You've followed the guide step by step but still want to check if hardlinks are working, or someone on the Sonarr/Radarr support team asked you to check if your files are hardlinked?
You've followed the guide step by step but still want to check if hardlinks are working, or someone on the Sonarr/Radarr support team asked you to check if your files are hardlinked.
You can use 3 options to check if you got working hardlinks.
_All methods require you to login to your terminal with PuTTY or similar software._
_All methods require you to login to your terminal with PuTTY or similar software._
!!! warning
You can't create hard links for directories :bangbang:
You can't cross file systems :bangbang:
- You **CAN'T** create hardlinks for directories :bangbang:
- You **CAN'T** hardlink across separate file systems, partitions, or mounts :bangbang:
- Some file systems, such as exFAT, are known not to support hardlinks and should be avoided (double-check if you are unsure!)
---
## Usenet
!!! note ""
If you use Usenet these examples won't work because you make use of instant moves/atomic moves and not hardlinks.
Still want to test if it works?
Test an import of a 4k remux (or any other big file and you should notice it's almost instant) and not a slower and more I/O intensive copy + delete.
!!! info "If you are using Usenet, these examples won't work due to making use of instant/atomic moves and not hardlinks.<br><br>Still want to test if it works?<br><br>Test an import of a 4k remux, or any other big file, and you should notice it's almost instant and not a slower and more I/O intensive copy + delete."
## Method 1: Using ls
@ -54,6 +48,8 @@ You will get 2 results you can use to compare several things.
1. Links: Everything above 1 means it's hardlinked
1. Inode: if the numbers match, you know the files are hardlinked
---
## Method 3: Using Inode copies
- In your terminal `cd` to your download location and run `ls -i file.mkv` or type `ls -i /path/to/your/download/location/file.mkv`
If you’re wondering why hardlinks aren’t working or why a simple move is taking far longer than it should.
If you’re wondering why hardlinks aren’t working or why a simple move is taking far longer than it should.
Here we will try to explain it.
This Guide exist out of 4 Sections
This guide consists of 4 sections.
1. This page with a short description.
1. [How to set up for](/Hardlinks/How-to-setup-for/) your installation method.
1. [Examples](/Hardlinks/Examples/) what you should use for your path settings in your used applications.
1. [Check if hardlinks are working](/Hardlinks/Check-if-hardlinks-are-working/)
So you want one of the following?
So you want one of the following?
- Instant moves (Atomic-Moves) during import of the Starr Apps (useful when using Usenet)?
- You don't want to use twice the storage when using torrents. (hardlinks)?
@ -30,35 +30,39 @@ Then Continue to [How to set up for](/Hardlinks/How-to-setup-for/) your installa
??? question "**What are hardlinks?** - [Click to show/hide]"
- [**Short answer**] Having a file in multiple locations without using double your storage space.
- [**Long answer**] Hardlinks are a way for a copy operation to be instant and not consume space for those additional copies.
- [**Long answer**] Hardlinks are a way for a copy operation to be instant and not consume space for those additional copies.
Every file is a hardlink: some metadata that points at blocks on the file system, **which is why they're restricted to the same file system**. There can be as many metadata files pointing at those blocks as needed and the blocks know how many links point to them. Once the blocks have 0 links, they're considered deleted.
Every file is a hardlink: some metadata that points at blocks on the file system, **which is why they're restricted to the same file system**. There can be as many metadata files pointing at those blocks as needed and the blocks know how many links point to them. Once the blocks have 0 links, they're considered deleted.
This means:
- You can delete any "copy" w/o impacting the others.
- You can delete any "copy" without impacting other instances (hardlinks) of it.
Your download client can remove it's "copy" w/o impacting the library "copy". The library "copy" can be removed by Plex or Sonarr/Radarr or yourself w/o impacting the download client "copy".
Your download client can remove its "copy" without impacting the library "copy". The library "copy" can also be removed by Plex, Sonarr/Radarr, or manually without impacting your download client's "copy".
- Space is only regained when all "copies" are deleted.
- Space is only reclaimed once all "copies" of data that are hardlinked are deleted.
- Modifying the file will impact all "copies".
- Modifying any copy of a hardlinked file will impact all "copies".
For example, modifying the id3 tags of a .mp3 download after import would modify the download client "copy", resulting in breaking the torrent.
For example, modifying the id3 tags of a .mp3 download after import would modify the download client "copy", resulting in breaking the torrent.
[More info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_link){:target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"}
!!! warning
You can't create hard links for directories :bangbang:
You can't cross file systems :bangbang:
!!! warning "Don't forget to read the [Hardlinks limitations](/Hardlinks/Hardlinks-and-Instant-Moves/#hardlinks-limitations)"
### What are Instant Moves (Atomic Moves)
??? question "**What are Instant Moves (Atomic Moves)?** - [Click to show/hide]"
A real move and not a copy file from download folder to media folder and then delete file from download folder.
A real move and not a copy file from the download folder to the media folder and then deleting the file from the download folder.
### Hardlinks Limitations
??? question "**Hardlinks limitations** - [Click to show/hide]"
- You **CAN'T** create hardlinks for directories :bangbang:
- You **CAN'T** hardlink across separate file systems, partitions, or mounts :bangbang:
- Some file systems, such as exFAT, are known not to support hardlinks and should be avoided (double-check if you are unsure!)
TRaSH
4 months ago
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