/etc links with no endpoint

[Ahmed RAHAL]

Hi,

When I use 'tar' to backup a '/etc' directory on a HP-UX11i system, I newly started using the 'h' option. This option backs up a real file instead of its link.
Now I have tar complaining about links pointing to unexisting files :
tar: cannot stat ./etc/vhelp/volumes/C/DCErncore.hv. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/zoneinfo/localtime. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/translate. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/savecore. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/msmod. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/lanconfig. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/iscan. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/freeze. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/dumpdates. Not dumped.
tar: cannot stat ./etc/dce.clean. Not dumped.

I was wondering if is safe to remove the 'dead links' or if they are of any use.

thanks in advance,

AR.

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

I checked a few of them, they're dangling around here, too.
OTOH I would recommend You to keep them, e.,g.
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root sys 36 Dec 12 2002 ./etc/zoneinfo/localti
me -> /opt/dcelocal/etc/zoneinfo/localtime
might be used when You install some additional stuff that comes with dce like OV.
Maybe just keep them in a safe place and remove them, but I wouldn't know a reason other than unhealthy return codes from tar.

[Ahmed RAHAL]

Hi,

That's what I also was thinking about : putting them into an archive and remove them. I like it to have a 'clean' return code from tar ;)

Thanks for your input.

AR.