GNU bug report logs - #52122
mv: deletes src file on error

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Frank Busse <f.busse <at> imperial.ac.uk>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: mv: deletes src file on error
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 11:07:09 +0000

Hi,


Given two files: an old version of "foo" on a mounted USB stick:

/mnt/dst/foo

and a new version of "foo" in /src/foo on the system's hard drive. When
I do:

sudo mv /src/foo /mnt/dst/foo

I get the following error:

mv: failed to preserve ownership for '/mnt/dst/foo': Operation not permitted

The error is fine but mv deletes /src/foo and keeps mnt/dst/foo,
meaning that the data of the new file is lost. Is this the intended
behaviour? I'm using Coreutils 9.0.


Kind regards,

Frank

Message #8 received at 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com>
To: Frank Busse <f.busse <at> imperial.ac.uk>, 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52122: mv: deletes src file on error
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 12:05:21 +0000

On 26/11/2021 11:07 am, Frank Busse wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> 
> Given two files: an old version of "foo" on a mounted USB stick:
> 
> /mnt/dst/foo
> 
> and a new version of "foo" in /src/foo on the system's hard drive. When
> I do:
> 
> sudo mv /src/foo /mnt/dst/foo
> 
> I get the following error:
> 
> mv: failed to preserve ownership for '/mnt/dst/foo': Operation not permitted
> 

Is your USB stick (V)FAT(32) (or similar) formatted?


> The error is fine but mv deletes /src/foo and keeps mnt/dst/foo,
> meaning that the data of the new file is lost. Is this the intended
> behaviour? I'm using Coreutils 9.0.

Didn't reproduce this (as root).
mv (GNU coreutils) 8.32.179-c7577

> 
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Frank
> 
> 
> 
> 


-- 

Chris Elvidge

Message #11 received at 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Frank Busse <f.busse <at> imperial.ac.uk>
To: Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52122: mv: deletes src file on error
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 12:23:52 +0000

On Fri, 26 Nov 2021 12:05:21 +0000
Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com> wrote:

> Is your USB stick (V)FAT(32) (or similar) formatted?

It's FAT32.

> > The error is fine but mv deletes /src/foo and keeps mnt/dst/foo,
> > meaning that the data of the new file is lost. Is this the intended
> > behaviour? I'm using Coreutils 9.0.
> 
> Didn't reproduce this (as root).
> mv (GNU coreutils) 8.32.179-c7577

I tried it several times with checking the timestamps/md5sums of the
files but after remounting the stick it doesn't happen anymore?! I
guess it was a hiccup somewhere else in the system, sorry.


Kind regards,

Frank

Message #14 received at 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Bernhard Voelker <mail <at> bernhard-voelker.de>
To: Frank Busse <f.busse <at> imperial.ac.uk>, Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52122: mv: deletes src file on error
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 18:54:54 +0100

On 11/26/21 13:23, Frank Busse wrote:
> I tried it several times with checking the timestamps/md5sums of the
> files but after remounting the stick it doesn't happen anymore?! I
> guess it was a hiccup somewhere else in the system, sorry.

Perhaps the USB stick was removed from the system before the kernel
could flush the data?

Have a nice day,
Berny

Message #19 received at 52122-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu>
To: Frank Busse <f.busse <at> imperial.ac.uk>, Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 52122-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52122: mv: deletes src file on error
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 10:18:44 -0800

On 11/26/21 04:23, Frank Busse wrote:
> I
> guess it was a hiccup somewhere else in the system, sorry.

Thanks for following up; closing the bug report.

Message #22 received at 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Frank Busse <f.busse <at> imperial.ac.uk>
To: Bernhard Voelker <mail <at> bernhard-voelker.de>
Cc: Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com>, 52122 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52122: mv: deletes src file on error
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2021 18:59:22 +0000

On Fri, 26 Nov 2021 18:54:54 +0100
Bernhard Voelker <mail <at> bernhard-voelker.de> wrote:

> On 11/26/21 13:23, Frank Busse wrote:
> > I tried it several times with checking the timestamps/md5sums of the
> > files but after remounting the stick it doesn't happen anymore?! I
> > guess it was a hiccup somewhere else in the system, sorry.
> 
> Perhaps the USB stick was removed from the system before the kernel
> could flush the data?

No, I tried it several times with the stick still mounted. Strangely
enough, copying with a different name worked fine. Maybe a kernel or
hardware issue - no idea.


Best,

Frank

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