> From: Colin BRADLEY <fox@CS.McGill.CA>
> Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 03:28:10 -0400
> To: netbsd-help@netbsd.org, netbsd-users@netbsd.org
> Subject: Mysterious file disappearances?

...
>   I have /scratch mounted on /dev/sd0f. Now and then (indeterminate 
>   times, but *maybe* around 2:00am fsck) I lose a bunch of files 
>   in the directory (even lost a recent set of -current tarfiles..).

>   At first it appeared to be just empty directories that would go, 
>   but now it's actual files, too. Sometimes some files in a directory,
>   sometimes all, sometimes the directory too..

>   Do I 

>     a) have a faulty drive?
>     b) have some sort of malicious program doing this?
>     c) send out for sandwiches?
>     d) have a breakin? (I *really* don't think so...) (The machine
>        is up on slip for a few hours a day, and I'm always here..)

You do (e): remove the cron job that goes through and purges files from
/stratch. I'm away from my NetBSD box right now, but if I remember correctly,
/scratch is one of the directories searched for old files to delete. When
your files get over the age limit, the cleanout script deletes them. After
doing (e), (c) is still a valid option.... ;)

Often, something that happens with some regularity can be traced back to
a cron job that someone is running.

Hope this helps,
David


-- 
-- I do not speak for UKCC, UKMSCF, or UK Microlabs. I speak for myself.
David W. Rankin, Jr.  UNIX Consultant and Technical Support Person
   rankin@ms.uky.edu   PGP Key via http://www.ewl.uky.edu/rankin/key.asc
"...the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."