[JENKINS-60351] can not disable the retries of Util.delete

[jenkins-infra-bot]

jenkins/core/src/main/java/hudson/Util.java

Lines 1581 to 1596 in c8efc7c

	/**
	* The number of times we will attempt to delete files/directory trees
	* before giving up and throwing an exception.<br/>
	* Specifying a value less than 1 is invalid and will be treated as if
	* a value of 1 (i.e. one attempt, no retries) was specified.
	* <p>
	* e.g. if some of the child directories are big, it might take long enough
	* to delete that it allows others to create new files in the directory we
	* are trying to empty, causing problems like JENKINS-10113.
	* Or, if we're on Windows, then deletes can fail for transient reasons
	* regardless of external activity; see JENKINS-15331.
	* Whatever the reason, this allows us to do multiple attempts before we
	* give up, thus improving build reliability.
	*/
	@Restricted(value = NoExternalUse.class)
	static int DELETION_MAX = Math.max(1, SystemProperties.getInteger(Util.class.getName() + ".maxFileDeletionRetries", 3));

is confused.

 

The properties is for "retries" which you should be able to disable with a count of zero. but you can not. but the comment implies it is just for the number of tries (not retries).

However the code calls PathRemover.newFilteredRobustRemover(pathChecker, DELETION_MAX - 1, GC_AFTER_FAILED_DELETE, WAIT_BETWEEN_DELETION_RETRIES);]
which ends up in 

jenkins/core/src/main/java/jenkins/util/io/PathRemover.java

Lines 63 to 65 in c8efc7c

	public static PathRemover newFilteredRobustRemover(@Nonnull PathChecker pathChecker, int maxRetries, boolean gcAfterFailedRemove, long waitBetweenRetries) {
	return new PathRemover(new PausingGCRetryStrategy(Math.max(maxRetries, 1), gcAfterFailedRemove, waitBetweenRetries), pathChecker);
	}

  which is using a max retries.

However if you run a test with the system property set to one.  then you do get one retry not one try.

-DargLine=-Dhudson.Util.maxFileDeletionRetries=1

 

 Unable to delete 'C:\Users\IEUser\Desktop\oc-server\target\tmp\j h6725733765603761727'. Tried 2 time (of a maximum of 2) waiting 0.1 sec between attempts. 

so the property does seem to be acting as a retry despite the code comment but you can not set it to zero one because...

static int DELETION_MAX = Math.max(1, SystemProperties.getInteger(Util.class.getName() + ".maxFileDeletionRetries", 3)); 

 
and the PathRemover]..

return new PathRemover(new PausingGCRetryStrategy(Math.max(maxRetries, 1), gcAfterFailedRemove, waitBetweenRetries), pathChecker);

which means it will always retry once, which is a PITA when trying to some timing bugs.

---

Originally reported by teilo, imported from: can not disable the retries of Util.delete

• status: Resolved
• priority: Minor
• component(s): core
• label(s): 2.204.2-fixed
• resolution: Fixed
• resolved: 2019-12-20T10:35:50+00:00
• votes: 0
• watchers: 1
• imported: 2025-11-24

Raw content of original issue

  

    

      jenkins/core/src/main/java/hudson/Util.java
    
    

        Lines 1581 to 1596
      in
      c8efc7c
    
  
  

    


        

          

          
     /** 
        

        

          

          
      * The number of times we will attempt to delete files/directory trees 
        

        

          

          
      * before giving up and throwing an exception.<br/> 
        

        

          

          
      * Specifying a value less than 1 is invalid and will be treated as if 
        

        

          

          
      * a value of 1 (i.e. one attempt, no retries) was specified. 
        

        

          

          
      * <p> 
        

        

          

          
      * e.g. if some of the child directories are big, it might take long enough 
        

        

          

          
      * to delete that it allows others to create new files in the directory we 
        

        

          

          
      * are trying to empty, causing problems like JENKINS-10113. 
        

        

          

          
      * Or, if we're on Windows, then deletes can fail for transient reasons 
        

        

          

          
      * regardless of external activity; see JENKINS-15331. 
        

        

          

          
      * Whatever the reason, this allows us to do multiple attempts before we 
        

        

          

          
      * give up, thus improving build reliability. 
        

        

          

          
      */ 
        

        

          

          
     @Restricted(value = NoExternalUse.class) 
        

        

          

          
     static int DELETION_MAX = Math.max(1, SystemProperties.getInteger(Util.class.getName() + ".maxFileDeletionRetries", 3)); 
        
    
  

 is confused.


 

The properties is for "retries" which you should be able to disable with a count of zero. but you can not. but the comment implies it is just for the number of tries (not retries).

However the code calls PathRemover.newFilteredRobustRemover(pathChecker, DELETION_MAX - 1, GC_AFTER_FAILED_DELETE, WAIT_BETWEEN_DELETION_RETRIES);]
 which ends up in 

  

    

      jenkins/core/src/main/java/jenkins/util/io/PathRemover.java
    
    

        Lines 63 to 65
      in
      c8efc7c
    
  
  

    


        

          

          
 public static PathRemover newFilteredRobustRemover(@Nonnull PathChecker pathChecker, int maxRetries, boolean gcAfterFailedRemove, long waitBetweenRetries) { 
        

        

          

          
     return new PathRemover(new PausingGCRetryStrategy(Math.max(maxRetries, 1), gcAfterFailedRemove, waitBetweenRetries), pathChecker); 
        

        

          

          
 } 
        
    
  

  which is using a max retries.


However if you run a test with the system property set to one.  then you do get one retry not one try.

-DargLine=-Dhudson.Util.maxFileDeletionRetries=1

 

 Unable to delete 'C:\Users\IEUser\Desktop\oc-server\target\tmp\j h6725733765603761727'. Tried 2 time (of a maximum of 2) waiting 0.1 sec between attempts. 

so the property does seem to be acting as a retry despite the code comment but you can not set it to zero one because...

static int DELETION_MAX = Math.max(1, SystemProperties.getInteger(Util.class.getName() + ".maxFileDeletionRetries", 3)); 

 
 and the PathRemover]..

return new PathRemover(new PausingGCRetryStrategy(Math.max(maxRetries, 1), gcAfterFailedRemove, waitBetweenRetries), pathChecker);

which means it will always retry once, which is a PITA when trying to some timing bugs.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

teilo:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  marking as lts-candidate not because its bad for users but because it is bad for developers especially with the bump in jenkins-test-harness which fails tests if it can not clear up the temporary directory (which is painful to diagnose if retries kick in) (and more so if you run on windows)
  

marking as lts-candidate not because its bad for users but because it is bad for developers especially with the bump in jenkins-test-harness which fails tests if it can not clear up the temporary directory (which is painful to diagnose if retries kick in) (and more so if you run on windows)