I am having trouble with rsync. I have a script ready, to transfer
files from my Downloads folder to my Expansion Drive. The Source
is /home/david/Downloads// and the Destination is /media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/.
I am doing this in dry-run mode, as the Source is a large file, and I
want to be sure it is working before I let it rip.
When I run the script, it shows a large number of files that are on the destination, but not on the source. It is headed: sending incremental
file list. Why? It seems to be the wrong way round. I don't want to
risk it transferring all those files back to the source, as they don't
belong there. What is happening?
Any help most welcome.
I am having trouble with rsync. I have a script ready, to transfer
files from my Downloads folder to my Expansion Drive. The Source
is /home/david/Downloads// and the Destination is >/media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/.
I am doing this in dry-run mode, as the Source is a large file, and I
want to be sure it is working before I let it rip.
When I run the script, it shows a large number of files that are on the >destination, but not on the source. It is headed: sending incremental
file list. Why? It seems to be the wrong way round. I don't want to
risk it transferring all those files back to the source, as they don't
belong there. What is happening?
Any help most welcome.
On 2025-10-07 10:15, Davey wrote:
I am having trouble with rsync. I have a script ready, to transfer
files from my Downloads folder to my Expansion Drive. The Source
is /home/david/Downloads// and the Destination is /media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/.
I am doing this in dry-run mode, as the Source is a large file, and
I want to be sure it is working before I let it rip.
When I run the script, it shows a large number of files that are on
the destination, but not on the source. It is headed: sending
incremental file list. Why? It seems to be the wrong way round. I
don't want to risk it transferring all those files back to the
source, as they don't belong there. What is happening?
Any help most welcome.
Why the extra trailing slash on the source? I would expect something
like [beware unintended line wrap, this should be all one line] ...
rsync [options] /home/david/Downloads/ /media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/
In message <10c2lo1$qs7o$1@dont-email.me>, Davey
<davey@example.invalid> writes
I am having trouble with rsync. I have a script ready, to transfer
files from my Downloads folder to my Expansion Drive. The Source
is /home/david/Downloads// and the Destination is >/media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/.
I am doing this in dry-run mode, as the Source is a large file, and I
want to be sure it is working before I let it rip.
When I run the script, it shows a large number of files that are on
the destination, but not on the source. It is headed: sending
incremental file list. Why? It seems to be the wrong way round. I
don't want to risk it transferring all those files back to the
source, as they don't belong there. What is happening?
Any help most welcome.
Can you post the command that you are running ?
Adrian
On Tue, 7 Oct 2025 13:30:29 +0100
Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
In message <10c2lo1$qs7o$1@dont-email.me>, Davey
<davey@example.invalid> writes
I am having trouble with rsync. I have a script ready, to transfer
files from my Downloads folder to my Expansion Drive. The Source
is /home/david/Downloads// and the Destination is
/media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/.
I am doing this in dry-run mode, as the Source is a large file, and I
want to be sure it is working before I let it rip.
When I run the script, it shows a large number of files that are on
the destination, but not on the source. It is headed: sending
incremental file list. Why? It seems to be the wrong way round. I
don't want to risk it transferring all those files back to the
source, as they don't belong there. What is happening?
Any help most welcome.
Can you post the command that you are running ?
Adrian
Ah-ha! While copying and pasting the command line, I noticed a typo in
the line. Problem Solved!
On Tue, 7 Oct 2025 11:02:38 +0100
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
Why the extra trailing slash on the source? I would expect something
like [beware unintended line wrap, this should be all one line] ...
rsync [options] /home/david/Downloads/
/media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/
I have always had that double slash, so cannot remember why. I thought
that it called for all sub-directories to be included.
On 2025-10-07 14:28, Davey wrote:
On Tue, 7 Oct 2025 11:02:38 +0100
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
Why the extra trailing slash on the source? I would expect
something like [beware unintended line wrap, this should be all
one line] ...
rsync [options] /home/david/Downloads/
/media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/
I have always had that double slash, so cannot remember why. I
thought that it called for all sub-directories to be included.
