Deleted Files — 2 Technical Articles

Oct 28, 2025 · Operations

Why Deleting Files Doesn’t Free Disk Space on Linux—and How to Recover It

This guide explains why removing large log files on Linux often leaves disk usage unchanged, reveals the hidden “ghost” processes that keep deleted files open, and provides step‑by‑step commands to identify, release, and prevent such space leaks.

Deleted FilesLinuxProcess Management

0 likes · 7 min read

Why Deleting Files Doesn’t Free Disk Space on Linux—and How to Recover It

Liangxu Linux

Mar 8, 2021 · Operations

How to Locate and Release Disk Space from Deleted Open Files on Linux

When disk usage reported by df doesn't match du and inodes are not full, the discrepancy often stems from files that were deleted while still held open by running processes, and this guide explains how to identify those processes and safely free the space.

Deleted FilesFile ManagementLinux

0 likes · 4 min read

How to Locate and Release Disk Space from Deleted Open Files on Linux