df command shows different used disk space than du.

If the files are deleted (by rm command) while they are being opened or used by a Linux program / process, the evil of “open file descriptor” problem arises and confuse the Linux file system on reporting the real figure of used disk space or free disk space available.

In order to resolve the fake “disk space full” problem, i.e. to reclaim “used disk space”, you need to kill or terminate the “defunct process” - in this case, the rm command that turns to be defunct process while the files are being used.

Once these defunct processes are terminated, the “open file descriptor” problem will be resolved, and both the du and df commands will agree to report the real file system used disk space or free disk space!