LFS-RM\_ENTRY(8) Lustre Utilities LFS-RM\_ENTRY(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

lfs-rm\_entry, lfs-rmentry - remove only filename from directory

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

`lfs rm_entry` *DIRECTORY*

`lfs rmentry` *DIRECTORY*

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

In cases where an MDT is permanently offline, or if there is an inconsistency between MDT directory contents and files (e.g. broken striped directory), the **lfs rm\_entry** (or **lfs rmentry**) command removes **only** the directory entry name from the parent directory, but does not try to delete the inode corresponding to the filename. The MDT inode itself (or a local agent inode in the case of DNE remote entries) will still remain on the MDT filesystem, and will be reconnected to the internal MDT lost+found directory when [**e2fsck**(8)](/man/enterprise-packages/lustre/e2fsck.8) is next run. Since the MDT inode itself is not deleted, any OST objects referenced by this inode will also not be destroyed, so no space will be released.

# [WARNING](#WARNING)

The main reason to use **lfs rm\_entry** is to remove directory entry names that are permanently inaccessible, in order to allow them to be restored from backup, or to avoid application errors when accessing these names. It should not be used to delete files that are normally accessible.

This command can only be run by the root user (administrator).

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

Remove a directory entry that references an inaccessible remote MDT:

```
# lfs rm_entry /mnt/lustre/broken_dir
```

# [AVAILABILITY](#AVAILABILITY)

The **lfs rm\_entry** command is part of the [**lustre**(7)](/man/enterprise-packages/lustre/lustre.7) filesystem package.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**e2fsck**(8)](/man/enterprise-packages/lustre/e2fsck.8), [**lfs**(1)](/man/enterprise-packages/lustre/lfs.1), [**lfs-rmfid**(1)](/man/enterprise-packages/lustre/lfs-rmfid.1)

2025-12-20 Lustre

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Document: lfs-rm_entry(8) from lustre 2.17.59-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/lustre/lustre-release