Re: FAT filesystem with a directory cycle

[Joel Roth <joelz@pobox.com>]

On Thu, Mar 03, 2011 at 06:31:49AM -0500, shawn wilson wrote:
> On Mar 3, 2011 6:14 AM, "Joel Roth" <joelz@pobox.com> wrote:
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 03, 2011 at 09:51:14AM +0100, Alex Mestiashvili wrote:
> > > On 03/03/2011 06:20 AM, Joel Roth wrote:
> > > >Hi,
> > > >
> > > >I'm repairing a system for a friend with a FAT filesystem
> > > >problem.
> > > >
> > > >There is a directory cycle, so that for example:
> > > >
> > > >    rm -rf directory_with_cycle
> > > >
> > > >doesn't work, because rm encounters and endless succession
> > > >of subdirectories.
> > > >
> > > >The directory content is not important, however I'd be
> > > >interested in knowing some FAT references that could help
> > > >me to eliminate the loop and remove the directory.
> > > >
> > > >Regards,
> > > >
> > > I would run the fsck.vfat ( dosfstools package) on the unmounted
> partition.
> >
> > I tried that; fsck.vfat gets stuck in a loop as it descends
> > into a subdirectory that contains its own ancestor.
> >
> 
> I thought fsck was a bit based integrity checker and didn't care about
> directories?... and how do you know what directory fsck is on anyway?

The same warning repeated endlessly
 
> Either way, rsync the disk (I think there's a follow symlink option). Copy
> the first 454 bites of the disk. Reformat the disk, copy the data back, dd
> the mbr back.

Rsync *does* allow one to exclude directories from the copy.
So that would work.

However Windows system partitions always have special
wrinkles...  A fresh install might help.

I think I'm about done with this job. I've got Windows
booting, and I've got Puppy linux running as an alternative.

Thanks for your suggestions :)

-- 
Joel Roth