openSUSE 12.2 - use of chattr command

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Am trying to understand and use the** chattr command**:

pe1800@linux-gkd7:/media/Lexar/pe1800/Documents/Windows7Files/Documents/Animals>** ls -l**
-rw-r–r– 1 pe1800 users 1525760 Jul 7 2010 Dogs and People.pps
pe1800@linux-gkd7:/media/Lexar/pe1800/Documents/Windows7Files/Documents/Animals>** rm D***
rm: cannot remove ‘Dogs and People.pps’:** Read-only file system**
pe1800@linux-gkd7:/media/Lexar/pe1800/Documents/Windows7Files/Documents/Animals> sudo chattr -i D*
root’s password:
Usage: chattr -RVf] -+=AacDdeijsSu] -v version] files…
pe1800@linux-gkd7:/media/Lexar/pe1800/Documents/Windows7Files/Documents/Animals>** sudo rm D***
rm: cannot remove ‘Dogs and People.pps’:** Read-only file system**
pe1800@linux-gkd7:/media/Lexar/pe1800/Documents/Windows7Files/Documents/Animals>

What am I doing wrong? Thank you for your help,
pe1800

BTW, I am not really trying to remove this file, it’s just a copy, for** testing chattr… **you should see how cute those dogs are.

#2

On 2013-05-14 01:46, pe1800 wrote:
>
> Am trying to understand and use the* chattr command*:

Please use code tags for printouts and commands. Advanced editor, ‘#’
button.
Posting in
Code Tags - A Guide

> rm: cannot remove ‘Dogs and People.pps’:* Read-only file system*

> What am I doing wrong? Thank you for your help,

Read above: the filesystem is mounted read only, you can not modify
anything inside.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

#3

You might show us your mount commands with this from terminal and post it in code # tags:

cat /etc/mtab

The chattr command was written for EXT partition types and may not work with others. I found this link: chattr - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When you get the error “**Read-only file system” **it makes me think something else is wrong and not that the file is “immutable” or can’t be erased.

I also found this man page on the command: chattr(1): change file attribs on file system - Linux man page

Thank You,

#4

This “read only” message comes up for many of my personal files while I am running rsync to incrementally back up to a USB memory stick. But when I check the memory stick all my files are there. So, I guess I will it then leave at that, it accomplishes my backups.

Thank you all and be well,
pe1800

#5

On 2013-05-14 05:26, pe1800 wrote:
>
> This “read only” message comes up for many of my personal files while I
> am running rsync to incrementally back up to a USB memory stick. But
> when I check the memory stick all my files are there. So, I guess I will
> it then leave at that, it accomplishes my backups.

Ah, that’s because you are backing up Linux files to a non Linux
filesystem: a USB stick, formatted as FAT, can not store Linux
permissions and attributes. Thus chattr fails.

You can reformat that stick as ext4, for instance.
Ask how, if you want :slight_smile:

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)