https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=521159
Bug ID: 521159
Summary: Dolphin shows "copy completed" while USB write-back
cache is still flushing
Classification: I don't know
Product: kde
Version First unspecified
Reported In:
Platform: Fedora RPMs
OS: Linux
Status: REPORTED
Severity: normal
Priority: NOR
Component: general
Assignee: [email protected]
Reporter: [email protected]
Target Milestone: ---
Titolo
Dolphin: "Copy completed" notification is misleading for removable devices —
physical write may still be in progress
Descrizione
Summary:
When copying large files (e.g., ISO images) to a USB flash drive, Dolphin
displays a "Copy completed" notification and the progress bar disappears.
However, the device LED continues blinking for a significant time, indicating
that the kernel is still flushing the write-back cache to the physical medium.
This creates a dangerous UX gap: users reasonably believe the device is safe to
remove, while data corruption risk exists.
Steps to Reproduce:
Insert a USB 2.0/3.0 flash drive (FAT32 or exFAT formatted)
In Dolphin, copy a large file (e.g., 2+ GB ISO) to the mounted device
Wait for the "Copy completed" notification and progress bar disappearance
Observe the device LED: it continues blinking for seconds to minutes
Attempt to safely remove via system tray — the operation may hang or delay
Expected Result:
The "Copy completed" notification should either:
Only appear after sync/fsync confirms physical write completion, OR
Include a clear warning that background synchronization is still in
progress, OR
A secondary indicator (panel icon, notification persistence) should show
flush status
Actual Result:
Notification implies operation is fully complete. No visual feedback
distinguishes "buffered in RAM" from "physically written to removable media."
Why this matters:
Users routinely eject devices immediately after "completion"
Data loss/corruption on removable media is a common support issue
Competing OS behaviors (Windows "Safely Remove" dialog, macOS eject delays)
set user expectations differently
Environment:
KDE Plasma 6.x / Dolphin 24.x
Linux kernel with default vm.dirty_ratio / vm.dirty_background_ratio
Reproducible on FAT32, exFAT, NTFS removable devices
Possible approaches:
Dolphin could monitor dirty page status for the target mountpoint post-copy
A persistent notification or system tray indicator could show "Syncing to
device..." until syncfs() returns
Configurable option: "Wait for physical write completion before showing
completion"
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