bug#8823: Can coreutils stat dismounted filesystem?

[Jim Meyering]

v99 glu wrote:
> I write to this email address according the link:
> http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/faq/coreutils-faq.html#How-do-I-add-a-question-to-the-FAQ_003f.

Thanks for telling us where you spotted the bug-coreutils@ reference
That is no longer the correct address, and I've just fixed that page
and added some clarification.  FAQ-related discussion is better
directed to the address@hidden list.

Your message to the bug- list has automatically opened a bug "ticket"
http://debbugs.gnu.org/8823
which means someone has to manually close it.
(I'm doing that via this message with the Cc to address@hidden)

> I need filesystem details (size, type, freespace, etc). The most
> appropriate utility for this purpose is coreutils 'stat' (as I could
> find).
> In my case, filesystem to be probed can be both mounted and dismounted.
> In case of mounted filesystem I have no questions.
> In case of dismounted filesystem I cannot get her details, because I
> cannot specify any file in it.
>
> So, this is a question: Can coreutils 'stat' utility display details
> of dismounted filesystem? Or may be another coreutils utility can?

If a file system is not mounted, then no coreutils program can do what
you want.  However, if you really need to inspect a file system without
mounting it, consider libguestfs (http://libguestfs.org/).