I'm not going to say that you're wrong, as it might be an old syntax
that I've not encountered before, but the usual way of getting a
recursive copy is to use the -r option:
https://linux.die.net/man/1/rsync
On Tue, 7 Oct 2025 11:02:38 +0100
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
On 2025-10-07 10:15, Davey wrote:
I am having trouble with rsync. I have a script ready, to transfer
files from my Downloads folder to my Expansion Drive. The Source
is /home/david/Downloads// and the Destination is /media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/.
I am doing this in dry-run mode, as the Source is a large file,
and I want to be sure it is working before I let it rip.
When I run the script, it shows a large number of files that are
on the destination, but not on the source. It is headed: sending incremental file list. Why? It seems to be the wrong way round. I
don't want to risk it transferring all those files back to the
source, as they don't belong there. What is happening?
Any help most welcome.
Why the extra trailing slash on the source? I would expect
something like [beware unintended line wrap, this should be all one
line] ...
rsync [options] /home/david/Downloads/ /media/david/Expansion_Drive/Downloads/
I have always had that double slash, so cannot remember why. I thought
that it called for all sub-directories to be included.
Would it cause what I am seeing?
I'll delve into it later.
Thanks.
I am still finding that trying to Push rsync files to the laptop from
the desktop results in 'Refused Access' faults, but it's fine in the
other direction, i.e. Pull. For now, I'll do the Pull rather than the non-functioning Push, but any ideas on why this is happening would be welcome. Verbose mode tells me nothing more. As far as I can see,
permissions are ok.
On 2025-10-08 09:52, Davey wrote:
I am still finding that trying to Push rsync files to the laptop
from the desktop results in 'Refused Access' faults, but it's fine
in the other direction, i.e. Pull. For now, I'll do the Pull rather
than the non-functioning Push, but any ideas on why this is
happening would be welcome. Verbose mode tells me nothing more. As
far as I can see, permissions are ok.
Firstly, is the laptop running rsync as a server? This will be
needed in order to push to it. Similarly, the desktop must be doing
so, because the pull from the laptop works.
If both are running rsync as a server, try comparing line by line the
two servers' configuration files and use the desktop's one to correct
any differences found in the laptop's one.
On Wed, 8 Oct 2025 10:25:26 +0100
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
On 2025-10-08 09:52, Davey wrote:
I am still finding that trying to Push rsync files to the laptop
from the desktop results in 'Refused Access' faults, but it's fine
in the other direction, i.e. Pull. For now, I'll do the Pull rather
than the non-functioning Push, but any ideas on why this is
happening would be welcome. Verbose mode tells me nothing more. As
far as I can see, permissions are ok.
Firstly, is the laptop running rsync as a server? This will be
needed in order to push to it. Similarly, the desktop must be doing
so, because the pull from the laptop works.
If both are running rsync as a server, try comparing line by line the
two servers' configuration files and use the desktop's one to correct
any differences found in the laptop's one.
Hmm. When I was trying to fix this last week, I re-installed
openssh-server on the laptop.
I did try comparing the .config files then, but I will again.
On 2025-10-08 11:06, Davey wrote:
On Wed, 8 Oct 2025 10:25:26 +0100
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
On 2025-10-08 09:52, Davey wrote:
I am still finding that trying to Push rsync files to the laptop
from the desktop results in 'Refused Access' faults, but it's fine
in the other direction, i.e. Pull. For now, I'll do the Pull rather
than the non-functioning Push, but any ideas on why this is
happening would be welcome. Verbose mode tells me nothing more. As
far as I can see, permissions are ok.
Firstly, is the laptop running rsync as a server? This will be
needed in order to push to it. Similarly, the desktop must be doing
so, because the pull from the laptop works.
If both are running rsync as a server, try comparing line by line the
two servers' configuration files and use the desktop's one to correct
any differences found in the laptop's one.
Hmm. When I was trying to fix this last week, I re-installed
openssh-server on the laptop.
I did try comparing the .config files then, but I will again.
First try to get rsync to work in both directions without using ssh,
then try bringing in ssh, and, again, compare the configuration files
for that between the two PCs.
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
On 2025-10-08 11:06, Davey wrote:
On Wed, 8 Oct 2025 10:25:26 +0100
Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:
On 2025-10-08 09:52, Davey wrote:
I am still finding that trying to Push rsync files to the laptop
from the desktop results in 'Refused Access' faults, but it's
fine in the other direction, i.e. Pull. For now, I'll do the
Pull rather than the non-functioning Push, but any ideas on why
this is happening would be welcome. Verbose mode tells me
nothing more. As far as I can see, permissions are ok.
