How to delete unknown file that doesn't have proper permissions

My co-worker sent me a theme in a tar.gz file and I tried unzipping it using the archive manager GUI as I usually do for any kind of zipped file. However, it produced a corrupt file/directory that I can no longer delete.

Note that the working directory is in a directory I created in my home folder.

ls -l produces

???????????  ? ?        ?       ?            ? Alt_Elementary_Dark

Right click properties menu says that the permissions could not be determined, and all info is 'unknown' (like size,accessed,modified)

Type is said to be 'Binary (application/octet-stream)', though it should have been a directory.

What I've done to try and remove:

$ sudo rm -rfv Alt_Elementary_Dark

rm: cannot remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo rmdir Alt_Elementary_Dark 

rmdir: failed to remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

touch: cannot touch ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: cannot stat ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: failed to access ‘renamed_to_remove’: Permission denied



$ sudo ls -ld Alt_Elementary_Dark

ls: cannot access Alt_Elementary_Dark: Permission denied

Is there some other way I can remove this corrupt, unknown directory?

edited Jun 9 '16 at 17:02

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 1 hour ago

This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.

It looks like the filesystem does not have any information about the file. Try running touch on the file: touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

– Peschke
Jun 6 '16 at 17:40

1

in order to remove a file you need write permissions on the directory, not the file itself. What are the permissions on the working directory?

– Centimane
Jun 6 '16 at 17:47

@Elixiroflove touching provides the same permission denied results

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 20:00

2

I almost think you might want to run fsck on that filesyste. You also see output like above if there is filesystem corruption.

– Zoredache
Jun 6 '16 at 20:24

1

Is your home directory accessed via NFS? And what's the output from lsattr?

– Andrew Henle
Jun 6 '16 at 20:39

|
show 4 more comments

Note that the working directory is in a directory I created in my home folder.

ls -l produces

???????????  ? ?        ?       ?            ? Alt_Elementary_Dark

Right click properties menu says that the permissions could not be determined, and all info is 'unknown' (like size,accessed,modified)

Type is said to be 'Binary (application/octet-stream)', though it should have been a directory.

What I've done to try and remove:

$ sudo rm -rfv Alt_Elementary_Dark

rm: cannot remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo rmdir Alt_Elementary_Dark 

rmdir: failed to remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

touch: cannot touch ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: cannot stat ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: failed to access ‘renamed_to_remove’: Permission denied



$ sudo ls -ld Alt_Elementary_Dark

ls: cannot access Alt_Elementary_Dark: Permission denied

Is there some other way I can remove this corrupt, unknown directory?

edited Jun 9 '16 at 17:02

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 1 hour ago

This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.

It looks like the filesystem does not have any information about the file. Try running touch on the file: touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

– Peschke
Jun 6 '16 at 17:40

1

in order to remove a file you need write permissions on the directory, not the file itself. What are the permissions on the working directory?

– Centimane
Jun 6 '16 at 17:47

@Elixiroflove touching provides the same permission denied results

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 20:00

2

I almost think you might want to run fsck on that filesyste. You also see output like above if there is filesystem corruption.

– Zoredache
Jun 6 '16 at 20:24

1

Is your home directory accessed via NFS? And what's the output from lsattr?

– Andrew Henle
Jun 6 '16 at 20:39

|
show 4 more comments

Note that the working directory is in a directory I created in my home folder.

ls -l produces

???????????  ? ?        ?       ?            ? Alt_Elementary_Dark

Right click properties menu says that the permissions could not be determined, and all info is 'unknown' (like size,accessed,modified)

Type is said to be 'Binary (application/octet-stream)', though it should have been a directory.

What I've done to try and remove:

$ sudo rm -rfv Alt_Elementary_Dark

rm: cannot remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo rmdir Alt_Elementary_Dark 

rmdir: failed to remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

touch: cannot touch ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: cannot stat ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: failed to access ‘renamed_to_remove’: Permission denied



$ sudo ls -ld Alt_Elementary_Dark

ls: cannot access Alt_Elementary_Dark: Permission denied

Is there some other way I can remove this corrupt, unknown directory?

edited Jun 9 '16 at 17:02

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

Note that the working directory is in a directory I created in my home folder.

ls -l produces

???????????  ? ?        ?       ?            ? Alt_Elementary_Dark

Right click properties menu says that the permissions could not be determined, and all info is 'unknown' (like size,accessed,modified)

Type is said to be 'Binary (application/octet-stream)', though it should have been a directory.

