[CentOS] How to change an executable into a directory

Tue Dec 30 18:36:08 UTC 2008
MHR <mhullrich at gmail.com>

On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 10:09 AM, Kai Schaetzl <maillists at conactive.com> wrote:
> Mhr wrote on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:57:11 -0800:
>
>> I just discovered that a couple of files on my system are ELF
>> executables when they should be directories.  How do I change a file
>> into a directory?  I don't think I've ever run into this one
>> before....
>
> I think you should really explain that a bit.
>

Yes, quite.

I save a fair number of web pages (receipts, bill payments, etc.) for
what should be obvious reasons.

Usually, these come down as an html file and a directory (of "sub-html" files).

I have two files that correspond to two html files in the right file
name format that seem as though they should be the _files directories,
but they are ELF files:

[mrichter at swordfish mhrdocs]$ file *_files
chv81128_files: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel 80386, version 1
(SYSV), stripped
chX81125_files: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel 80386, version 1
(SYSV), stripped
[mrichter at swordfish mhrdocs]$ ll *_files
-r--r--r-- 1 mrichter RnD 596460 May 29  2008 chv81128_files
-r--r--r-- 1 mrichter RnD  43756 May 29  2008 chX81125_files

These correspond to two html files which do not display correctly
(because the files that are supposed to be in those directories are
not because the directories appear to be executables.  I don't really
think I want to try running them....

So, is there a way to change a file into a directory?  Or am I crazy?

Thanks.

mhr