Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site spar.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxj!mhuxr!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!decwrl!spar!ellis From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) Newsgroups: net.sources.bugs,net.unix Subject: Re: Problem with patch and infinit directories Message-ID: <34@spar.UUCP> Date: Tue, 15-Jan-85 04:22:04 EST Article-I.D.: spar.34 Posted: Tue Jan 15 04:22:04 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 16-Jan-85 21:26:29 EST References: <792@enea.UUCP> <795@enea.UUCP> <4883@utzoo.UUCP> <1299@utah-gr.UUCP> Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA Lines: 28 Xref: watmath net.sources.bugs:183 net.unix:3328 From Spencer Thomas: >In article <4883@utzoo.UUCP> henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes: >>> It turned out that I didn't create an infinit number of subdirectories >>> but rather a directory linked to itself, that is in directory A I have >>> directory B which is a symbolic link to A. As soon as I create a file >>> in A it will appear in B and B/B and B/B/B ... >> >>Aren't symbolic links delightful? > >I doubt very much it was a symbolic link - he said it showed up in the >'ls' listing as a real directory. Also, you can easily remove a >symbolic link. I think it was a real link (only possible under 4.2 when >running as root, and VERY dangerous). I also accidentally created a HARD link, using patch, that behaved as Henry Spencer's monster. And it wrought havoc with our nightly filesystem maintenance -- guess how long a `find' on the partition containing such a directory will run... Getting rid of the black hole was NOT fun. Assuming Henry's experience was related to mine, I wonder how could patch do such an evil thing? And how can I avoid this in the future, short of removing `patch'? And just how is it possible for `root' to create such a directory in 4.2 without writing to raw disc? -michael