Ubuntu 9.04 with file issues Cross posted by intent- we're supposed to compare notes on such problems - I hope.

Hal Duston hald at kc.rr.com
Fri Sep 10 18:08:01 CDT 2010


On Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:33:13 -0700, Jack wrote:
> --- On Fri, 9/3/10, Hal Duston hal wrote:
> 
> > From: Hal Duston 
> > Subject: Re: Ubuntu 9.04 with file issues Cross posted by intent- we're supposed to compare notes on such problems - I hope.
> > To: kclug at kclug.org
> > Date: Friday, September 3, 2010, 8:31 AM
> > On Fri, Sep 03, 2010 at 07:32:39AM
> > -0700, Jack wrote:
> > > Dude, you're insane.
> > > 
> > > "Fsck -y" is like having unprotected sex with the
> > entire adult
> > > entertainment industry.
> > > 
> > > Please, anyyour paying attention to this thread do not
> > run "fsck -y".
> > > That is just flat out dangerous, and could really
> > screw up your fs.
> > > Seriously, why did they ever add that option?  ...
> > 
> > Something to do with not wanting to press "y" 10,000 times,
> > I expect.
> 
> Lol, well if you have 10,000 multiply linked inodes, your time would
> be better used in running fdisk rather than fsck. It was my impression
> the original poster only had a few multiply linked inodes.
> 
> My major issue with -y is that it takes control out of your hands, and
> if your goal is to attempt to preserve as much as possible, the -y
> option isn't likely to be helpful there. Remember the original poster
> wanted to do the least destructive path. Sometimes the right answer is
> to sit there and press yes 10,000 times (and bill accordingly). After
> all, fsck already does the best it can to fix the filesystem in the
> default configuration.
> 
> For an ext2/ext3 fs the "fsck -p" gives almost the same result. This
> will automatically fix any error that is "safe" to fix, without
> assuming an answer of "yes" to *every* question. Now if you know every
> question that fsck might possibly ask and know that you want to answer
> "yes" to all of those questions then it makes sense to use he "-y".
> I'm simply not that confident that I know all the questions should be
> answered "yes". But if you miss your question and it winds up deleting
> grub or some other system critical file like fsck, you might be
> totally screwed.

So, if your find yourself at the point of pressing 'y' thousands of
times and don't have a the budget to hire an expert to carefully
research out the proper response to each of the questions nor the
knowledge to do the research yourself, and don't have a backup of your
data; you would be better served by packing up your system, returning it
to the place of purchase and going back to using a pencil, pen or at the
most a Smith-Corona as you are clearly to stupid to own a computer.

Thanks,
--
Hal
hald at kc.rr.com


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