Details
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Type:
Bug
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Status:
Closed
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Priority:
Major
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Resolution: Fixed
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Affects Version/s: 1.8.2, 1.9
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Component/s: Administration
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Labels:None
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Environment:Solaris 10, sparc64, Mac OS X Server
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Affected Branches:MOODLE_18_STABLE, MOODLE_19_STABLE
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Fixed Branches:MOODLE_16_STABLE, MOODLE_17_STABLE, MOODLE_18_STABLE, MOODLE_19_STABLE
Description
In Administration >> Configuration >> Variables >> Operating System is an entry for pathtodu. This should specify that GNU du is needed since du is called with --apparent-size, a GNUism. Otherwise, the error logs will contain lines similar to:
/usr/bin/du: illegal option – apparent-size
usage: du [-a] [-d] [-h|-k] [-r] [-o|-s] [-H|-L] [file ...]
The page in question is lang/en_utf8/admin.php
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I'm not sure of any better arguments for *nix systems, and changing the arguments may cause problems for admins/users as they may suddenly see a change in the file sizes as reported by the get_directory_size function.
In any case, the GNU Win32 version of du does not have the --apparent-size option, so it's a GNUism only for Linux systems. For Windows systems, this is the only version of du available and the --apparent-size option breaks get_directory_size. Whatever the reason was for the inclusion of this option, I've attached a diff to check for Windows OS so that du works.
I've moved this up to major as it's a biggie for Windows users who are struggling with directories full of gigabytes of course materials 
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. Hi. Just weighing in with a "me too"
Running this thing ('thing" being Moodle on Solaris creates the same problem, as Solaris du does not have the --apparent_size option.
Not sure of a solution except to suggest that such system-specific code is not portable, but you all know that already.
Thanks!
on Solaris creates the same problem, as Solaris du does not have the --apparent_size option.
Not sure of a solution except to suggest that such system-specific code is not portable, but you all know that already.
Thanks! 
Confirming. Still present on 1.8+. On our Mac OS X server, the logs are full of these lines
IMHO, we shouldn't rely on specialities of Un*x variants.