du -sh * Command not working

young_rhkid · 10-01-2007, 10:56 AM

I commonly use the following command 'du -sh *' to get a line item list of all items in a user's account. It has always worked but now I try the same command and the command line gives me:

[root@xxxx useraccount]# du -sh *
du: invalid option -- i
Try `du --help' for more information.

The server in question is using > 'Red Hat Linux release 7.3'

Any idea why I am getting this or how to reset this command?

colucix · 10-01-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by young_rhkid

[root@xxxx useraccount]# du -sh *
du: invalid option -- i
Try `du --help' for more information.

Since you did not pass the option i to the du command, it looks like you have a file called "-i" in the working directory. If this is the case you can try

Code:

du -sh -- *

The -- sign will end the list of options, that is all the arguments after -- are not interpreted as options! This is true for many *nix commands.

pwc101 · 10-01-2007, 11:57 AM

Also, check to see if the command hasn't become aliased to something:

Code:

which du

or

Code:

alias|grep du

young_rhkid · 10-01-2007, 12:51 PM

Thanks guys! The '--i' option did the trick!