4
I am logged in as root
# whoami
root
I have a file
# ls -l /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8424 Dec 3 10:29 /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
It is a text file
# file /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop: UTF-8 Unicode text
I want to remove it, but am unable to due to an EPERM error
# rm /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
rm: cannot remove ‘/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop’: Operation not permitted
Attempting to touch it fails with an EACCES error
# touch /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
touch: cannot touch ‘/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop’: Permission denied
I can't change permissions on the file (but changing permissions on other files in the same directory is possible)
# chmod 666 /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
chmod: changing permissions of ‘/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop’: Operation not permitted
Attempting to recursively change permissions on the parent directory fails because of this file
# chmod -R u+w /usr/share/applications
chmod: changing permissions of ‘/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop’: Operation not permitted
Insufficient disk space is not an issue
# df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda9 126G 84G 36G 70% /
none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
udev 3.8G 4.0K 3.8G 1% /dev
tmpfs 780M 1.2M 779M 1% /run
none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock
none 3.9G 152K 3.9G 1% /run/shm
none 100M 28K 100M 1% /run/user
/dev/sda7 465M 107M 331M 25% /boot
/dev/sda2 256M 56M 201M 22% /boot/efi
I have rebooted, this is still an issue.
Here is an strace of the rm call which fails with EPERM
# strace rm /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
execve("/bin/rm", ["rm", "/usr/share/applications/google-c"...], [/* 29 vars */]) = 0
brk(0) = 0xb87000
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mmap(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f65a6901000
access("/etc/ld.so.preload", R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/etc/ld.so.cache", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=130454, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 130454, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f65a68e1000
close(3) = 0
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
read(3, "\177ELF\2\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0>\0\1\0\0\0\320\37\2\0\0\0\0\0"..., 832) = 832
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=1845024, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 3953344, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x7f65a631b000
mprotect(0x7f65a64d6000, 2097152, PROT_NONE) = 0
mmap(0x7f65a66d6000, 24576, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x1bb000) = 0x7f65a66d6000
mmap(0x7f65a66dc000, 17088, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f65a66dc000
close(3) = 0
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f65a68e0000
mmap(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f65a68de000
arch_prctl(ARCH_SET_FS, 0x7f65a68de740) = 0
mprotect(0x7f65a66d6000, 16384, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x60d000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x7f65a6903000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
munmap(0x7f65a68e1000, 130454) = 0
brk(0) = 0xb87000
brk(0xba8000) = 0xba8000
open("/usr/lib/locale/locale-archive", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=7216688, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 7216688, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f65a5c39000
close(3) = 0
ioctl(0, SNDCTL_TMR_TIMEBASE or SNDRV_TIMER_IOCTL_NEXT_DEVICE or TCGETS, {B38400 opost isig icanon echo ...}) = 0
newfstatat(AT_FDCWD, "/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=8424, ...}, AT_SYMLINK_NOFOLLOW) = 0
geteuid() = 0
unlinkat(AT_FDCWD, "/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop", 0) = -1 EPERM (Operation not permitted)
open("/usr/share/locale/locale.alias", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=2570, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f65a6900000
read(3, "# Locale name alias data base.\n#"..., 4096) = 2570
read(3, "", 4096) = 0
close(3) = 0
munmap(0x7f65a6900000, 4096) = 0
open("/usr/share/locale/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=63459, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 63459, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f65a68f1000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=619, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 619, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f65a68f0000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/lib/charset.alias", O_RDONLY|O_NOFOLLOW) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
write(2, "rm: ", 4rm: ) = 4
write(2, "cannot remove \342\200\230/usr/share/appl"..., 65cannot remove ‘/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop’) = 65
open("/usr/share/locale/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=3100, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 3100, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f65a68ef000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
write(2, ": Operation not permitted", 25: Operation not permitted) = 25
write(2, "\n", 1
) = 1
lseek(0, 0, SEEK_CUR) = -1 ESPIPE (Illegal seek)
close(0) = 0
close(1) = 0
close(2) = 0
exit_group(1) = ?
+++ exited with 1 +++
Here is an strace of the touch call which fails with EACCES
# strace touch /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
execve("/usr/bin/touch", ["touch", "/usr/share/applications/google-c"...], [/* 29 vars */]) = 0
brk(0) = 0x105c000
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mmap(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f9a020af000
access("/etc/ld.so.preload", R_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/etc/ld.so.cache", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=130454, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 130454, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f9a0208f000
close(3) = 0
access("/etc/ld.so.nohwcap", F_OK) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
read(3, "\177ELF\2\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0>\0\1\0\0\0\320\37\2\0\0\0\0\0"..., 832) = 832
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=1845024, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 3953344, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x7f9a01ac9000
mprotect(0x7f9a01c84000, 2097152, PROT_NONE) = 0
mmap(0x7f9a01e84000, 24576, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0x1bb000) = 0x7f9a01e84000
mmap(0x7f9a01e8a000, 17088, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f9a01e8a000
close(3) = 0
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f9a0208e000
mmap(NULL, 8192, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f9a0208c000
arch_prctl(ARCH_SET_FS, 0x7f9a0208c740) = 0
mprotect(0x7f9a01e84000, 16384, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x60d000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
mprotect(0x7f9a020b1000, 4096, PROT_READ) = 0
munmap(0x7f9a0208f000, 130454) = 0
brk(0) = 0x105c000
brk(0x107d000) = 0x107d000
open("/usr/lib/locale/locale-archive", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=7216688, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 7216688, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f9a013e7000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop", O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_NOCTTY|O_NONBLOCK, 0666) = -1 EACCES (Permission denied)
utimensat(AT_FDCWD, "/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop", NULL, 0) = -1 EACCES (Permission denied)
open("/usr/share/locale/locale.alias", O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=2570, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS, -1, 0) = 0x7f9a020ae000
read(3, "# Locale name alias data base.\n#"..., 4096) = 2570
read(3, "", 4096) = 0
close(3) = 0
munmap(0x7f9a020ae000, 4096) = 0
open("/usr/share/locale/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=63459, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 63459, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f9a0209f000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en/LC_MESSAGES/coreutils.mo", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=619, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 619, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f9a0209e000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/lib/charset.alias", O_RDONLY|O_NOFOLLOW) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
write(2, "touch: ", 7touch: ) = 7
write(2, "cannot touch \342\200\230/usr/share/appli"..., 64cannot touch ‘/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop’) = 64
open("/usr/share/locale/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en_AU/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = 3
fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0644, st_size=3100, ...}) = 0
mmap(NULL, 3100, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, 3, 0) = 0x7f9a0209d000
close(3) = 0
open("/usr/share/locale-langpack/en/LC_MESSAGES/libc.mo", O_RDONLY) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
write(2, ": Permission denied", 19: Permission denied) = 19
write(2, "\n", 1
) = 1
close(1) = 0
close(2) = 0
exit_group(1) = ?
+++ exited with 1 +++
What is going on here? How can I remove this file?
Steve Lorimer
Posted 2014-12-15T23:21:12.787
Reputation: 429
1that's a lot of typing for a self-answered question :o – Kristian – 2014-12-15T23:32:28.110