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Q234038: Inodes and Inode Cache File(s) in Services for Unix.

Article: Q234038
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 10-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, used with:
   - Microsoft Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article describes the inode files included in Services for UNIX Add-On
Pack.

MORE INFORMATION
================

What is an Inode?
-----------------

UNIX files do not actually reside in folders. A folder is really a file that
contains references to other files. The folder holds two pieces of information
about each file:

- Its file name.

- An inode number, which acts as a pointer to where the system can find the
  information it needs about this file.

File names are used by the system to locate a file and its inode number. This
correspondence is called a link. To the system, the file is the inode number.
Multiple file names can be used to refer to the same file by creating a link
between an inode and each of the file names.

What is an Inode File?
----------------------

The inode file caches pseudo-inode numbers for every file for which an NFS file
handle is obtained in Server for NFS. Each drive letter in Server for NFS has a
separate set of inode cache files. For example, the inode cache files for drive
C are Drivec.nod and Drivec.ndx. The inode cache files for all drives are
located by default in the C:\SFU\DiskShare folder.

The inode file is used because 32-byte NFS file handles are not large enough to
store entire path names. Using an inode file enables reliable recovery in the
event of resource loss on the part of the client, the server, or the network.

In large file systems, the inode file can become rather large. It can also become
unusable, as a result of unpredictable events such as a power failure or a
system crash. If the inode file becomes unusable or its size becomes a
management problem because of a shortage of available free disk space, you may
want to rebuild the inode file and restart the system.

You can use the Rebuild Inodes tool (on the Server Options tab in the Server for
NFS Configuration tool) to start a rebuild of the inode file, which prompts the
user to restart the server. Using the Rebuild Inodes tool instructs Server for
NFS to remove and re-create its inode file as part of the next Server for NFS
startup. Alternatively, if Server for NFS is stopped for some reason, an
administrator can simply delete the problem inode cache file before restarting
the server or the Server for NFS service.

NOTE: Removing or rebuilding the inode cache file and restarting Server for NFS
requires any currently mounted clients to unmount and remount their shared
resources. Symptoms may include error messages referring to a stale or invalid
NFS file handle.

Additional query words: sfu solar coaster

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTSsearch
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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