Why does removing a directory fail with the error "rm: cannot remove `xxxx': Device or resource busy" in RHEL?

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • Using the rm command to remove a directory fails as follows:
$ rm -rf /sample
rm: cannot remove `/sample': Device or resource busy

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

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