Depending on metadata cache behavior configuration, if the system is powered off immediately after the first command, then that could indeed happen I think.

As to whether it’s technically possible for it to happen on a system that stays on, I’m not sure, but it’s certainly vanishingly rare and likely requires very specific circumstances—not just a random race condition.

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LgWoodenBadger 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Uhh, if the system powers off immediately after the first command (mv a b), the second command (mv c d) would never run. So where would d come from if the command that created it never executed?

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zbentley 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Er, sorry: I meant: if the first command runs, the plug is pulled, system starts again, second command runs.

	▲	lpribis 40 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Sure, but splitting "atomic" operations across a reboot is an interesting design choice. Surely upon reboot you would re-try the first `mv a b` before doing other things.