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#1 2014-08-17 18:07:15

Orlin
Member
From: Florida, United States
Registered: 2013-09-07
Posts: 5

[Solved] rm: cannot remove DIRECTORY: Directory not empty

I apologize if this has been posted elsewhere, but I have tried everything I can think of. I'm hoping the community here can help me come up with ideas I haven't thought of. If this has been posted elsewhere, by all means, post the link. Thanks in advanced.

So here is my woe...

I installed Chromium from the official repositories. At some point, Chromium reported the profile could not be loaded, and that a temporary profile had been loaded instead. I've received this error from Chromium and Chrome in the past on various machines at various times, for whatever reason(s). In any case, I renamed $HOME/.config/chromium/ to $HOME/.config/chromium~/ and verified Chromium launched with a default profile. $HOME/.config/chromium/ was recreated and I went about my day

Later, doing something else, I realized I never did remove $HOME/.config/chromium~/ after fixing Chromium. So I set about removing the directory. PCManFM reported Local Storage: Error removing file: Directory not empty and refused to delete the directory. I verified there were only 6 subdirectories under $HOME/.config/chromium~/Default/ and all were empty. So, I decided it was going to be a terminal kind of day. Running rm -Rf $HOME/.config/chromium~ produces the below errors:

rm -Rf $HOME/.config/chromium~
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/Local Storage’: Directory not empty
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/Local Extension Settings/pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh’: Directory not empty
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/Session Storage’: Directory not empty
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/GCM Store’: Directory not empty
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/Extension State’: Directory not empty
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/File System/Origins’: Directory not empty
rm: cannot remove ‘/home/$USER/.config/chromium/Default/File System/000/p/Paths’: Directory not empty

Attempting to do the same to each individual subdirectory resulted in the same error. At this point I considered this a challenge and made it my mission to remove this directory. So, I tried the below commands. All resulted in the same nonsensical errors. Understand that I was frustrated, so some of these commands may look like they wouldn't work anyway, but this is what I came up with.

  • sudo rm -Rf "/home/$USER/.config/chromium~"

  • sudo chown -R root:root "/home/$USER/.config/chromium~" && sudo rm -Rf "/home/$USER/.config/chromium~"

  • sudo mv "/home/$USER/.config/chromium~" "/tmp/" # this was my failed attempt to move the directory to my tmpfs partition, then reboot. I received the same errors as if it knew

At this point I figured it was going to require more drastic measures. I booted into a live CD, mounted my hard drive to /mnt, attempted to run rm -Rf /mnt/home/$USER/.config/chromium~ and wouldn't you know I still got the same error!!!

This put me at a total loss. I know I can just reformat my hard drive if I were that determined to remove the directory, but my question to y'all is: Is there anything else I can try that I haven't thought of?? Also, for some reason, I can move the directory anywhere on the same partition, rename it to my heart's content, and even create/delete other files and folders under any subdirectory of $HOME/.config/chromium~/. Also, I have since removed chromium from my system entirely, and deleted the $HOME/.config/chromium/ directory that was created in my initial troubleshooting.

----------

Workstation: Laptop
Boot Mode: BIOS
Bootloader: syslinux
Filesystem: btrfs
Kernel: 3.16

/etc/fstab
UUID=f9e56696-d9ef-4e84-a85d-e88378e42ecc / btrfs defaults,subvol=__active 0 0
UUID=f9e56696-d9ef-4e84-a85d-e88378e42ecc /var/lib/btrfs-root btrfs defaults 0 0
/var/lib/btrfs-root/boot /boot none rw,bind 0 0
tmpfs /tmp tmpfs nodev,nosuid,size=2G 0 0

Last edited by Orlin (2014-08-17 22:24:47)

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#2 2014-08-17 18:33:41

Xyne
Administrator/PM
Registered: 2008-08-03
Posts: 6,963
Website

Re: [Solved] rm: cannot remove DIRECTORY: Directory not empty

What is the output of the following:

ls -aRliZ --full-time ~/.config/chromium~
lsattr -Rav ~/.config/chromium~

My Arch Linux StuffForum EtiquetteCommunity Ethos - Arch is not for everyone

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#3 2014-08-17 20:18:10

Orlin
Member
From: Florida, United States
Registered: 2013-09-07
Posts: 5

Re: [Solved] rm: cannot remove DIRECTORY: Directory not empty

ls -aRliZ --full-time ~/.config/chromium~

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~:
total 0
43784 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   14 2014-07-21 09:19:04.217365658 -0400 ./
  323 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?  362 2014-09-26 20:41:28.973186579 -0400 ../
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 Default/

