Moving Data from old partitions to new failed 24.04 install

[wcalvert]

TheFu
I'm revisiting an earlier post and trying use rsync to clean up the long path to sda3 where my data resides. I would also like to attempt to move all the configuration files for browsers etc. to the highest "home" directory.

My old home is backed up outside the system, so I'm ready to try.

You mentioned using rsync, and you posted:

I'd use rsync.

Code:
sudo rsync -avz {SOURCE} {TARGET}
Both the source and target file systems must be mounted.
Code:
NAME FSTYPE SIZE FSUSED LABEL UUID MOUNTPOINT
sda 931.5G
├─sda1 │ vfat 499M 54.2M ESP EEDC-1691 /boot/efi
├─sda3 │ ntfs 442.7G 36.7G OS 2E38DFD638DF9B63 /media/wil
├─sda5 │ ext4 196.1G 2e8a4205-058b-44bc-810a-910260e478f3
└─sda6 ext4 291.7G 11.8G 1aceb469-c683-41a0-81e3-ede8fe0ff4b4 /

I did one rsync and it moved the whole home, but I don't know where it went! You'd probably puke if you looked into the bowels of my system!

Going to the old home on sda5, the path appears to be /media/data/home/wcalvert/ ... ? So the command would be:

sudo rsync -avz /media/data/home/wcalvert/ /home/

I'm doing something wrong since it says it can't find the directory but that path is what Disks shows. Anyhow, can you give me an example of the proper syntax for the rsync command? Too many /? missing a comma ?
Thanks

[TheFu]

rsync doesn't move anything. It copies it. Now you have 2 or 3 COPIES of all that data. Fine if you want a backup, but most of the time, we want backups to be on external storage devices and organized by the backup tool (not rsync).

sudo rsync -avz /media/data/home/wcalvert/ /home/

I suspect you've just got either the wrong target OR the wrong source. Try

sudo rsync -avz /media/data/home/wcalvert/ /home/wcalvert/

OR

sudo rsync -avz /media/data/home/wcalvert   /home/

BTW, rsync behaves different when it does copies between two different computers and all inside the same computer. In short, the "z" option says to use compression for the transfers. When the data is all being copies inside 1 computer, asking for compression will was time. And yes, I realize the -avz options are what I posted. please, please, always review every command and learn what each option actually does. It is common for people to type things from memory that don't necessarily fit your situation completely. The local manpage for rsync would be the best place to check options, since it will match the exact version of rsync you have installed. Minor rsync options change all the time, but the major ones haven't changed in 25 yrs, so it isn't terrible to use tools like explainshell.com to have that webpage look at the command with all options and only show the explanation of the relevant options.

Also, if getting everything correct in a terminal makes your brain freak out, there is a simplistic GUI for rsync - grsync. It actually doesnt many anything easier or cleaner, but for some reasons it makes people afraid of CLI commands happier. I'm at a loss for why.

[wcalvert]

Thanks! I did review your -avz modifiers and they all make sense. One little twist is that my old data uses a different name (wcalvert vs wilson) and that just makes it all the more confusing. I'll sort it out.

and you comment:

it makes people afraid of CLI commands happier. I'm at a loss for why.

is great. I'm more comfortable flying my 777 across the pond!
Cheers

[TheFu]

username doesn't matter. The uid and gid DO matter.
Those chmod and chown commands posted above should have addresses 99% of any issues.

And 777 for people lazy about file permissions. Don't use it if you care anything about security. Unless you are talking about a B772-ER or B773-LR. Being correct and specific matters with permissions. I get confused as to which sub-models have both ER and LR variants.

[wcalvert]

explainshell.com

This rocks, thanks

[wcalvert]

Here's another conundrum. I did the rsync and believe the source/target are correct. All the files moved across the screen on the terminal, I recognize the files names etc. Source lookin' good at least.

Now the issue, the Target home folder has not changed. This is a similar result from the first time I did the copy. Looked around and can't find it anywhere. Stumped ...

[wcalvert]

Update ... found the folder the rsync created in the new home folder, so that's progress. But all the files are inside a folder labeled "wcalvert", (the source is correct), but have not replaced the folders they were meant to replace one for one.

How do I do this rsync copy so that each folder/file is replaced by the old version?

The command I used:

sudo rsync  -avz  /media/data/home/wcalvert/  /home/wilson/

[TheFu]

How do I do this rsync copy so that each folder/file is replaced by the old version?

sudo rsync  -avz  /media/data/home/wcalvert/  /home/wilson/

I wouldn't want to replace the new with the old myself. There are likely going to be inconsistencies due to versioning. You could move the old stuff out of the way and move the new stiff into that location. Note - I'm using "move", not "copy". rsync is a "copy", not a "move".

Trial and error? Be certain you have backups of both sides so when you screw up the first few times, you'll be able to put things back as they were to try again.

Think about WHAT the source and the target options really say. You may be off by 1 character. hint: learn about the trailing slash and what that means to rsync.

[oldfred]

When setting up a new rsync command I have to review this. And still often get it wrong & have to redo something.

man rsync has explanation of trailing /. these are the same, trailing / copies contents:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Rsy...g_slash_caveat

[wcalvert]

I discovered the importance of the trailing / while reading a tutorial ... so many of those powerful tidbits to learn. Keep on