# quotacheck

## NAME



           quotacheck - scan a filesystem for disk usage, create, check and
           repair quota files
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **quotacheck**[ **-gubcfinvdMmR**] [ **-F** _quota-format_ ] **-a** | _filesystem_
    


## DESCRIPTION



           **quotacheck** examines each filesystem, builds a table of current
           disk usage, and compares this table against that recorded in the
           disk quota file for the filesystem (this step is omitted if option
           **-c** is specified). If any inconsistencies are detected, both the
           quota file and the current system copy of the incorrect quotas are
           updated (the latter only occurs if an active filesystem is checked
           which is not advised).  By default, only user quotas are checked.
           **quotacheck** expects each filesystem to be checked to have quota
           files named _[a]quota.user_ and _[a]quota.group_ located at the root
           of the associated filesystem.  If a file is not present,
           **quotacheck** will create it.
    
           If the quota file is corrupted, **quotacheck** tries to save as much
           data as possible.  Rescuing data may need user intervention. With
           no additional options **quotacheck** will simply exit in such a
           situation. When in interactive mode (option **-i**) , the user is
           asked for advice. Advice can also be provided from command line
           (see option **-n**) , which is useful when **quotacheck** is run
           automatically (ie. from script) and failure is unacceptable.
    
           **quotacheck** should be run each time the system boots and mounts
           non-valid filesystems.  This is most likely to happen after a
           system crash.
    
           It is strongly recommended to run **quotacheck** with quotas turned
           off for the filesystem. Otherwise, possible damage or loss to data
           in the quota files can result.  It is also unwise to run
           **quotacheck** on a live filesystem as actual usage may change during
           the scan.  To prevent this, **quotacheck** tries to remount the
           filesystem read-only before starting the scan.  After the scan is
           done it remounts the filesystem read-write. You can disable this
           with option **-m**.  You can also make **quotacheck** ignore the failure
           to remount the filesystem read-only with option **-M**.
    


## OPTIONS



           **-b, --backup**
                  Forces **quotacheck** to make backups of the quota file before
                  writing the new data.
    
           **-v, --verbose**
                  **quotacheck** reports its operation as it progresses.
                  Normally it operates silently.  If the option is specified
                  twice, also the current directory is printed (note that
                  printing can slow down the scan measurably).
    
           **-d, --debug**
                  Enable debugging mode.  It will result in a lot of
                  information which can be used in debugging the program. The
                  output is very verbose and the scan will be slow.
    
           **-u, --user**
                  Only user quotas listed in _/etc/mtab_ or on the filesystems
                  specified are to be checked.  This is the default action.
    
           **-g, --group**
                  Only group quotas listed in _/etc/mtab_ or on the filesystems
                  specified are to be checked.
    
           **-c, --create-files**
                  Don't read existing quota files. Just perform a new scan
                  and save it to disk.  **quotacheck** also skips scanning of old
                  quota files when they are not found.
    
           **-f, --force**
                  Forces checking and writing of new quota files on
                  filesystems with quotas enabled. This is not recommended as
                  the created quota files may be out of sync.
    
           **-M, --try-remount**
                  This flag forces checking of filesystem in read-write mode
                  if a remount fails. Do this only when you are sure no
                  process will write to a filesystem while scanning.
    
           **-m, --no-remount**
                  Don't try to remount filesystem read-only. See comment with
                  option **-M**.
    
           **-i, --interactive**
                  Interactive mode. By default **quotacheck** exits when it finds
                  an error. In interactive mode user is asked for input
                  instead.  See option **-n**.
    
           **-n, --use-first-dquot**
                  If the quota files become corrupted, it is possible for
                  duplicate entries for a single user or group ID to exist.
                  Normally in this case, **quotacheck** exits or asks user for
                  input. When this option is set, the first entry found is
                  always used (this option works in interactive mode too).
    
           **-F, --format=**_format-name_
                  Check and fix quota files of specified format (ie. don't
                  perform format auto-detection). This is recommended as
                  detection might not work well on corrupted quota files.
                  Possible format names are: **vfsold** Original quota format
                  with 16-bit UIDs / GIDs, **vfsv0** Quota format with 32-bit
                  UIDs / GIDs, 64-bit space usage, 32-bit inode usage and
                  limits, **vfsv1** Quota format with 64-bit quota limits and
                  usage, **rpc**(quota over NFS), **xfs**(quota on XFS filesystem)
    
           **-a, --all**
                  Check all mounted non-NFS filesystems in **/etc/mtab**
    
           **-R, --exclude-root**
                  When used together with the **-a** option, all filesystems
                  except for the root filesystem are checked for quotas.
    


## NOTE



           **quotacheck** should only be run by super-user. Non-privileged users
           are presumably not allowed to read all the directories on the
           given filesystem.
    


## FILES



           **aquota.user or aquota.group**
                  located at filesystem root with quotas (version 2 quota,
                  non-XFS filesystems)
           **quota.user or quota.group**
                  located at filesystem root with quotas (version 1 quota,
                  non-XFS filesystems)
           **/etc/mtab**
                  names and locations of mounted filesystems
    


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