Weird Unix issue

Discussion in 'Software' started by greenbrucelee, Dec 11, 2008.

  1. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    I am trying to delete a directory in Unix (I am a bit rusty in Unix)

    So I have typed rm -r nameofdirectory

    but the cursor is just spining and not getting rid of the files and the directory. I am pretty sure the rm -r should wipe out the files and directory without me having to delete every single file,

    Anyone got any ideas or tell me where I am going wrong
     
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  2. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Im no UNIX guru but I think you have to do rm -rf nameofdirectory

    The f bit forces the deletion of the files and sub directories in the directory you have specified.
     
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  3. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Try this:
     
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  4. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    ahhh cheers -f does remove everything but there are some protected files in the directory that I think I have to unprotect before getting rid of the whole thing.

    Cheers
     
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  5. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    cheers Trip so I did rm -r-f nameofdirectory after unprotecting the two files in the directory.

    Havent done any Unix since 2002 when we swapped to 2k3, although still prefer Unix as it was faster or the Sun boxes were anyway.
     
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  6. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Hopefully, you entered,
    Code:
    rm -rf nameofdirectory
    instead. :wink: If you get stuck, as in my example, just type the name of the command and then --help as in
    Code:
    rm --help
    . You can also google the command to see the options (just google "rm" and see what comes up). Cheers. :)
     
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  7. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    :oops: yep that's what I did not -r-f :oops: I am on my managers computer where he has everything installed about 50 times in various places and it takes the computer about 5 seconds to catch up. He wont let mean clean it up or defrag it.
     
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  8. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Probably afraid you'll discover his secret pr0n stash. :twisted:
     
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  9. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    lol, I already know where his pr0n is and he has plenty of it too :D
     
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  10. supernova

    supernova Gigabyte Poster

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    Dont forget man pages via the "man" command!
     
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  11. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Note that in the Unix world single switches (i.e. those that take no argument) can be combined.

    So rm -r -f is the same thing as rm -rf.

    If there were a *lot* of files in the directory you were removing then that would explain the long delay in getting a response.

    Harry.
     
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  12. Daniel

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    Is this the Unix equivalent of:

    Code:
    rmdir
    
    In Windows?

    I think the /f switch doesn't exist for rmdir I don't think.

    There one for files is:

    Code:
    del /f filename
    
    I think :biggrin
     
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  13. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Yep a lot of DOS commands are similar in Unix some are the same.
     
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  14. Daniel

    Daniel Byte Poster

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    Thanks :biggrin!
     
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  15. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    There are plenty of free unix tutorials on the net if your interested in learning it. The only major difference in commands is with unix you don't get "are you sure Y/N" when you are doing something like deleting files unless you put the argument in with the delete command.

    I actually prefer Unix especially for managing a production process like were I work but it's expensive to maintain and can easily go bye bye if the wrong commands are used. But we use 2k3 now at work.
     
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