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Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?)

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On 2026-08-26 04:43, c186282 wrote:
> On 8/25/26 05:53, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2026-08-25 09:03, c186282 wrote:
>>> On 8/24/26 20:27, Kenny McCormack wrote:
>>>> I've recently done a large file copy between two Linux-ish machines, 
>>>> using
>>>> rsync.  It all went well, so no worries, but it made me wonder about
>>>> some things.
>>>
>>>
>>>    'Rsync' is REALLY good - and a param or two for EVERY
>>>    need. Used it - evoked from many pgms - for nearly 20
>>>    years for backups.
>>>
>>>    Only note, DO be careful with the "delete" option, because
>>>    if a mount fails (and they CAN) it can do damage. PROBE
>>>    for existing mounts BEFORE using rsync with 'delete'.
>>>
>>>    Wrote a big nice Pascal backup pgm that called rsynch
>>>    using 'delete'. After working well for a long time it
>>>    did serious damage, had to re-load EVERYTHING from an
>>>    older archive. Took like 24 hours.
>>>
>>>    As said, the REAL problem was that the source mount
>>>    got DROPPED somewhere along the way. 'Delete' relies
>>>    on the source mount to work as designed.
>>
>>
>> I concur. I deleted the wrong tree once. The source, by mistake.
> 
>    Yep. 'Delete' looks at the source to decide what
>    to cut from the dest. If the source suddenly becomes
>    'empty' then it decides ALL the backup files are
>    too old and zaps them.
> 
>    There's no perfect fix for this so far as I know.
>    In theory you'd have to confirm the source was
>    still mounted between EVERY operation. Best cheat
>    is to confirm yourself JUST before evoking rsync.
>    That can save a lot of yer stuff.

If you do:

rsync --link-dest=PREVIOUS_BCK SOURCE DEST

and DEST is a new path, it will not delete the existing backup in 
PREVIOUS_BCK.

> 
>    I'd rigged a 'reverse delete' to get rid of obsolete
>    source files. Employees tended to copy/paste rather
>    than cut/paste, often involving large dir trees.
>    It was the reverse delete that got me. Rsync WAS
>    doing exactly what I told it to do, but ...
> 


-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2026-08-25 00:27 +0000
  Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-25 02:26 +0000
    Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2026-08-25 07:18 +0000
      Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-25 11:50 +0200
        Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-25 12:33 +0100
      Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-25 17:07 +0000
        Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2026-08-25 18:02 +0000
        Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-08-25 20:14 +0100
      Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-25 17:34 +0000
  Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-25 03:03 -0400
    Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-25 11:53 +0200
      Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-08-25 17:29 +0000
        Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-26 03:40 -0400
      Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-08-25 22:43 -0400
        Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-08-26 09:46 +0200
  Re: Question about rsync operational modes - which is best? (Or are they all the same?) Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam2616@zugschl.us> - 2026-08-25 10:20 +0200

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