Firstly, is the laptop running rsync as a server? This will be
needed in order to push to it. Similarly, the desktop must be
doing so, because the pull from the laptop works.
If both are running rsync as a server, try comparing line by
line the two servers' configuration files and use the desktop's
one to correct any differences found in the laptop's one.
Hmm. When I was trying to fix this last week, I re-installed openssh-server on the laptop.
I did try comparing the .config files then, but I will again.
First try to get rsync to work in both directions without using
ssh, then try bringing in ssh, and, again, compare the
configuration files for that between the two PCs.
rsync:// protocol is insecure and highly deprecated. You don't need
to 'run rsync as a server', you just run the rsync command. It uses
SSH as a means to get to the other machine. SSH is the only server
you need.
But your advice is backwardsly right. First get ssh working without
using rsync, then bring in rsync.
'Refused access' is often due to issues with SSH keys, for example not
having the public key in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys or having too-wide permissions on that (should be 600) or the ~/.ssh directory (should
be 700).
ssh-copy-id user@othermachine
is a simple way to push your key to the other machine and get these
things right.
Also check either the usernames match, or you're using user@host
syntax. A user mismatch is another common mistake.
You can also look in /var/log/auth.log on the machine running the SSH
server for any clues as to why the login failed.
Theo
Yes, ssh first, then rsync, is how I got it working at all. rsync is
clearly working on both machines, it's some other tiny detail. Username
is david on both machines.
More investigation to be done.
Davey <davey@example.invalid> writes:
Yes, ssh first, then rsync, is how I got it working at all. rsync is clearly working on both machines, it's some other tiny detail.
Username is david on both machines.
More investigation to be done.
Copy+paste the exact command you are using, and all of its output,
here.
Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Davey <davey@example.invalid> writes:
Yes, ssh first, then rsync, is how I got it working at all. rsync is
clearly working on both machines, it's some other tiny detail.
Username is david on both machines.
More investigation to be done.
Copy+paste the exact command you are using, and all of its output,
here.
I'll do some checking first, based on what has been posted. I've had a
busy day with my real life today, and the same tomorrow. I like to sit
down and try these things without any time pressure.
Davey <davey@example.invalid> writes:
Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Davey <davey@example.invalid> writes:
Yes, ssh first, then rsync, is how I got it working at all. rsync is
clearly working on both machines, it's some other tiny detail.
Username is david on both machines.
More investigation to be done.
Copy+paste the exact command you are using, and all of its output,
here.
I'll do some checking first, based on what has been posted. I've had a
busy day with my real life today, and the same tomorrow. I like to sit
down and try these things without any time pressure.
There’s no rush.
The point is that there’s currently just not enough information to
diagnose the problem. A number of people have been taking guesses, but that’s all they are; a couple of lines quoting what you tried and what happened would clear a lot of it up immediately.
Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:to
Davey <davey@example.invalid> writes: =20
Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote: =20
Davey <davey@example.invalid> writes: =20
Yes, ssh first, then rsync, is how I got it working at all.=20
rsync is clearly working on both machines, it's some other tiny
detail. Username is david on both machines.
More investigation to be done. =20
Copy+paste the exact command you are using, and all of its
output, here. =20
I'll do some checking first, based on what has been posted. I've=20
had a busy day with my real life today, and the same tomorrow. I
like to sit down and try these things without any time pressure. =20
There=E2=80=99s no rush.
=20
The point is that there=E2=80=99s currently just not enough information=
eddiagnose the problem. A number of people have been taking guesses,
but that=E2=80=99s all they are; a couple of lines quoting what you tri=
and what happened would clear a lot of it up immediately. =20=20
+100
=20
There's nothing worse than being drip fed information:
=20
"It doesn't work"
"It could be X, or Y or Z"
"It doesn't work when I do X"
"What happens when you do Q?"
"It still doesn't work"
etc etc
=20
Basically the more information you provide, the easier and quicker it
is to diagnose something. We can give a list of potential problems
based on having seen similar things before, but it's much better to
have some information about what's happening on your system so the
advice can be targeted rather than scattergun.
=20
Simon's bug reporting essay is old but still good: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html
=20
Theo
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