Arch Linux

Trooper4001

Member

Registered: 2016-11-01

Posts: 42

[SOLVED] Cannot rename files after SSD install

I recently bought and installed a new SSD into my system and after setting my system up, I reinstalled all my old packages from my previous hard disk. My system is back up and running basically the same as it was before the installation, but for some reason I can no longer alter the file or folder names in my home folder.

The mv command on my terminal still works to change the names of folders and files through the command line which is fine, but for more complicated file names it would be far more convenient to rename it using the GUI. I'm not sure why I could do it before the switch and not afterward. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Last edited by Trooper4001 (2021-04-04 20:17:21)

jonathon

Member

Registered: 2016-09-19

Posts: 128

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot rename files after SSD install

This is most likely a file permissions or ownership issue. You can reset ownership for all files and directories within your $HOME directory with:

sudo chown -R $USER $HOME

Both $USER and $HOME are environment variables that will be set to your current username and home directory location automatically. You can check their value with e.g. `echo $USER`

zuntik

Member

Registered: 2017-08-11

Posts: 46

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot rename files after SSD install

What kind of desktop environment are you using? what kind of filesystem are the files on?

Trooper4001

Member

Registered: 2016-11-01

Posts: 42

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot rename files after SSD install

What kind of desktop environment are you using? what kind of filesystem are the files on?

I'm using the MATE desktop environment and the filesystem is an ext4 type.

This is most likely a file permissions or ownership issue. You can reset ownership for all files and directories within your $HOME directory with:

sudo chown -R $USER $HOME

This seems to have been the case. I put this command through my terminal with the adjusted variables and I am now able to rename my files. Thanks jonathon