Inappropriate ioctl for device while reading flags on FILE

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • Attempting to set special file attributes (e.g. immutable bit) with the chattr command fails with error:

    chattr: Inappropriate ioctl for device while reading flags on <FILE>
    
  • Attempting to read special file attributes with the lsattr command fails with error:

    lsattr: Inappropriate ioctl for device while reading flags on <FILE>
    

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4

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