_tokens, use secondary endpoints
If you see 429s, implement exponential backoff and use Retry-After headers when provided; reduce request size and set max_tokens to match expected response size so usage tracking doesn’t overcount, or route to a secondary model/endpoint during throttling [8] [6] [9]. For managed APIs, contact support if you need higher quotas [11].
8. Trade-offs, hidden costs, and what to watch for
Raising client-side or server-side limits can lead to memory pressure or crashed clients; gzip/compression and pagination shift complexity but are safer for scale [4] [2]. Increasing max_tokens or quotas can raise billing and exhaust system quotas faster—monitor usage and logs to avoid surprise throttles [6] [9].
9. Quick decision guide
- If your viewer shows “Maximum response size reached” → change viewer settings or use Send-and-Download (Postman) and consider gzip [1] [10].
- If you receive 429 responses → add backoff, reduce max_tokens, and respect Retry-After, or request higher rate limits [3] [8] [6].
- If server logs show buffer-limit errors → increase IIS/ASP buffer or implement chunked responses [2] [5].
Limitations: these recommendations are drawn from the supplied troubleshooting and documentation examples; available sources do not mention your exact platform, tooling, or the precise error messages you saw, so match the guidance above to the specific status codes or client warnings you can reproduce [1] [2] [3].