def METHOD_NAME(f1, f2):
    """Test whether two pathnames reference the same actual file or directory
    This is determined by the device number and i-node number and
    raises an exception if an os.stat() call on either pathname fails.
    """
    s1 = os.stat(f1)
    s2 = os.stat(f2)
    return samestat(s1, s2)