# du cannot read directory permission denied **URL:** \ **Category:** SLES for System Z\ **Created:** [June 7, 2017, 4:20pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/du-cannot-read-directory-permission-denied/29883 "2017-06-07T16:20:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mikenash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@mikenash](https://forums.suse.com/u/mikenash)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 4:20pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/du-cannot-read-directory-permission-denied/29883/1 "2017-06-07T16:20:04Z")
I am executing the du command and I am receiving permission denied on some directories. `linux158:/usr/IBMi/depo/tools/rpm # ls -l total 8 drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Sep 15 2008 aix drwx------ 2 root root 4096 May 16 2008 src linux158:/usr/IBMi/depo/tools/rpm # du src du: cannot read directory ‘src’: Permission denied 4 src` On another system I created a test with a directory having the same permissions but the su command worked! `root@linux140:/root #~>cd /mnt/ Wed Jun 07 2017 09:16 AM root@linux140:/mnt #~>mkdir test Wed Jun 07 2017 09:16 AM root@linux140:/mnt #~>chmod 700 test Wed Jun 07 2017 09:16 AM root@linux140:/mnt #~>vi test/test Wed Jun 07 2017 09:17 AM root@linux140:/mnt #~>ls -l total 0 drwx------ 2 root root 18 Jun 7 09:17 test Wed Jun 07 2017 09:17 AM root@linux140:/mnt #~>du test 4 test` Are there any suggestions to explain this problem? ---
**Author:** ![mikenash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@mikenash](https://forums.suse.com/u/mikenash)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/du-cannot-read-directory-permission-denied/29883/2 "2017-06-07T20:46:32Z")
More information. I found that this directory is part of an auto mount file system. I find that I am allowed access to the /usr/IBMi/depo/tools/rpm/aix directory but not the /usr/IBMi/depo/tools/rpm/src directory. What would configuration creates this scenario? How would I verify this? ---
**Author:** ![mikenash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@mikenash](https://forums.suse.com/u/mikenash)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/du-cannot-read-directory-permission-denied/29883/3 "2017-06-07T21:18:40Z")
I think I may understand what is happening. The user id. “root” on linux158 is not the user id. of the other system where this is mounted from. ---
**Author:** ![Jens-U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@Jens-U](https://forums.suse.com/u/Jens-U)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/du-cannot-read-directory-permission-denied/29883/4 "2017-06-12T14:37:59Z")
Hi Mike, > The user id. “root” on linux158 is not the user id. of the other system where this is mounted from. yes, indeed - typically, you’ll map the client user “root” to i.e. “nobody” or some other unprivileged user on the NFS server side (“root\_squash” option, see “man 5 exports”). This is to protect the file system exported by the server - as the server admin, you cannot guaranteed that the “root” account at the NFS client is safe. Regards, J