[SOLVED] Is there an easy way to set updatedb.mlocate to 'weekly' ?

MooseMagnet · 10-04-2014, 07:04 PM

I've read a few threads, but there doesn't seem to be an easy way to change the updatedb.mlocate to weekly, instead of daily. It's a bit of a hassle when it ties up the HD for a couple of minutes every day.

Anyone know of an easy way to do this?

thanks

syg00 · 10-04-2014, 07:41 PM

This is usually handled by cron, so move it to the weekly's.
I usually stop it altogether, and run it when I feel the need.

MooseMagnet · 10-04-2014, 08:46 PM

How can I stop it, then start it again when needed?

rknichols · 10-05-2014, 01:25 PM

Just make the file non-executable (chmod -x). To restore, just make it executable again.

MooseMagnet · 10-05-2014, 01:55 PM

I don't know which file. Where is it? Sorry to be so dumb.

rknichols · 10-05-2014, 01:59 PM

For the daily jobs, look in /etc/cron.daily/ . The program that executes those jobs is called "run-parts". It has a manpage.

MooseMagnet · 10-05-2014, 07:18 PM

Here's what's in my mlocate (/etc/chron.daily)-gedit
But I don't see any chmod -x or run-parts.

#! /bin/bash

set -e

[ -x /usr/bin/updatedb.mlocate ] || exit 0

if which on_ac_power >/dev/null 2>&1; then
ON_BATTERY=0
on_ac_power >/dev/null 2>&1 || ON_BATTERY=$?
if [ "$ON_BATTERY" -eq 1 ]; then
exit 0
fi
fi

# See ionice(1)
if [ -x /usr/bin/ionice ] &&
/usr/bin/ionice -c3 true 2>/dev/null; then
IONICE="/usr/bin/ionice -c3"
fi

flock --nonblock /run/mlocate.daily.lock $IONICE /usr/bin/updatedb.mlocate

rknichols · 10-05-2014, 08:01 PM

You need to change the permissions on the file /etc/cron.daily/mlocate to remove the execute permission. From a terminal, run

Code:

sudo chmod -x /etc/cron.daily/mlocate

To turn it back on, run

Code:

sudo chmod +x /etc/cron.daily/mlocate

But, even without restoring the execute permission, you can update the database at any time by running

Code:

sudo bash /etc/cron.daily/mlocate

Edit: Just to expand on what syg00 said in #2, to switch to a weekly schedule run

Code:

sudo mv /etc/cron.daily/mlocate /etc/cron.weekly/