[Question] why does .cache contain important system files

Jeroened · July 14, 2024 at 11:14 AM

Hi,

Yesterday I had issues with my libreelec installation which I think is related to some cache being full. So, I wanted to remove all caches and renamed /storage/.cache and rebooted. This seemed to be my brightest idea ever. Not.

It appears that the hostname and several other system files are located in .cache. To me clearing this folder was a reasonable step as the temporary nature of cache which to me seems reasonable to save cache in a cache folder? So, just out of question: why is the .cache folder used for important system files?

Thanks

Jeroen

**chewitt** · July 14, 2024 at 1:49 PM Best Answer

Quote from Jeroened

Why is the .cache folder used for important system files?

"because it is" .. because the /storage/.cache folder is used only for persistent storage of some OS settings. You are incorrectly assuming it is used for media caching and Kodi functions. Those live somewhere under /storage/.kodi/userdata.

Jeroened · July 14, 2024 at 4:40 PM

The thing is that I wasn't really considering specific kodi issues. I was assuming issues with alsa (since the issues were mostly audio processing related) so clearing a more generic cache was more reasonable. I still need to look into the issue deeper, the only thing I can say for now is that the issues keep growing until it gets unbearable and than I can only fix it with a system reset and configure everything all over again manually. So I was looking into something to avoid the system reset

Anyway thanks for the answer. At least I learned to stay away from the /storage/.cache

**chewitt** · July 15, 2024 at 10:46 AM

I think you need to back up a level or two and describe the actual issue, because it sounds like you're making some interesting and wrong assumptions on how audio works. Kodi debug logs (the full log) are always a good idea too.

Jeroened · July 18, 2024 at 8:04 PM

I fixed the issue meanwhile.

I totally didn't know what the issue was besides being a/v sync issues that kept getting worse somehow and got fixed by a system restore. The problem appeared to the fact that my TV (a low-end phiips/tv-vision of 2018) does not support 23.976 fps but says he does or so but when kodi switched to fractional rates it switched to 24 or 30 or 60 instead causing A/V sync issues and causing a resync. So, I updated my whitelist to remove the fractional ones and via advanced settings I created a manual override which solved the issue including the stuttering that appeared when always using 60. Not the ideal situation, but the closest one. I think I mainly needed to sit down and look at the issue.

I also never intended the report an issue unless I was really sure it was kodi or LE. The OP just was because I found it weird I screwed my installation by emptying a folder I thought was intended for caching files.

This was certainly one big troubleshooting class.