In a previous message, zentara wrote:

On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 17:54:34 GMT John Pettigrew wrote:

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I have some files that I cannot delete, even as root.

Can you move them? An easy trick is to move them to a good directory, then recursively delete the directory. mc makes this easy to do.

I'd tried that already, I'm afraid - they mv OK but the files (actually, three sets of files in three directories) won't delete with an rm -r from higher up the tree. I should also mention (realised that I'd missed it out) that I cannot chown or chmod the files, either. More permission denied (to root!). Thanks, John -- John Pettigrew Headstrong Games john@headstrong-games.co.uk Fun : Strategy : Price http://www.headstrong-games.co.uk/ Board games that won't break the bank Fields of Valour: 2 Norse clans battle on one of 3 different boards

* John Pettigrew (Tue, Mar 25, 2003 at 05:52:39PM +0000)

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I have some files that I cannot delete, even as root. I had the same sort of problem a couple of months ago. I was unable to delete some files even as root.

Bingo - I also use reiserfs, so I ran reiserfsck --check followed by --rebuild-tree (which I was told to do by the check). Judging by the number [snip] I'm rather troubled by this. I thought that the point of a journalled FS was that this sort of nastiness didn't happen, and was at least kept infrequent and small-scale? I see fsck as part of the boot process of this box every day (it's a desktop system), so why hasn't this taken care of problems as they arise?

In my personal opinion reiserfs (with a 2.4.X kernel) is not reliable for production systems. reiserfs and 2.4 and nfs are a surefire recipe for disaster. Things may have improve after 2.4.16 (i.e suse 8.0 or higher) but I've seen a few too many weird things with reiserfs. (e.g. make a directory with the word test in the name onna reiser system, try accessing the diretcoyr over NFS, the NFS client claims it's a file if you try to cd into it (or move multiple files into it), but claims its a directory if you try to rm it (and rmduir fails with not a directory). Files within the directry may be accessible, but maybe not. I';ve had reiser bark and create (as you say) undelatable files, and I've had kernel panics with OpenOffice. Installing OpenOPffice (over NFS) on areiser partition would kernel panic the system 2 out of 3 times (same system, same directory as in kernel pani, reboot machine, rm -rf directory, reinstall .. fails 2 times, works the 3rd time. Starting openoffice from that directory is a 50/50 chance of kernel panic &c &c &c ... My advice (based on maintaining an odd 50 orso linux boxes raning from P133 upto dual Xeon boxes and AMD system, with avrious IDE and csi configurations is * do *NOT* use reiserfs for production systems* ext3 worsk fine though .. Kind regards, -- Gerhard den Hollander Phone :+31-10.280.1515 Global IT Support manager Direct:+31-10.280.1539 Jason Geosystems BV Fax :+31-10.280.1511 (When calling please note: we are in GMT+1) gdenhollander@jasongeo.com POBox 1573 visit us at http://www.jasongeo.com 3000 BN Rotterdam JASON.......#1 in Reservoir Characterization The Netherlands This e-mail and any attachment is/are intended solely for the named addressee(s) and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, we request that you do not disseminate, forward, distribute or copy this e-mail message. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and destroy the original message.

* Philipp Thomas (Tue, Mar 25, 2003 at 11:57:05PM +0100)

Gerhard den Hollander [25 Mar 2003 21:11:07]:

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In my personal opinion reiserfs (with a 2.4.X kernel) is not reliable for production systems. reiserfs and 2.4 and nfs are a surefire recipe for disaster.

And I'd say 'it ain't so'. Nearly all our productive systems use reiserfs and also nearly all use nfs. I'd have heard it if it was a surefire recipe.

Which kernel are you using ? But if it works for you, all the better ;) It may be related to the fact that we routinely have files >2G in size being pumped around, or to the fact that we have a -4GB kernel flag or ....

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ext3 worsk fine though ..

ext2 just has different bugs or potential points of failure. And I have a few experiences where ext3 failed.

Kind regards, -- Gerhard den Hollander Phone :+31-10.280.1515 Global IT Support manager Direct:+31-10.280.1539 Jason Geosystems BV Fax :+31-10.280.1511 (When calling please note: we are in GMT+1) gdenhollander@jasongeo.com POBox 1573 visit us at http://www.jasongeo.com 3000 BN Rotterdam JASON.......#1 in Reservoir Characterization The Netherlands This e-mail and any attachment is/are intended solely for the named addressee(s) and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, we request that you do not disseminate, forward, distribute or copy this e-mail message. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and destroy the original message.