Synology NAS @eaDir file removal

@eaDir files provide extended directory attributes, much like the Windows thumbs.db files or the Mac DS_Store files. They take up unnecessary space and are a general frustration. Here’s how to get rid of them.

Connect the your NAS via SSH (here’s how)

Find the @eaDir files

# sudo runs with root privileges requiring your password
sudo find . -name "@eaDir" -type d | more )Code language: PHP (php)

Remove the @eaDir files

# sudo runs with root privileges requiring your password
sudo find . -name "@eaDir" -type d -print0 | xargs -0 rm -rfCode language: PHP (php)

Additional Reading

Here’s a link to an interesting thread on the topic, which sheds more light on the problem and offers additional troubleshooting methods. 

4 Replies to “Synology NAS @eaDir file removal”

  1. Thank you very much for those 2 command lines!
    I have no Terminal knowledge and I have been struggling to get rid of those @eaDir (tens of thousands of them)
    That took me a few minutes thanks to you.

  2. Thank you this seems like the the most promising way to remove these annoying files.
    I followed the instructions as above and the first command line returned an error like it was expecting an opening bracket so I removed the closing bracket “)” and it listed the @eaDir folders.
    I then pasted the second line of code and that ran without errors but the folders were still there however now I can see the hidden content inside it through Kodi.

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