/home/username/.gvfs issue; Zorin 12.4

I ran Backups yesterday. It said that it could not backup /home/username/.gvfs

At the end it said to check that I could open /home/username/.gvfs

I tried to access it in nautilus but found a big black cross against it and could not access it.

Looking online, I find the recommendation from some years ago (Ubuntu 14.04) of

#umount /home/useraccount/.gvfs
#rm -rf .gvfs/

Also

#umount /home/$useraccount/.gvfs
#rm -rf .gvfs/

a. Has anyone got any idea which one to try?.

And

b. What is the hash in front of the code all about? - I don't usually use this

Finston Pickle wrote:I ran Backups yesterday. It said that it could not backup /home/ubuntu/.gvfs

At the end it said to check that I could open /home/ubuntu/.gvfs

I tried to access it in nautilus but found a big black cross against it and could not access it.

Looking online, I find the recommendation from some years ago (Ubuntu 14.04) of

#umount /home/useraccount/.gvfs
#rm -rf .gvfs/

Also

#umount /home/$useraccount/.gvfs
#rm -rf .gvfs/

a. Has anyone got any idea which one to try?.

And

b. What is the hash in front of the code all about? - I don't usually use this

I think the hashtag noting what part was code, similar to how we can use the code tags on the forum.
You would not type the hashtag in terminal.
The rm command is 'remove' and the -rf is recursive files. So, if the removed object is a directory containing files, then the command would remove all files within following the path to the end.
That said, you may try changing the file permissions, first and give yourself ownership of the file and see if you can access it or save it in Backups. It may just be a permissions issue.

Hi Aravisian,

I thought that it was a permissions issue originally, so I opened up SpaceFM root window to change permissions.

What the heck - no .gvfs in /home/username to be seen.

How do I track down the slippery little eel of .gvfs?


Then I noticed at the bottom of the page "22 visible (59 ) hidden".


Where are the suckers hiding?

Finston Pickle wrote:Hi Aravisian,

I thught that it was a permissions issue originally, so I opened up SpaceFM root window to change permissions.

What the heck - no .gvfs in /home/username to be seen.

How do I track down the slippery little eel of .gvfs?

Urp, well... you have a ghost in the machine.
Have you tried the 'rm -rf' command on the lil sucker? (Whatever you do, do NOT let the beams cross.)

Hi Aravisian,

You replied to my post (thanks) and then I updated it after I had seen the "hidden" reference.


I would prefer to make the "hidden" visible, so as to be able to change the permissions.


Easy in Nautilis not quite (so far) with SpaceFM.

Finston Pickle wrote:I would prefer to make the "hidden" visible, so as to be able to change the permissions.


Easy in Nautilis not quite (so far) with SpaceFM.

Showing hidden files should be as simple as ctrl+h. If that is not working then a directory is in error.

If so, have you tried excluding it from being saved in backups?
Open Backups, select Folders to ignore on the left side. Click the Plus sign at the lower left. Navigate to that .gvfs thing and see if it shows up there.

Thanks for the tip that I had forgotten, Aravisian.

ctrl+h did it.

Permissions changed to enable my user - problem hopefully solved for the next backup.