python / python/cpython

shutil.rmtree will frequently fail on Windows under heavy load due to racy deletion

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3.9 (EOL) OS-windows
Dominant language
Python
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PR merge metrics
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Description

BPO 40143
Nosy @pfmoore, @tjguk, @zware, @eryksun, @zooba, @ariccio

Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2020-04-01.22:15:23.057>
labels = ['3.9', 'OS-windows']
title = 'shutil.rmtree will frequently fail on Windows under heavy load due to racy deletion'
updated_at = <Date 2020-04-03.13:09:32.817>
user = 'https://github.com/ariccio'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-04-03.13:09:32.817>
actor = 'eryksun'
assignee = 'none'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Windows']
creation = <Date 2020-04-01.22:15:23.057>
creator = 'Alexander Riccio'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 40143
keywords = []
message_count = 3.0
messages = ['365520', '365686', '365697']
nosy_count = 6.0
nosy_names = ['paul.moore', 'tim.golden', 'zach.ware', 'eryksun', 'steve.dower', 'Alexander Riccio']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = None
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue40143'
versions = ['Python 3.9']

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

The entry point is shutil.rmtree; start by reading its Windows behavior and the linked BPO 40143 report, then investigate the racy deletion under heavy load. Done means rmtree no longer frequently fails in that Windows scenario.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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