quotacheck: Scan, Check, and Repair Quotas

quotacheck: Scan, Check, and Repair Quotas

quotacheck scans a filesystem for disk usage and helps create, check, and repair quota files. A key precaution: run quota checks with quotas turned off to prevent damage or loss of quota files.

When to use quotacheck

  • After enabling quotas on a filesystem
  • When quota files seem out of sync with actual usage
  • After restoring from backups or making large changes to user/group data

Note:quotacheck can modify quota files; ensure quotas are disabled before running it to minimize risk.

Quick start: safe defaults

  1. Temporarily disable quota management on the affected filesystem(s).
  2. Run quotacheck to scan and update quota files.
  3. Re-enable quotas and run quotaon to activate them.

Example workflow for all mounted non-NFS filesystems:

# Step 1: Ensure quotas are off (example for a system using quotaon/quotaoff)
sudo quotaoff -a

# Step 2: Scan and create/update quota files for all non-NFS filesystems
sudo quotacheck --all

# Step 3: Re-enable quotas
sudo quotaon -a

Common usage patterns

  • Check quotas on all mounted non-NFS filesystems:
sudo quotacheck --all
  • Force check even if quotas are enabled (risk of damage to quota files):
sudo quotacheck --force {{mountpoint}}
  • Check quotas on a given filesystem in debug mode (verbose output helpful for troubleshooting):
sudo quotacheck --debug {{mountpoint}}
  • Check quotas on a given filesystem, displaying progress:
sudo quotacheck --verbose {{mountpoint}}
  • Check user quotas on a filesystem:
sudo quotacheck --user {{user}} {{mountpoint}}
  • Check group quotas on a filesystem:
sudo quotacheck --group {{group}} {{mountpoint}}

Flags explained (quick reference)

  • —all: operate on all suitable mounted filesystems.
  • —force: force a check even if quotas appear enabled; use with caution.
  • —debug: verbose diagnostic output for troubleshooting.
  • —verbose: show progress during the run.
  • —user: focus on a single user quota.
  • —group: focus on a single group quota.

Practical pitfalls and tips

  • Always disable quotas before running quotacheck. Running with quotas enabled can corrupt quota files.
  • Back up quota files before performing checks on critical systems.
  • After quotacheck completes, re-enable quotas and run quotaon to activate the quota checks again.
  • If you see strange quota usage in reports after a quotacheck, consider re-running with —debug to diagnose the source of inconsistencies.

Troubleshooting quick tips

  • If quotacheck reports file system mismatches, verify that filesystems are mounted correctly and that quota files exist or can be created.
  • If you must force a check, ensure you have a confirmed backup plan and understand the risk of quota file damage.
  • For persistent quota issues, consult the system logs and the man page for quotacheck for environment-specific caveats.

For more details, refer to the quotacheck manual: man quotacheck.

See Also