/bin/ksh^M: bad interpreter: No such file or directory

Problem:

When executing a korn shell script, execution fails with the following error:

/bin/ksh^M: bad interpreter: No such file or directory

Background:

I transferred the executable korn shell script from my backup on my Windows server to a RHEL 5.1 host. On Linux, opened the file using the vi editor and did not find any ^M characters. Also, checked file with "set list" in vi.

Solution:

I used dos2unix on the file as follows:

dos2unix myscript.ksh

Note: Usually, improper file transfer modes in ftp can cause this problem. However, I used ascii mode and checked the file using the vi editor, but didn’t find anything abnormal. So, dos2unix is your best bet!

Root Cause:

Invalid file format after transferring it from a Windows machine to a UNIX host.

NOTE:

(1) The solution above describes a successful problem-solving experience and may not be applicable to other problems with similar symptoms.

(2) Your rating of this post will be much appreciated. Also, feel free to leave comments.