Answers: <p>No, you sadly can't remove a volume that is in use by a container which is stated under 'Extended Description' here: <a href="https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/volume_rm/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/volume_rm/</a></p>
  
  <p>However, I'd suggest using docker for its strength and restarting the docker container after updating the directory externally.</p>
  
Answers: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers: 2019-03-27T21:34:47.830Z
Answers: 2019-03-27T21:34:47.830Z
Answers: Aliminator
Body: <p>I have a container which is based on tomcat image and I have mounted 'webapps' folder to hosted machine directory '/app/webapps'. Now for some updations I want to remove this webapps folder from inside the container but when I execute command: <code>rm -rf webapps</code> below error is produced:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>rm: cannot remove 'webapps': Device or resource busy</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>So I want to know is it possible to remove mounted directory by executing a Linux command from inside the container or not?</p>
  
Tags: <docker>
Title: Is it allowed to remove mounted directory from inside Docker container?
UserDisplayName: Jaffy
ThreadText: # Is it allowed to remove mounted directory from inside Docker container?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-27)
  
  I have a container which is based on tomcat image and I have mounted 'webapps' folder to hosted machine directory '/app/webapps'. Now for some updations I want to remove this webapps folder from inside the container but when I execute command: `rm -rf webapps` below error is produced:
  
  > rm: cannot remove 'webapps': Device or resource busy
  
  So I want to know is it possible to remove mounted directory by executing a Linux command from inside the container or not?
  
  **Tags:** docker
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-03-27. Score: 4
  
  No, you sadly can't remove a volume that is in use by a container which is stated under 'Extended Description' here: <https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/volume_rm/>
  
  However, I'd suggest using docker for its strength and restarting the docker container after updating the directory externally.
  
  
  ---
  
  