Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!ron@brl-bmd From: ron%brl-bmd@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Non-empty /dev/null Message-ID: <2571@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Sun, 26-Jun-83 14:56:25 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2571 Posted: Sun Jun 26 14:56:25 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 29-Jun-83 04:58:45 EDT Lines: 18 From: Ron NatalieAccording to both the BSD, UNIX V7, and experimentation with our system, the creat on an existing writable file will not modify the owner, mode, or change the file type from special to regular, but merely attempt to truncate it to zero length (regardless of whether the invoker was root or not). My observation is the only way to zap /dev/null is to remove it first. My previous employer also had some marvelous utility for going around and checking on the placement, modes, and owners of system files. He's going to be at the Toronto giving a talk on a related topic of his. The name in Martin McGowan from CCI. I don't have any network mail addresses for him. -Ron