EBUSY - Device or resource busy

root@linuxfix:~/ebusy$

EBUSY

Device or resource busy

Solutions

Prerequisites: Start by updating your system to resolve common issues and ensure the solutions provided below are compatible with your current environment.

check_latest_version && sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Find processes using resource

Identify what is using the resource:

lsof /dev/device

fuser -v /mount/point

ps aux | grep process_name

Force unmount filesystem

Forcefully unmount if safe:

sudo umount -f /mount/point

sudo umount -l /mount/point

Warning: Force unmounting can cause data loss. Ensure no important processes are using the filesystem.

Kill blocking processes

Terminate processes blocking the resource:

sudo kill -TERM process_id

sudo killall process_name

What is EBUSY?

EBUSY occurs when trying to use a device or resource that is currently in use by another process.

Common scenarios: Unmounting busy filesystems, accessing locked devices, or modifying resources in use.

Common Causes

Device is currently mounted
Files open on the device
Process using the resource
Kernel modules in use
Network interface in use

Debugging Tips

mount | grep /dev/device

cat /proc/mounts

netstat -tulpn | grep :port

lsmod | grep module

Prevention

Properly close files and devices
Unmount filesystems before removal
Check resource usage before operations
Use proper cleanup in scripts

Additional Resources

Linux Mount Management

Managing filesystems and mount points

errno device resource busy