differences with *buntus that annoy noobs

[tuxracer]

I am trying to delete some files to make space. But, I made the mistake of 'moving to the trash bin.' Whoops.... Doing this in Debian requires running through hoops trying to find files that went into a black hole.

In Ubuntu, I move it to the Trash bin. I empty the trash bin and I'M DONE. REPEAT: I'M THEN DONE. Why, why, why, make it so hard? If I should do it a different way, how should I delete files so that they are GONE so that I can free up some disk space?

I don't know where the files went now and when I run 'df -h', it shows exactly the same before I 'deleted' the files. I assume they exist someplace.

I then tried:
rm -fr /home/username/.Trash

Checking again using 'df -h' shows no change. I'm confused. Please help and excuse my frustration. I guess I'm still too raw as I don't do these tasks very often. I have to do some major copying soon, though, as I want to copy many many files from my home partition to an external drive. I hope I can receive some help/support for that if I have trouble.

Also, please suggest some steps for freeing up disk space from moving/copying files to another drive to deleting files. I recall there are some commands that might delete temp files, too (disk 'clean' type?).

Thanks.

[Telemachus]

I am trying to delete some files to make space. But, I made the mistake of 'moving to the trash bin.' Whoops.... Doing this in Debian requires running through hoops trying to find files that went into a black hole.

In Ubuntu, I move it to the Trash bin. I empty the trash bin and I'M DONE. REPEAT: I'M THEN DONE. Why, why, why, make it so hard? If I should do it a different way, how should I delete files so that they are GONE so that I can free up some disk space?

I don't know where the files went now and when I run 'df -h', it shows exactly the same before I 'deleted' the files. I assume they exist someplace.

I honestly have no idea what you're saying. Are you saying that Debian keeps files around, even after you empty the trash can? I don't think that's true.

Let's assume, however, that it is. Here's a simple way to remove files and create disk space:

Code: Select all

rm file_to_be_deleted.txt

Or, if it's a directory:

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rm -rf bye_bye_directory/

[debil]

If I should do it a different way, how should I delete files so that they are GONE so that I can free up some disk space?

To harness the beauty of rm with e.g. Nautilus, delete stuff with Shift+Del.

I don't know where the files went now and when I run 'df -h', it shows exactly the same before I 'deleted' the files. I assume they exist someplace.

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$ find ~ -name Trash
/home/username/.local/share/Trash

Anyway, I've always disliked the whole Trash/Waste/Recycle bin idea. It's rm for me, thanks.

[gradinaruvasile]

I am trying to delete some files to make space. But, I made the mistake of 'moving to the trash bin.' Whoops.... Doing this in Debian requires running through hoops trying to find files that went into a black hole.

In Ubuntu, I move it to the Trash bin. I empty the trash bin and I'M DONE. REPEAT: I'M THEN DONE. Why, why, why, make it so hard? If I should do it a different way, how should I delete files so that they are GONE so that I can free up some disk space?

I don't know where the files went now and when I run 'df -h', it shows exactly the same before I 'deleted' the files. I assume they exist someplace.

I then tried:
rm -fr /home/username/.Trash

Checking again using 'df -h' shows no change. I'm confused. Please help and excuse my frustration. I guess I'm still too raw as I don't do these tasks very often. I have to do some major copying soon, though, as I want to copy many many files from my home partition to an external drive. I hope I can receive some help/support for that if I have trouble.

Also, please suggest some steps for freeing up disk space from moving/copying files to another drive to deleting files. I recall there are some commands that might delete temp files, too (disk 'clean' type?).

Thanks.

I dont know whats the problem here. I used Ubuntu before and Debian is the same with the trash. And mind you , the trash thingie exists on EVERY mount and deleted files go there, not your home folder. The folder is named ".Trash-1000" - it is hidden by default.

[tuxracer]

Okay, don't mind me. I don't know what I'm doing half the time.

I like using 'rf' better too but what if you are deleting a large number of files? Maybe it's the brainwashed conditioned Windoze user in me but I thought that was what the Trash bin was for? To use a fast GUI way to remove/delete a large number of files? You just select them all and move to the trash bin and then empty? How would you do it?

Anyway, I guess something worked because they seem to be gone now. I cannot find them and sorry, I am a bit confused on how to confirm. The 'find' command someone posted confused me. I tried a test of moving a file to the Trash bin and it's there and I can 'empty.' If you check the contents in a GUI and nothing seems to be there, that doesn't necessarily mean it's gone, right?

