Thank you all for your suggestions! I like Andrew's bash iterator method which he sent off-list the best. The directory removing option was not a viable alternative, as the directory in question actually happens to be /var/spool/mqueue and I remember once upon a time (years ago) when I just deleted it and recreated it manually, the mail server was complaining ever since about incorrect something or other. I don't recall what it was, it's been too long ago, but it was not permissions or ownership of the re-created directory. In any case, I'd rather leave the directory alone and just wipe the thousands of undeliverable messages in it, which now I can. :-) Thanks again, Chris > -----Original Message----- > Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 1:44 PM > To: General Red Hat Linux discussion list > Subject: Re: Deleting LARGE number of files > > You can remove the directory recursively, > or be more precise with a combination of > find and xargs. > > The basic tool is xargs. See the man page. > > --- Chris <redhat-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > Okay, newbie question - and I can't find the answer > > on Google... :-| > > > > How can you delete the contents of a directory that > > has a HUGE number of files? By huge I mean when > > "rm -f *" complains with "too many items" error > > message. I don't care what's in there, I just want > > to wipe it all. -- redhat-list mailing list unsubscribe mailto:redhat-list-request@xxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/redhat-list