What I've done to try and remove:

$ sudo rm -rfv Alt_Elementary_Dark

rm: cannot remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo rmdir Alt_Elementary_Dark 

rmdir: failed to remove ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

touch: cannot touch ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: cannot stat ‘Alt_Elementary_Dark’: Permission denied



$ sudo mv Alt_Elementary_Dark renamed_to_remove

mv: failed to access ‘renamed_to_remove’: Permission denied



$ sudo ls -ld Alt_Elementary_Dark

ls: cannot access Alt_Elementary_Dark: Permission denied

Is there some other way I can remove this corrupt, unknown directory?

files permissions filesystems corruption

edited Jun 9 '16 at 17:02

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

edited Jun 9 '16 at 17:02

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

edited Jun 9 '16 at 17:02

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

asked Jun 6 '16 at 17:19

RingOfStorms

bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 1 hour ago

This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.

bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 1 hour ago

This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.

It looks like the filesystem does not have any information about the file. Try running touch on the file: touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

– Peschke
Jun 6 '16 at 17:40

1

in order to remove a file you need write permissions on the directory, not the file itself. What are the permissions on the working directory?

– Centimane
Jun 6 '16 at 17:47

@Elixiroflove touching provides the same permission denied results

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 20:00

2

I almost think you might want to run fsck on that filesyste. You also see output like above if there is filesystem corruption.

– Zoredache
Jun 6 '16 at 20:24

1

Is your home directory accessed via NFS? And what's the output from lsattr?

– Andrew Henle
Jun 6 '16 at 20:39

|
show 4 more comments

It looks like the filesystem does not have any information about the file. Try running touch on the file: touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

– Peschke
Jun 6 '16 at 17:40

1

in order to remove a file you need write permissions on the directory, not the file itself. What are the permissions on the working directory?

– Centimane
Jun 6 '16 at 17:47

@Elixiroflove touching provides the same permission denied results

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 20:00

2

I almost think you might want to run fsck on that filesyste. You also see output like above if there is filesystem corruption.

– Zoredache
Jun 6 '16 at 20:24

1

Is your home directory accessed via NFS? And what's the output from lsattr?

– Andrew Henle
Jun 6 '16 at 20:39

It looks like the filesystem does not have any information about the file. Try running touch on the file: touch Alt_Elementary_Dark

– Peschke
Jun 6 '16 at 17:40

in order to remove a file you need write permissions on the directory, not the file itself. What are the permissions on the working directory?

– Centimane
Jun 6 '16 at 17:47

@Elixiroflove touching provides the same permission denied results

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 20:00

I almost think you might want to run fsck on that filesyste. You also see output like above if there is filesystem corruption.

– Zoredache
Jun 6 '16 at 20:24

Is your home directory accessed via NFS? And what's the output from lsattr?

– Andrew Henle
Jun 6 '16 at 20:39

|
show 4 more comments

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

try to rename it and after that remove it.

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

Also gives no permission, I added those attempts above

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 17:43

add a comment |

If it is associated with (application/octet-stream) it is probably a print file of some sort (gs, ps, or pcl). There are a lot of possibilities, but if you go to the cups interface or /etc/cups you should be able to see the print jobs. One is probably stuck and was moved there when a script when wrong.

Do you use any sort of PS to PDF type functionality? This could also push it there.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:31

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

This file has persisted over restart so I don't believe it to be a stuck job of any sort. I also don't think this has to do with postscript to pdf because it should have just been a directory that got unzipped, there are no pdf's in what the directory should of contained.

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:25

add a comment |

-2

Do sudo chmod ugo+rwx -R . (on the working directory). Also check for IO errors in dmesg.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:19

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

I don't think this is the route, this is my home directory on the network so I don't want to mess with permissions (I probably can't even do this as it is managed elsewhere)

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:27

sweeping commands like this introduce more problems than they solve. And if the user is not able to delete these files or move them, what makes you think that he can change the ownership of these files ?

– MelBurslan
Jun 6 '16 at 21:42

I am not suggesting to change his home directory permissions, he said he was in another directory beneath ~. To delete a file you need wx on its parent directory (and maybe r too).

– MemCtrl
Jun 7 '16 at 5:53

add a comment |

Your Answer

StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "106"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});

function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});

}
});

draft saved

draft discarded

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2funix.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f288004%2fhow-to-delete-unknown-file-that-doesnt-have-proper-permissions%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

try to rename it and after that remove it.

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

Also gives no permission, I added those attempts above

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 17:43

add a comment |

try to rename it and after that remove it.

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

Also gives no permission, I added those attempts above

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 17:43

add a comment |

try to rename it and after that remove it.

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

try to rename it and after that remove it.

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

answered Jun 6 '16 at 17:31

BAHADDOU Mohammed

Also gives no permission, I added those attempts above

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 17:43

add a comment |

Also gives no permission, I added those attempts above

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 17:43

Also gives no permission, I added those attempts above

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 17:43

add a comment |

Do you use any sort of PS to PDF type functionality? This could also push it there.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:31

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

This file has persisted over restart so I don't believe it to be a stuck job of any sort. I also don't think this has to do with postscript to pdf because it should have just been a directory that got unzipped, there are no pdf's in what the directory should of contained.