What does it mean when you check Properties and the type is 'Contains removed files?'

I'm trying to use Debian more. Is it safe to have Squeeze as my main system? I know it's Testing but that status is close to Ubuntu's current release, whatever it is, right?

I want Debian as my main OS but Lenny may be a bit old for my liking although I wonder if I use it, I can use backports to have most recent packages of software I use most? Or is it okay to use Squeeze and just be careful?

Sorry, if I went off topic a bit. There is some relevance since I am somewhat comparing the Debian versions, right?

My current Debian is not up to date, currently. I think it's at Lenny. I was using Kubuntu too much, before. My Debian install is at kernel 2.6.26-1-amd64. Is that too old to do an upgrade? Should I re-install or try the upgrade? Maybe this part of the question should be a different post, I dunno. I don't have to do it yet, I'm just wondering. I have Debian Testing on my laptop (LXDE), btw. I was wondering if I'm risking breakage if I do a kernel/packages upgrade.

[tuxracer]

Btw, I am not averse to using CLI for things. I sometimes forget a command or some of the syntax so then I have to google.

[bluesdog]

is it okay to use Squeeze and just be careful?

Mixing 'stable' and 'testing' is not being 'careful'

If you know what you are doing, you may mix testing and unstable. But you must be prepared for occasionaly breakage, and regular tweaking.

Never, ever mix stable with testing or unstable or anything else, except in rare circumstances, and only after seeking advice from the forum gurus.

[dilberts_left_nut]

Okay, don't mind me. I don't know what I'm doing half the time.

If it's only half the time, you are doing better than me

I like using 'rf' better too but what if you are deleting a large number of files? Maybe it's the brainwashed conditioned Windoze user in me but I thought that was what the Trash bin was for? To use a fast GUI way to remove/delete a large number of files? You just select them all and move to the trash bin and then empty? How would you do it?

rm *.txt or rm badfile*
rm is very much faster, you just need to get used to defining filespecs to specify what you want it to operate on.

Anyway, I guess something worked because they seem to be gone now. I cannot find them and sorry, I am a bit confused on how to confirm. The 'find' command someone posted confused me. I tried a test of moving a file to the Trash bin and it's there and I can 'empty.' If you check the contents in a GUI and nothing seems to be there, that doesn't necessarily mean it's gone, right?

I try not to use GUI's that lie to me or hide things from me.

What does it mean when you check Properties and the type is 'Contains removed files?'

Description of what it is there for?

I'm trying to use Debian more. Is it safe to have Squeeze as my main system?

Yes

I know it's Testing but that status is close to Ubuntu's current release, whatever it is, right?

Not really, Ubuntu's releases are derived from Sid and they make some different choices than what Debian chooses to move down to Testing.

I want Debian as my main OS but Lenny may be a bit old for my liking although I wonder if I use it, I can use backports to have most recent packages of software I use most?

Yes, I use Lenny + backports but it depends on your needs.

Or is it okay to use Squeeze and just be careful?

Yes as well, Squeeze will not bite you out of the blue, but it is a 'work in progress' and you must carefully observe what is going on when you do your updates, and have a bit of a clue as to what it means for your system.

My current Debian is not up to date, currently. I think it's at Lenny. I was using Kubuntu too much, before. My Debian install is at kernel 2.6.26-1-amd64.

Later kernels are in backports.

Is that too old to do an upgrade?

No.

Should I re-install or try the upgrade?

I would say upgrade if you want, but if you use KDE maybe remove it first, 3 to 4 can be problematic according to some.

Maybe this part of the question should be a different post, I dunno. I don't have to do it yet, I'm just wondering. I have Debian Testing on my laptop (LXDE), btw. I was wondering if I'm risking breakage if I do a kernel/packages upgrade.

If you want no risk, use stable. The degree of breakage risk depends on what has changed with the current updates, and your ability to spot potential issues with your particular system.

[debil]

The 'find' command someone posted confused me.

You mean this, I guess:

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$ find ~ -name Trash
/home/username/.local/share/Trash

find is very powerful command for finding stuff (files, directories) on your computer (and optionally do something to that stuff as well). In the above example find starts from your home directory (~) and searches files and directories that contain the word Trash (-name meaning case-sensitive search term) in their name. For case-insensitive searches, use the option -iname.

Naturally, you'll find (sic) a lot more at "man find".