[SOLVED] Strange problem: /usr/lib64/ - Not a Directory

mmatt · 07-18-2009, 06:48 AM

Hello there. I've been experimenting with Arch Linux in VirtualBox to test out this pretty useful software. Whilst trying to get 3d acceleration working I checked for the existence of /usr/lib64/VBoxOGL.so and, to my astonishment, lib64 is there, but it's "Not a directory".

Has anyone ever come across something like this? I'm not sure when exactly this happened or whether its always been a file. Ever heard of a directory turning into a file?

Getting it fixed isn't too important since it's practically a fresh install, but I think it's important to find out why this has happened...

johnsfine · 07-18-2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmatt

to my astonishment, lib64 is there, but it's "Not a directory".

In Debian based systems /lib64 and /usr/lib64 are symbolic links, not actual directories. I don't know about Arch Linux

Quote:

whether its always been a file. Ever heard of a directory turning into a file?

Is it really a file, not a link?

Try

Code:

file /usr/lib64

When I do that, the output is

Code:

/usr/lib64: symbolic link to `lib'

mmatt · 07-18-2009, 07:29 AM

Ok, here's the file result...

Code:

$ file /usr/lib64
/usr/lib64: ELF 64-bit LSB shared object, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, stripped

But I have no idea what that means...

johnsfine · 07-18-2009, 07:51 AM

I guess that means some manual action or script tried to copy a .so file into /usr/lib64 but /usr/lib64 didn't exist, so it copied that .so to rather than into /usr/lib64

I don't know whether Arch Linux is supposed to have a /usr/lib64. Do you know whether Arch Linux is "multi lib"? Also, your whole question assumes you are using a 64 bit build of Arch Linux. If it were 32 bit, then it isn't multi lib and /usr/lib64 shouldn't exist. Please confirm that you are talking about a 64 bit build of Arch Linux.

mmatt · 07-18-2009, 08:15 AM

Yes, it's a 64 bit arch kernel on a 64-bit VM with a 64-bit Host. I suspect perhaps the Guest Additions may be at fault here, attempting to install into lib64. I'm just installing a fresh Arch64 onto another disk and will have a look at lib64 there...

As for multilib, I haven't installed 32-bit libraries, though I know some people do in Arch. I don't know where these end up though.

mmatt · 07-18-2009, 09:48 AM

Right, on a fresh install, /usr/lib64 does not exist, despite being a 64-bit system. What should I do about this to ensure that installers (e.g. vbox guest additions) are able to put things in the right place? Thanks for your help.

mmatt · 07-18-2009, 10:02 AM

Ok, so I fixed the problem for VBox GA by symlinking /usr/lib64 to /usr/lib as you said debian did and this fixed the problem in this instance. No need to continue that fresh installation, thanks a lot!