[[!comment format=mdwn
 username="yarikoptic"
 avatar="http://cdn.libravatar.org/avatar/f11e9c84cb18d26a1748c33b48c924b4"
 subject="reply to Joey's comments"
 date="2020-06-05T22:11:47Z"
 content="""
> Also, it could check if annex.pidlock is already set globally, and skip the probe...

<details>
<summary>I would assume it already does it since with globally set pidlock it proceeds fine</summary> 

```shell
[d31548v@discovery7 tmp]$ git config annex.pidlock
1
[d31548v@discovery7 tmp]$ ( export PS4='[$(date)] > '; set -x ; mkdir test; cd test; git init; git annex  init; echo done; )
[Fri Jun  5 18:04:28 EDT 2020] > mkdir test
[Fri Jun  5 18:04:28 EDT 2020] > cd test
[Fri Jun  5 18:04:28 EDT 2020] > git init
Initialized empty Git repository in /dartfs-hpc/rc/home/v/d31548v/tmp/test/.git/
[Fri Jun  5 18:04:28 EDT 2020] > git annex init
init  (scanning for unlocked files...)
ok
(recording state in git...)
[Fri Jun  5 18:04:30 EDT 2020] > echo done
done

```
</details>

The problem somewhat that global pidlock is not generally needed - some partitions do have proper POSIX file systems, so setting it globally is \"suboptimal\", needs to be provisioned for every node (by an admin) and/or user.

> I agree it could make sense to display a message, although that will also be a message the vast majority of users who are not in this situation would see

Sure - that would be ideal, but if anything - debug message before sensing for the log would at least suffice to help with troubleshooting.

> Is this related to your other bug about something seeming to hang/stall?

It might depend to which one? ;-)  if [this one (upon enableremote)](https://git-annex.branchable.com/bugs/enableremote_stuck_with_a_recentish_git-annex/) - unlikely since that one happens I believe on non-crippled FS
"""]]
