Can I delete "Volumes" and "sbin"?

Question

Can I delete "Volumes" and "sbin"?

I've got two folders at the top level of my Hard Disk.

One is sbin and it has a load of Terminal executable files.

The other is Volumes and it has aliases for various disks that I mount.

I know I didn't manually create these folders. And I'd like to know where they came from and/or can I junk them.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on May 19, 2010 3:11 PM

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Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

May 19, 2010 5:58 PM in response to Mary Sharon Cohen

Mary Sharon Cohen wrote:
When I try to find the original file for the etc alias I get sent to the Private folder, but a folder called etc isn't there.

etc. should be there. You may be able to repair this with The 10.6.3 Combo Update This is a fuller install, as opposed to an incremental "delta" update so it should overwrite any files that are damaged or missing. It does not matter if you have applied it before.
Remember to Verify Disk before update and repair permissions after update from /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.

-mj

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Answer 2

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

May 19, 2010 3:52 PM in response to Mary Sharon Cohen

They are normally invisible folders that have become visible.
Launch Terminal in /Applications/Utilities/ and cop & Paste this command at the prompt
EDIT: Better yet,

sudo chflags hidden

Then drag the folder(s) you want hidden to your Terminal window.
It will show the absolute path.
Press Return.

Let us know,

-mj

Message was edited by: macjack

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Answer 3

May 19, 2010 4:12 PM in response to macjack

Nope.
Neither of your suggestions worked.
I tried the original command to hide them.
And then I tried the sudo chflags hidden.
When I dropped the folders into the Terminal window I got:

usage: chflags [-R [-H | -L | -P]] flags file ...
Lucky-76:~ sandeecohen$ /bin
-bash: /bin: is a directory
Lucky-76:~ sandeecohen$ sudo chflags hidden
usage: chflags [-R [-H | -L | -P]] flags file ...
Lucky-76:~ sandeecohen$ /sbin
-bash: /sbin: is a directory
Lucky-76:~ sandeecohen$

I'm confused as to why these are there.

Could it be that the "real" files are actually hidden and these are some kind of duplicates that shouldn't be there?

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Answer 4

May 19, 2010 5:19 PM in response to Király

OK, we're getting closer.

Turns out I had several more of those folder. Usr and some others.

But using Király's instructions I got them to hide.

But now I have three aliases of folders called: var, tmp, and etc.

The original folders for the aliases var and tmp are in a private folder which is properly hidden on the Hard disk.

When I try to find the original file for the etc alias I get sent to the Private folder, but a folder called etc isn't there.

Are these aliases important? What should I do about them?

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Answer 5

red_menace

Level 6

17,066 points

May 19, 2010 5:52 PM in response to Mary Sharon Cohen

You should leave anything owned by the system alone (although these folders are normally hidden). See http://www.westwind.com/reference/OS-X/invisibles.html for an older article about what some of these folders are.

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Answer 6

iBrian

Level 4

1,432 points

May 19, 2010 3:35 PM in response to Mary Sharon Cohen

no - they are system folders. leave them be. deleting Volumes, for example, essentially deletes your drive.

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Answer 7

Király

Level 6

10,025 points

May 19, 2010 4:15 PM in response to Mary Sharon Cohen

Paste in what macjack posted, then hit the spacebar, then drag the folder in, then press return.

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