Very Computer

I would appreciate any and all help.
Thanks,

--Trost

| Does anyone know what exactly happens to the directory entry of a file
| when that file is deleted? (Assuming you used the standard rm command
| and you are using the ext2fs) Is the entry zeroed out? Or is it
| "simply included in the slack space of the previous entry" (the Grugq
| -- Phrack, issue 59)?  I read the Design and Implementation of the
| Second Extended Filesystem
| (http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net/ext2intro.html), and it didn't
| confirm the Grugq's claim.
|
| I would appreciate any and all help.
| Thanks,
|
| --Trost

Instinct tells me its only marked as available in the file tables.  'Shred'
will actually overwrite the file.  I realize this is not a 100% answer.  It
does seem to me that if it zeros out the space for all rm's then it would be
an impact on performance, especially for large recursive deletes, so I doubt
that this occurs.

ken k

Quote:> Does anyone know what exactly happens to the directory entry of a file
> when that file is deleted? (Assuming you used the standard rm command
> and you are using the ext2fs) Is the entry zeroed out? Or is it
> "simply included in the slack space of the previous entry" (the Grugq
> -- Phrack, issue 59)?  I read the Design and Implementation of the
> Second Extended Filesystem
> (http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net/ext2intro.html), and it didn't
> confirm the Grugq's claim.

   /*
    * ext2_delete_entry deletes a directory entry by merging it with the
    * previous entry. Page is up-to-date. Releases the page.
    */

The code seems to do what the comment suggests that it does.

--
Lew Pitcher

Master Codewright and JOAT-in-training
Registered Linux User #112576 (http://counter.li.org/)
Slackware - Because I know what I'm doing.