Re: Need to remove a ghost file, but can't because it doesn't exist
On 2006-11-15 @ 16:35:28 (week 46) Matthew Krauss wrote:
> I'm thinking you have a file with a name that the shell doesn't want to
> handle correctly.
As far as I can tell, there's nothing irregular about the name itself.
The only somewhat "special" characters in it are a comma, an equal sign
and a colon. All other files in the same directory do contain those too
without showing any problems.
> Try these:
> # echo 1141914051.*
$ echo 1141914051.*
1141914051.M484859P8695V0000000000000309Ip0007553_0.draupnir,S=3707:2,S
> # ls | grep 1141914051
$ ls | grep 1141914051
1141914051.M484859P8695V0000000000000309Ip0007553_0.draupnir,S=3707:2,S
> See if the file is shown.
It is.
> My guess is you will get two different results.
>
> Try using rm with the full file name from the second command
> (copy and past is your friend here) in quotes.
Already tried that:
$ rm '1141914051.M484859P8695V0000000000000309Ip0007553_0.draupnir,S=3707:2,S'
rm: cannot lstat `1141914051.M484859P8695V0000000000000309Ip0007553_0.draupnir,S=3707:2,S': No such file or directory
> (Assuming here that only one file matches that glob pattern. Otherwise
> that won't work so well.)
There's only one matching file.
> The filename could (hypothetically) also screw with your terminal...
> Another approach would be to type "rm 1141914051." and then hit your tab
> key, see if the name auto-completes.
I don't think the problem is in the name or the shell's intepretation of
it. I am getting a bad feeling the problem is more low-level, like in
the filesystem.
> If this doesn't work you might want to try using a file manager to
> remove the file.
This is on a host without X, but mc couldn't handle it either.
> If that doesn't work, I would suggest that a fsck might be in order.
I am coming to that conclusion as well.
Thank you for your effort, much appreciated!
Grx HdV
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