# Unable to locate files (configs, logs), here's a quick fix to locate anything within a system

**URL:** <https://community.passbolt.com/t/unable-to-locate-files-configs-logs-heres-a-quick-fix-to-locate-anything-within-a-system/6008>\
**Category:** Community Feedback\
**Created:** [November 2, 2022, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.passbolt.com/t/unable-to-locate-files-configs-logs-heres-a-quick-fix-to-locate-anything-within-a-system/6008 "2022-11-02T15:45:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JamesBond](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.passbolt.com/jamesbond/32/1533_2.png) [@JamesBond](https://community.passbolt.com/u/JamesBond)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.passbolt.com/t/unable-to-locate-files-configs-logs-heres-a-quick-fix-to-locate-anything-within-a-system/6008/1 "2022-11-02T15:45:06Z")

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Are you trying to locate files within your distro for debugging purposes ?

There is a package for unix named `mlocate`

To install it you can use the following:

```auto
// Cent OS
yum install mlocate -y && updatedb
// Debian or Ubuntu 
apt-get install mlocate -y && updatedb

```

The first part before “&&” installs `mlocate`. The second command “`updatedb`”, updates the .db file with all files within the system.

Usage Example:

```auto
locate passbolt

```

**Result** :

 ![locate-passbolt](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/passbolt/original/2X/6/67f2b4deb5457f8318520528aa50867fe934061f.png)

lets say you looking for a specific file, you can pipe the output to grep:

```auto
locate passbolt | grep -i passbolt.php

```

**Result** :

 ![locate-passbolt.php](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/passbolt/original/2X/9/9e80a39cc3b07b353989e065dc9fdb6fc719c43e.png)

This way you can retrieve exactly what you are looking for. This goes for log files, config files. Basically any file that is on your system.

**Log File example** :

 ![locate-passbolt-error-log](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/passbolt/original/2X/c/c3202ca70405d3a15c7c5e1aaa8a1fde6fccb8b2.png)

If you recently installed a package and cannot find it using `locate`. That means the automatic cron has not run yet. You can force the db to update using `updatedb`

Enjoy 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnatomicJC](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.passbolt.com/anatomicjc/32/962_2.png) [@AnatomicJC](https://community.passbolt.com/u/AnatomicJC)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.passbolt.com/t/unable-to-locate-files-configs-logs-heres-a-quick-fix-to-locate-anything-within-a-system/6008/2 "2022-11-02T15:56:12Z")

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Thanks for sharing this kind of tip 👍