-----Original Message----- From: Mads Martin Jørgensen [mailto:mmj@suse.com] /tmp is supposed to be wiped out with no reason whatsoever. So feel free to clean it up ;)

Too bad not everyone follows the /tmp is temp rule. The MySQL install on 6.5 and I am pretty sure 7.0 put a file in /tmp mysql.sock that if removed kills MySQL. I thought a find command that killed off all files over a few days would do the trick, but found that killed off the MySQL engine. Greg Engel

Actually, that's not the case. This is what the file system standard says: +++++++++++++++++++ Filesystem Hierarchy Standard 3.11 /tmp : Temporary files The /tmp directory shall be made available for programs that require temporary files. Although data stored in /tmp may be deleted in a site-specific manner, it is recommended that files and directories located in /tmp be deleted whenever the system is booted. Programs shall not assume that any files or directories in /tmp are preserved between invocations of the program. START RATIONALE IEEE standard P1003.2 (POSIX, part 2) makes requirements that are similar to the above section. FHS added the recommendation that /tmp be cleaned at boot time on the basis of historical precedent and common practice, but did not make it a requirement because system administration is not within the scope of this standard. END RATIONALE +++++++++++++++++++ As you can see tmp files that belong to running programs should not be wiped, even if they've been closed by the program - it migh want to reopen the file and reuse the contents... Alan PS: the whole standard is at http://www.pathname.com/fhs/ if you are interested :) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mads Martin Jørgensen" To: "scc" Cc: "SuSE Mailing List" Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 7:12 PM Subject: Re: [SLE] /tmp getting very big | * scc [May 14. 2001 11:10]: | > Hi everyone | > | > Can I delete the contents of /tmp from time to time without upsetting the | > system? | > | > I use it for downloading stuff, but then delete it when installed or no | > longer needed. Konqueror, xcdroast and kde seem to leave amazing amounts of | > stuff there. | | /tmp is supposed to be wiped out with no reason whatsoever. So feel free | to clean it up ;) | | -- | Mads Martin Joergensen, http://mmj.dk | "Why make things difficult, when it is possible to make them cryptic and | totally illogic, with just a little bit more effort." | -- A. P. J. | | -- | To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com | For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com | Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/support/faq and the | archives at http://lists.suse.com | |