Skip to main content
NetApp Knowledge Base

Linux Clients Show "Stale File Handle" in df or mount for Deleted NetApp Snapshots (.snapshot) – NFS Auto-Mount Behavior

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
Views:
17,726
Visibility:
Public
Votes:
15
Category:
ontap-9
Specialty:
nas
Last Updated:

​ ​

Applies to

  • ONTAP 9
  • NFS
  • Linux kernel 2.6.18 and later versions

Issue

  • Modern Linux clients identifies the .snapshot directory as a different filesystem, and thus as a different mount point.
  • When the snapshot is deleted, clients report stale file handle for .snapshot based sub-mounts.
  • Observing stale file handle error on the daily snapshot volume.
    • df -h
      df: ‘/home/oracle/.snapshot/daily.2025-09-22_0010’: Stale file handle
      df: ‘/home/oracle/.snapshot/daily.2025-09-17_0010’: Stale file handle
      df: ‘/home/oracle/.snapshot/daily.2025-09-28_0010’: Stale file handle
      df: ‘/home/oracle/.snapshot/monthly.2025-08-25_0000’: Stale file handle
  • Restart of the linux nfs client resolve's the previous day's snapshot which have already been deleted.
  • mount command on the Linux host displays a large number of snapshots mounted and is not able to unmount.
1.1.1.1:/some_export/cluster/.snapshot/hourly.2015-08-03_0705 on /some-mount/.snapshot/hourly.2015-08-03_0705 type nfs (rw,relatime,vers=3,rsize=32768,wsize=32768,namlen=255,soft,proto=tcp,timeo=600,retrans=2,sec=sys,mountproto=,local_lock=none,addr=10.1.100.101)

 

Sign in to view the entire content of this KB article.

New to NetApp?

Learn more about our award-winning Support

NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or reliability or serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication or with respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques herein is a customer's responsibility and depends on the customer's ability to evaluate and integrate them into the customer's operational environment. This document and the information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products discussed in this document.