AUFS-UNWH(1)

NAME
aufs-unwh - Remove a whiteout file to reveal a deleted file in the aufs file system

SYNOPSIS
aufs-unwh -h
aufs-unwh path_to_unwh

DESCRIPTION
The aufs-unwh script looks for a file named .wh.file_name in a writeable branch of the aufs file system. The file is a whiteout file, usually created upon deletion, which hides any other versions of the file that may be present in lower aufs branches. If a whiteout file is found, aufs-unwh removes it, remounting the aufs file system before and afterwards to allow the un-whiteout event to be immediately seen by users. path_to_unwh can be any path in the aufs filesystem. It will usually be a deleted file that is currently not visible in the aufs file system proper; be aware that there is currently no bespoke Bash completion for aufs-unwh to assist you with finding such files.

OUTPUT
If a whiteout file is found, aufs-unwh prints a short message to confirm the path of the deleted whiteout file.

OPTIONS

-h, --help
    Display a short help message and exit. (The help message is also displayed when aufs-unwh is called with no arguments.)

NOTES

It is recommended to run aufs-unwh as root, to ensure it has permission to find and remove whiteout files.

The path_to_unwh must be in the aufs file system. Symlinks are not resolved.

Some Linux distros do not allow the remounting of the aufs file system and changing the udba option. In these cases, while the whiteout file will be removed, you may not be able to access the restored file immediately. A reboot will resolve this issue. If you experience this issue, it is recommended to create a new empty file at the path of the deleted file using the touch command, and then use aufs-revert to remove the empty file (without creating a whiteout).

EXAMPLES

aufs-unwh /etc/passwd

    Removes any whiteout files of the form <branch_root>/etc/.wh.passwd, if they exist.

REPORTING BUGS

Please report any bugs or other issues on the Codeberg repository: https://codeberg.org/lcpterid/aufs-dir-tools/

AUTHORS
lcpterid

SEE ALSO
aufs-find(1), aufs-list(1), aufs-diff(1), aufs-clashes(1), aufs-revert(1)