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default:
total 0
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ./
43784 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   14 2014-07-21 09:19:04.217365658 -0400 ../
43950 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    8 2014-08-17 13:12:29.519241029 -0400 Extension State/
50289 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   20 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 File System/
48581 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    8 2014-07-21 09:19:04.200698990 -0400 GCM Store/
43832 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   64 2014-07-21 07:51:15.333648359 -0400 Local Extension Settings/
43827 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 3576 2014-08-20 20:25:14.662951976 -0400 Local Storage/
43979 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    8 2014-07-21 09:19:04.147365652 -0400 Session Storage/

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Extension State:
total 0
43950 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    8 2014-08-17 13:12:29.519241029 -0400 ./
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ../

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System:
total 0
50289 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   20 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 ./
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ../
50300 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    2 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 000/
50290 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   28 2014-07-21 09:19:04.200698990 -0400 Origins/

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000:
total 0
50300 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?  2 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 ./
50289 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 20 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 ../
50301 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 10 2014-07-21 09:19:04.204032323 -0400 p/

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p:
total 0
50301 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 10 2014-07-21 09:19:04.204032323 -0400 ./
50300 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?  2 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 ../
50302 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 28 2014-07-21 09:19:04.200698990 -0400 Paths/

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/Paths:
total 0
50302 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 28 2014-07-21 09:19:04.200698990 -0400 ./
50301 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 10 2014-07-21 09:19:04.204032323 -0400 ../

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/Origins:
total 0
50290 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 28 2014-07-21 09:19:04.200698990 -0400 ./
50289 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 20 2014-07-29 05:52:00.912329346 -0400 ../

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/GCM Store:
total 0
48581 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    8 2014-07-21 09:19:04.200698990 -0400 ./
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ../

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings:
total 0
43832 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   64 2014-07-21 07:51:15.333648359 -0400 ./
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ../
43833 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?   68 2014-07-21 09:11:35.473999622 -0400 pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh/

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh:
total 0
43833 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 68 2014-07-21 09:11:35.473999622 -0400 ./
43832 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 64 2014-07-21 07:51:15.333648359 -0400 ../

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Storage:
total 0
43827 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 3576 2014-08-20 20:25:14.662951976 -0400 ./
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ../

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Session Storage:
total 0
43979 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ?    8 2014-07-21 09:19:04.147365652 -0400 ./
43791 drwx------ 1 $USER wheel ? 1368 2014-08-17 13:13:47.779246743 -0400 ../

lsattr -Rav ~/.config/chromium~

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/.
  102 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/..
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/..
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Storage

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Storage:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Storage/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Storage/..

  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/..
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Local Extension Settings/pafkbggdmjlpgkdkcbjmhmfcdpncadgh/..


  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Session Storage

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Session Storage:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Session Storage/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Session Storage/..

  287 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/GCM Store

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/GCM Store:
  287 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/GCM Store/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/GCM Store/..

  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Extension State

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Extension State:
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Extension State/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/Extension State/..

  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System:
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/.
  149 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/..
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/Origins

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/Origins:
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/Origins/.
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/Origins/..

  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000:
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/.
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/..
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p:
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/.
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/..
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/Paths

/home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/Paths:
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/Paths/.
  317 ---------------- /home/$USER/.config/chromium~/Default/File System/000/p/Paths/..

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#4 2014-08-17 21:06:21

rebootl
Member
Registered: 2012-01-10
Posts: 431
Website

Re: [Solved] rm: cannot remove DIRECTORY: Directory not empty


Personal website: reboot.li
GitHub: github.com/rebootl

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#5 2014-08-17 21:23:04

Orlin
Member
From: Florida, United States
Registered: 2013-09-07
Posts: 5

Re: [Solved] rm: cannot remove DIRECTORY: Directory not empty

Oh my God. Thank you, rebootl. I will try the suggestions in that link as soon as I get home from work, and share my results.

That did it. Thanks, again!! Apparently there was a corruption in the filesystem that was preventing me from deleting the directory. Here are the steps I performed. Your mileage may vary...

  1. Boot into archlinux live CD.

  2. btrfsck --repair /dev/sda1

  3. mount -t btrfs /dev/sda1 /mnt

  4. rm -Rf /mnt/__active/home/$USER/.config/chromium~

  5. umount /mnt

  6. reboot

Warning: There are risks in performing the btrfsck --repair command. I suggest backing up any essential data prior to running that command. Read the link provided by rebootl above for more information on the risks.

Last edited by Orlin (2014-08-17 22:27:03)

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#6 2014-10-29 13:47:39

dxxvi
Member
Registered: 2011-07-23
Posts: 122

Re: [Solved] rm: cannot remove DIRECTORY: Directory not empty

Thank you for this post. I'm having the same issue with ~/.config/VirtualBox.

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