How to unlink a directory?

_TK_ · 04-22-2001, 05:43 AM

I have a hard link to a directory on another drive. I don't need this directory link anymore and I was wondering how you safely remove the hard link? From what I've seen on the net some say to use the unlink command but I don't have that utility in the system. I want to avoid the possiblilty of removing any of the data on the other drive.

crabboy · 04-22-2001, 08:11 PM

I think that you have your terminology a bit mixed up. A hardlink can't cross disks, they can't even cross filesystems on the same disk. I think what you may be referring to is a mount point or a symbolic link. It would have to be one of the two.

Mount points are specified in the /etc/fstab table. Sym links can be viewed by looking at a 'ls -l' and sym links will show what it points to on the far right.

Post which you think it is and if you could provide an example, it would sure help us clarify the problem.

Gary

_TK_ · 04-23-2001, 07:43 PM

ok, here is the link:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 Mar 13 11:27 cd-mp3 -> /mnt/dosdrive/mp3/cd-mp3

The cd-mp3 directory is linked to the cd-mp3 directory on the dosdrive. I wish to remove the link without having an effect on the cd-mp3 directory on the dosdrive. If I simply delete the directory will it also delete the directory on the dosdrive?

crabboy · 04-24-2001, 07:25 PM

Looks like a symbolic link to me. Delete away.

If you want to see the sym link in action before you delete it, then unmount /mnt then go look at the contents of the link.

_TK_ · 04-25-2001, 08:32 PM

yep your right

Thanks for the help.