---
title: "How to Fix 'rm: cannot remove '/etc/resolv.conf': Operation not permitted'"
source: "https://support.tools/post/fix-stuck-resolv-conf/"
published: 2020-12-09
categories: ["Ubuntu"]
tags: ["Ubuntu","resolv.conf","chattr"]
---


In Ubuntu, you may run into an issue when updating /etc/resolv.conf even tho you have root permissions.

Error:

```
rm: cannot remove '/etc/resolv.conf': Operation not permitted
```

# [Pre-requisites](#pre-requisites)

- Access to a terminal window/command line
- A user account with sudo or root privileges

# [Fix](#fix)

- Verify the file has be marker as immutable:

```
lsattr /etc/resolv.conf
```

Example output:

```
[root@cube ~]# lsattr /etc/resolv.conf
----i--------------- /etc/resolv.conf
```

- Remove the immutable flag

```
sudo chattr -i /etc/resolv.conf
```

- Verify immutable flag has been removed from resolv.conf using the following.

```
lsattr /etc/resolv.conf
```

Example output:

```
[root@cube ~]# lsattr /etc/resolv.conf
-------------------- /etc/resolv.conf
```