NAME

clri − clear inode

SYNOPSIS

/etc/clri file-system i-number ... 

DESCRIPTION

clri writes zeros on the area of the volume file-system occupied by the inode numbered i-number. file-system must be a device file which contains a file system.  Bell file systems and Extent file systems are both supported. 

After clri is executed, the i-node can be allocated.  Any blocks formerly claimed by the affected file may show up as “missing” in an fsck(1M) of the file-system.

This command should only be used in emergencies, and only on quiescent file systems.  Extreme care should be exercised. 

The primary purpose of this command is to remove a file which for some reason does not appear in any directory.  If it is used to zap an inode which does appear in a directory, be careful to track down the entry and remove it beforehand.  Otherwise, when the inode is reallocated to some new file, the old entry will still point to that file.  At that point removing the old entry will destroy the new file.  The new entry will again point to an unallocated inode, so the whole cycle is likely to be repeated again and again. 

EXAMPLE

clri /dev/md0c 100

zaps inode 100 on device /dev/md0c. 

SEE ALSO

fsck(1M), fsdb(1M), ncheck(1M), fs(4), inode(4). 

BUGS

If the file is open, clri is likely to be ineffective. 
Inodes are written a block at a time, so if the file system is not quiescent, inodes physically nearby the target inode may be damaged.

Version 2.5  —  April 22, 1987