+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #328441 +++ Description of problem: If wget is used with -r or --mirror, the exit status is always 0. Even is there is an error. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): Fedora release 7 (Moonshine) Wget RPM: wget-1.10.2-15.fc7.src.rpm Wget Version: GNU Wget 1.10.2 (Red Hat modified) How reproducible: Bug occurs every time a wget with -r or --mirror results in 'Connection refused', a 404 Error or a 401 Error. Steps to Reproduce: 1. Assuming no HTTP server is running on localhost.localdomain port 80... 2. wget --quiet http://localhost.localdomain/ ; echo "Exit status: $?" Exit status: 1 3. wget -r --quiet http://localhost.localdomain/ ; echo "Exit status: $?" Exit status: 0 4. wget --mirror --quiet http://localhost.localdomain/ ; echo "Exit status: $?" Exit status: 0 Additional info: Also seen on RedHat RHAS 4u5 x86_64 Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS release 4 (Nahant Update 5) wget-1.10.2-0.40E -- GNU Wget 1.10.2 (Red Hat modified)
This is related to the exit status discussion at http://www.mail-archive.com/wget@sunsite.dk/msg10655.html - The first attempt is trying to download a single file (the index file). This is no available -> failure - the other attempts try to mirror a website, there's nothing to download -> success According to Micah Cowan's explanation this is the expected and intended behaviour.