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RE: Bug in rm -r with locked files


On Thu, 23 Jan 2003, Randall R Schulz wrote:

> Chris J.,
>
> At 02:47 2003-01-23, Chris January wrote:
> > > It's not a completely intractable problem.  I think that someone (Chris
> > > January?) provided a workaround at one point.  "cygserver" could also
> > > provide a possible solution someday.
> >
> >The best solution, IIRC, was to move the locked files elsewhere on the same
> >volume (which should be allowed) if they can't be unlinked, and then unlink
> >them later. So there would be a directory of files waiting to die if you
> >like :) Obviously you'd have to give them unique names, but you can just use
> >random numbers.
>
> Again, I think this misses the point. While Windows sees the file as
> open (or a directory that is current for some process), it cannot be
> renamed, relocated or deleted, can it? I know very little about the
> Windows APIs, but the behavior I see from Windows strongly suggests
> this is the case. Is there some kind of override to these common
> "interlocks" that Windows imposes? Are they only strictly enforced in
> Windows Explorer?
>
> Randall Schulz

Randall,

These "interlocks", at least as far as renaming goes, might in fact be
restricted to Windows Explorer.  It seems possible (from the limited
testing that I did) to rename a file that is locked, or move it to another
directory on the same volume.  If I may venture a guess, Windows Explorer
is unable to move a locked file because it implements move as copy/delete
to avoid special-casing for same-volume moves.

I've had a similar problem with cvs trying to remove lock directories on
samba drives.  While not necessarily related (I had no infinite loops,
just a "permission denied" on remove), I was able to rename or even move
the directory (while it was considered locked), as long as it was on the
same volume.
	Igor
-- 
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     |,4-  ) )-,_. ,\ (  `'-'		Igor Pechtchanski
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  -- /usr/games/fortune


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