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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

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[Solved] Possible to lock a folder? To prevent it from being deleted. (slrpnk.net)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hi there, I'm on Bazzite KDE and recently somehow lost a my "gaming" folder..? No idea how but must gave been user faulty, e.g me. Therefore wondering if it's possible to lock certain folders so that this cannot accidentally happen?

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 5 months ago (1 children)

sudo chattr +i (folder) prevents anything to modify/delete folders and files

Add -R for setting the flag for all subdirectory/files

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Thanks I might try this! However does this allow for reads/writes from the system? Considering this is a folder for games, the files are constantly changing, such as the game save files etc..

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

If you'd like to look into it further. the +i flag in chattr is setting an attribute making the file (everything in Linux is a file, so yes this even means directories) immutable. When a file is immutable, it isn't possible to change the ownership, group, name, or permissions of the file, nor will you be able to write, append, or truncate the file.

It's been a while since I've used it, but I don't believe it's possible to have an immutable directory where you can still modify the contents therein, but I may be misremembering that. It would seem unlikely since adding content to the directory should require that you modify the links for the directory, which shouldn't be allowable with an immutable object?

It's possible that the +a chattr attribute may achieve what you'd prefer. I believe that flag will make it so that files (and again, everything in Linux is a file) can be created and modified, but never deleted. I've actually never used this one, but I can foresee how this still may not be ideal for your wishes since updates to games may expect to be able to delete old content which would be thwarted here. 🤷

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I don't believe it's possible to have an immutable directory where you can still modify the contents

Not directly under that directory, but you can modify directories under it. Attributes only apply to the directory's own alocation table and child directories have their own tables.

Also you can modify the content of the files in the directory. The attributes only refer to removing or adding files or other operations that modify the directory's table.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Attributes only apply to the directory’s own allocation table and child directories have their own tables.

Thanks. It has been a while, but I was fairly certain that this was the case, glad to have the confirmation. 👍

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Thanks for the explanation, I luckily solved this with just "basic" changes of permissions in dolphin actually haha, but defo good to know that chattr has these capabilities for future references. Appriciate it 🌻