---
name: "fsck.minix"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "util-linux"
version: "2.42.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fsck.minix"
---

# fsck.minix(8)

check consistency of Minix filesystem

## NAME

fsck.minix - check consistency of Minix filesystem

## SYNOPSIS

**fsck.minix** \[options\] *device*

## DESCRIPTION

**fsck.minix** performs a consistency check for the Linux MINIX filesystem.

The program assumes the filesystem is quiescent. **fsck.minix** should not be used on a mounted device unless you can be sure nobody is writing to it. Remember that the kernel can write to device when it searches for files.

The *device* name will usually have the following form:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| /dev/hda\[1-63\] | IDE disk 1 |
| /dev/hdb\[1-63\] | IDE disk 2 |
| /dev/sda\[1-15\] | SCSI disk 1 |
| /dev/sdb\[1-15\] | SCSI disk 2 |

If the filesystem was changed, i.e., repaired, then **fsck.minix** will print "FILE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHANGED" and will [**sync**(2)](/sync/2.md) three times before exiting. There is *no* need to reboot after check.

## WARNING

**fsck.minix** should **not** be used on a mounted filesystem. Using **fsck.minix** on a mounted filesystem is very dangerous, due to the possibility that deleted files are still in use, and can seriously damage a perfectly good filesystem! If you absolutely have to run **fsck.minix** on a mounted filesystem, such as the root filesystem, make sure nothing is writing to the disk, and that no files are "zombies" waiting for deletion.

## OPTIONS

- **-l**, **--list**

  List all filenames.

- **-r**, **--repair**

  Perform interactive repairs.

- **-a**, **--auto**

  Perform automatic repairs. This option implies **--repair** and serves to answer all of the questions asked with the default. Note that this can be extremely dangerous in the case of extensive filesystem damage.

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Be verbose.

- **-s**, **--super**

  Output super-block information.

- **-m**, **--uncleared**

  Activate MINIX-like "mode not cleared" warnings.

- **-f**, **--force**

  Force a filesystem check even if the filesystem was marked as valid. Marking is done by the kernel when the filesystem is unmounted.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display help text and exit.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display version and exit.

## DIAGNOSTICS

There are numerous diagnostic messages. The ones mentioned here are the most commonly seen in normal usage.

If the device does not exist, **fsck.minix** will print "unable to read super block". If the device exists, but is not a MINIX filesystem, **fsck.minix** will print "bad magic number in super-block".

## EXIT STATUS

The exit status returned by **fsck.minix** is the sum of the following:

**0**

No errors

**3**

Filesystem errors corrected, system should be rebooted if filesystem was mounted

**4**

Filesystem errors left uncorrected

**7**

Combination of exit statuses 3 and 4

**8**

Operational error

**16**

Usage or syntax error

## AUTHORS

*Linus Torvalds* \<torvalds@cs.helsinki.fi\>. Exit status values by *Rik Faith* \<faith@cs.unc.edu\> Added support for filesystem valid flag: *Dr. Wettstein* \<greg%wind.uucp@plains.nodak.edu\>. Check to prevent fsck of mounted filesystem added by *Daniel Quinlan* \<quinlan@yggdrasil.com\>. Minix v2 fs support by *Andreas Schwab* \<schwab@issan.informatik.uni-dortmund.de\>, updated by *Nicolai Langfeldt* \<janl@math.uio.no\>. Portability patch by *Russell King* \<rmk@ecs.soton.ac.uk\>.

## SEE ALSO

[**fsck**(8)](/fsck/8.md), [**fsck.ext2**(8)](/fsck.ext2/8.md), [**mkfs**(8)](/mkfs/8.md), [**mkfs.ext2**(8)](/mkfs.ext2/8.md), [**mkfs.minix**(8)](/mkfs.minix/8.md), [**reboot**(8)](/reboot/8.md)

## REPORTING BUGS

For bug reports, use the *issue tracker* \<https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues\>.

## AVAILABILITY

The **fsck.minix** command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from *Linux Kernel Archive* \<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/\>.