Comment on Ah yes, I will add space so that I can remove it if I run out if space
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r/ProgrammerHumoru/WiseJackfruit5417 (83)

reserved blocks. for ext4 you can see the current settings with sudo tune2fs -l <device>, it's called Reserved block count

Something like tune2fs -r <count> <device> to change the number of reserved blocks. A default format on ext4 will be 5%.

I do not remember the equivalent command for xfs, but I'm reasonably confident there is a 1:1 equivalent.

Note also that this isn't a true 1:1 to the OP, because root can write to reserved blocks, but that's kind of the point behind it: normal processes can't completely fill the disk and prevent root from doing admin tasks.

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Unless those normal processes run as root, of course. Not that that ever happens.

I think the idea is that once you are low on space, you can reduce the percentage of reserved blocks

The default percent is also why someone using some of the new higher capacity drives (several TBs), that now are more or less common drives, would likely want to turn the percent down since it will reserve several hundred GB by default when likely only a few tens of GB is more than enough

Until root fills up the reserved volume because everyone says alerting is stupid and doesn’t work. So now you’ve just prolonged the death of your server. Which is better than a quick death, but why do you people strive for mediocrity? Just make an effective alert when disk space is low.

You’re solving a problem that has already been solved. If your system isn’t important enough to monitor effectively, it doesn’t need to be available outside of hours you are working.

Proactive alerting is great. The problem is when you set up an alert at 20gb left, and everyone says "yeah that'll be fine until next week". Ballast files and reserved blocks aren't meant to solve a technical problem, they're meant to solve a human one - the urge to procrastinate unless there's an active emergency.

Man, you are just all over this thread being a gigantic penis.

I am 100% confident I know more than you, am better at my job than you, and am nicer to people while I do it.