UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

In a directory I have a file called 250SocatSC. When i use the ls -l command I see its size, permissions, etc. Everything seems alright with it but when I try to copy (cp) it or to rename (mv) it I got the following message: "cannot access: No such file or directory". I suspect that has something to do with its name or the way it was written on the hdd. Other files of the same type (scanned images) are working just fine. I would really want to use this file. It would save me from a lot of work. By the way when I try to make these changes I use the super user account.

Can you do a ls -l on the directory and post the full line of output for the file? Are you logging in as root or doing a sudo when trying to work with the file?

Quite likely the file has a non printing character in its name.
Try

Code:

ls -l >/tmp/list

Then use vi on /tmp/list

I log as root but unfortunately only tomorrow I can show you the exact output of ls -l command.
I'll also try with vi to see if it works and let you know jgt.
Thank you!!!

---------- Post updated 07-15-10 at 09:53 AM ---------- Previous update was 07-14-10 at 12:07 PM ----------

I tried to find out if there were non printing characters in the file name. The output of the command ls -b (ls -q) was:
250SocatSC
forest
mountain
These are the files that I work with (scanned images). For two of them I got the message from the title of this thread even when I try to change their permission with chmod command. The last file is working properly. I can do whatever I like with it.
For mikep9 the output of the command ls -l is:
-rw-r--r-- 18345628 July 14 20:10 250SocatSC
-rw-r--r-- 18345628 July 14 21:00 forest
-rw-r--r-- 18345628 July 14 20:30 mountain

Any other advice?

Please post the output from:

Code:

ls -lisa | sed -n l

This should show any funny characters and also display the inode number with the links count. The "$" at the end of each line is normal (it's the line-feed character).
Please don't forget to include all the output (including where ls shows the parent directory and the dot files).
Also we'll need to know your username and group in the context of the above directory listing.


Let's see if a program is holding the inode after another program has deleted the file?

Code:

fuser *

I'm on holiday for the next couple of weeks so the files MUST wait. Thanks methyl for your answer. I'll try to post the output as soon as possible and let you know. You'll hear from me soon.