Comments on: Removing large directories in Linux http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php Gadgets - PHP Code - ASP Code - Web Tools - Technology Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:48:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matz http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php/comment-page-1#comment-8383 Matz Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:59:30 +0000 http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php#comment-8383 This isn't a very effective solution: <code>find . -type f -name “*.htm” -exec rm {} \; </code> For a directory with 20000 files, 20000 times shell will execute rm and this will use a lot of CPU and IO time. A much more efficient solution for directories with many files is: <code>find . -type f -name “*.htm” | xargs -l500 rm -f</code> This will execute rm for every 500 files, causing much less hassle for the system. In general, i think using xargs is a whole lot better than -exec in find, and you'd best avoid it when possible. It may also be used in combination with grep, to clean a folder out of files containing a specific string a-la: <code>grep -rF 'some string in files' . | xargs -l500 rm</code> This isn’t a very effective solution:
find . -type f -name “*.htm” -exec rm {} \;
For a directory with 20000 files, 20000 times shell will execute rm and this will use a lot of CPU and IO time.
A much more efficient solution for directories with many files is:
find . -type f -name “*.htm” | xargs -l500 rm -f
This will execute rm for every 500 files, causing much less hassle for the system.
In general, i think using xargs is a whole lot better than -exec in find, and you’d best avoid it when possible.

It may also be used in combination with grep, to clean a folder out of files containing a specific string a-la:
grep -rF 'some string in files' . | xargs -l500 rm

]]> By: loader http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php/comment-page-1#comment-8344 loader Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:06:07 +0000 http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php#comment-8344 In case you want remove just htm files... find . -type f -name "*.htm" -exec rm {} \; In case you want remove just htm files…

find . -type f -name “*.htm” -exec rm {} \;

]]> By: Mitre Box http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php/comment-page-1#comment-1084 Mitre Box Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:51:30 +0000 http://www.allscoop.com/removing-large-directories-in-linux.php#comment-1084 Thanks. Saved a couple of hours. Thanks.

Saved a couple of hours.

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