EXDEV - Invalid cross-device link

root@linuxfix:~/exdev$

EXDEV

Invalid cross-device link

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

Use copy instead of link

Copy files across filesystems:

cp source_file /other/filesystem/

rsync -av source/ /other/filesystem/dest/

tar -cf - source | (cd /dest && tar -xf -)

Create symbolic links

Use symlinks which work across filesystems:

ln -s /path/to/file /other/filesystem/link

ln -sf target linkname

Move within same filesystem

Perform operations within the same filesystem:

mv file /same/filesystem/location

find /same/fs -name "file" -exec ln {} /same/fs/link \;

What is EXDEV?

EXDEV occurs when trying to create a hard link across different filesystems or devices.

Common scenarios: Creating hard links between different partitions, moving files across filesystems with rename(), or link operations across mount points.

Common Causes

Hard link across different filesystems
Rename operation across mount points
Link between different devices
Cross-filesystem atomic operations
Different filesystem types

Debugging Tips

df -h

mount | grep /path

stat file1 file2

findmnt /path/to/file

Prevention

Understand filesystem boundaries
Use symbolic links for cross-filesystem references
Check mount points before operations
Use copy operations for cross-filesystem moves

Additional Resources

Linux Filesystem Types

Understanding different filesystem types

errno filesystem links devices