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:25

add a comment |

Do you use any sort of PS to PDF type functionality? This could also push it there.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:31

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

This file has persisted over restart so I don't believe it to be a stuck job of any sort. I also don't think this has to do with postscript to pdf because it should have just been a directory that got unzipped, there are no pdf's in what the directory should of contained.

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:25

add a comment |

Do you use any sort of PS to PDF type functionality? This could also push it there.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:31

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

Do you use any sort of PS to PDF type functionality? This could also push it there.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:31

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:31

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:26

SomeGuy

222112

This file has persisted over restart so I don't believe it to be a stuck job of any sort. I also don't think this has to do with postscript to pdf because it should have just been a directory that got unzipped, there are no pdf's in what the directory should of contained.

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:25

add a comment |

This file has persisted over restart so I don't believe it to be a stuck job of any sort. I also don't think this has to do with postscript to pdf because it should have just been a directory that got unzipped, there are no pdf's in what the directory should of contained.

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:25

This file has persisted over restart so I don't believe it to be a stuck job of any sort. I also don't think this has to do with postscript to pdf because it should have just been a directory that got unzipped, there are no pdf's in what the directory should of contained.

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:25

add a comment |

-2

Do sudo chmod ugo+rwx -R . (on the working directory). Also check for IO errors in dmesg.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:19

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

I don't think this is the route, this is my home directory on the network so I don't want to mess with permissions (I probably can't even do this as it is managed elsewhere)

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:27

sweeping commands like this introduce more problems than they solve. And if the user is not able to delete these files or move them, what makes you think that he can change the ownership of these files ?

– MelBurslan
Jun 6 '16 at 21:42

I am not suggesting to change his home directory permissions, he said he was in another directory beneath ~. To delete a file you need wx on its parent directory (and maybe r too).

– MemCtrl
Jun 7 '16 at 5:53

add a comment |

-2

Do sudo chmod ugo+rwx -R . (on the working directory). Also check for IO errors in dmesg.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:19

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

I don't think this is the route, this is my home directory on the network so I don't want to mess with permissions (I probably can't even do this as it is managed elsewhere)

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:27

sweeping commands like this introduce more problems than they solve. And if the user is not able to delete these files or move them, what makes you think that he can change the ownership of these files ?

– MelBurslan
Jun 6 '16 at 21:42

I am not suggesting to change his home directory permissions, he said he was in another directory beneath ~. To delete a file you need wx on its parent directory (and maybe r too).

– MemCtrl
Jun 7 '16 at 5:53

add a comment |

-2

Do sudo chmod ugo+rwx -R . (on the working directory). Also check for IO errors in dmesg.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:19

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

Do sudo chmod ugo+rwx -R . (on the working directory). Also check for IO errors in dmesg.

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:19

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

edited Jun 6 '16 at 20:19

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

answered Jun 6 '16 at 20:05

MemCtrl

I don't think this is the route, this is my home directory on the network so I don't want to mess with permissions (I probably can't even do this as it is managed elsewhere)

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:27

sweeping commands like this introduce more problems than they solve. And if the user is not able to delete these files or move them, what makes you think that he can change the ownership of these files ?

– MelBurslan
Jun 6 '16 at 21:42

I am not suggesting to change his home directory permissions, he said he was in another directory beneath ~. To delete a file you need wx on its parent directory (and maybe r too).

– MemCtrl
Jun 7 '16 at 5:53

add a comment |

I don't think this is the route, this is my home directory on the network so I don't want to mess with permissions (I probably can't even do this as it is managed elsewhere)

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:27

sweeping commands like this introduce more problems than they solve. And if the user is not able to delete these files or move them, what makes you think that he can change the ownership of these files ?

– MelBurslan
Jun 6 '16 at 21:42

I am not suggesting to change his home directory permissions, he said he was in another directory beneath ~. To delete a file you need wx on its parent directory (and maybe r too).

– MemCtrl
Jun 7 '16 at 5:53

I don't think this is the route, this is my home directory on the network so I don't want to mess with permissions (I probably can't even do this as it is managed elsewhere)

– RingOfStorms
Jun 6 '16 at 21:27

sweeping commands like this introduce more problems than they solve. And if the user is not able to delete these files or move them, what makes you think that he can change the ownership of these files ?

– MelBurslan
Jun 6 '16 at 21:42

I am not suggesting to change his home directory permissions, he said he was in another directory beneath ~. To delete a file you need wx on its parent directory (and maybe r too).

– MemCtrl
Jun 7 '16 at 5:53

add a comment |

draft saved

draft discarded

Thanks for contributing an answer to Unix & Linux Stack Exchange!

Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid …

Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.

To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.

draft saved

draft discarded

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

Name

Required, but never shown

Name

Required, but never shown

This page is only for reference, If you need detailed information, please check here

搜尋此網誌

Sstrhsrtj