"Permission Denied" with sudo updatedb on Your Raspberry Pi

"Permission Denied" with sudo updatedb on Your Raspberry Pi

Hey Raspberry Pi enthusiasts! If you've been exploring the command line and tried running sudo updatedb, you might have seen some scary-looking "Permission denied" messages. Don't worry, you're not alone, and it's usually nothing to be alarmed about. Let's break down what's happening.

What is sudo updatedb?

First, a quick recap. updatedb is a command that creates an index (a kind of catalog) of all the files and folders on your Raspberry Pi. This index helps other tools, like locate, find files quickly.

Those "Permission Denied" Messages: Why They Happen

When you run sudo updatedb, you're telling your Raspberry Pi to scan every nook and cranny of your file system. But, in the process, it comes across some special folders that it can't access. You'll see messages like:

/usr/bin/find: '/run/user/1000/gvfs': Permission denied
/usr/bin/find: '/run/user/1000/doc': Permission denied

Here's what those folders are:

• /run/user/1000/gvfs: This is a folder where your Raspberry Pi stores information about virtual file systems. Think of it as a temporary place for things like connected USB drives or network shares. This folder is specific to your user (the "1000" part) and is not accessible by the root user, which is what sudo uses.
• /run/user/1000/doc: This is a folder that allows programs to access your documents. It's also specific to your user.

Why It's Usually Okay

• User-Specific Stuff: These folders contain information that's only relevant to your user account. updatedb doesn't need to index this data.
• Normal Behavior: It's completely normal for the root user to not have access to these folders.
• No Big Deal: These error messages don't mean anything is broken. Your Raspberry Pi will still work perfectly fine.

What to Do (or Not Do)

• Ignore Them (Recommended): The easiest and best thing to do is simply ignore these messages. They're harmless.

• Exclude the Folders (Optional): If you're bothered by the messages, you can tell updatedb to ignore these folders. Here's how:

  1. Open the configuration file:

     Bash

     sudo nano /etc/updatedb.conf
     

  2. Find the line that starts with PRUNEPATHS=.

  3. Add the folder paths to the end of that line, like this:

     PRUNEPATHS="... /run/user/1000/gvfs /run/user/1000/doc"
     

     • Replace the "..." with whatever was already in the PRUNEPATHS variable.

  4. Press Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter to save and close the file.

  • Important: Be careful when editing configuration files. If you're unsure, it's best to leave them as they are.

Key Takeaways for Raspberry Pi Newbies

• "Permission denied" messages from sudo updatedb are often normal.
• They usually involve user-specific folders that updatedb doesn't need to access.
• Ignoring the messages is perfectly fine.
• Editing the configuration file is possible, but not required.

So, next time you see those messages, you'll know exactly what they mean. Happy Raspberry Pi-ing!

Need Raspberry Pi Expertise?

If you need help with your Raspberry Pi projects or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!

Email us at: info@pacificw.com

Image: Gemini