removing a directory

swatward · 05-17-2005, 05:27 PM

[root@localhost html]# rm -d guest
rm: remove directory `guest'? yes
rm: cannot remove directory `guest': Is a directory
[root@localhost html]#

Theres probably an easy way to fix this, but its not working, and its a big file with a lot of tiny seperate files, so -r is annoying to do. Thanks, any help would be appreciated.
--brad

Moloko · 05-17-2005, 05:41 PM

rm -rf dir/

rstewart · 05-17-2005, 05:46 PM

rm -rf guest

swatward · 05-17-2005, 08:12 PM

ahh. thays easy, ty....

reddazz · 05-18-2005, 08:35 AM

Use that command with care. Use it wrongly and you can hose your entire system.

fiservguy · 05-19-2005, 08:22 AM

rm -rf <name> means "remove <name>, and everything in <name> if it's a directory, recursively, and don't ask me to confirm anything."

rmdir <name> means "remove the directory <name>, but only if it's empty.

To remove a directory and all its contents, the former is probably the easiest. But use sparingly.