Preventing rsync of copying always all files to my pen

[Les Mikesell]

Paul Smith wrote:
> 
>>> I have often to synchronize a directory from my computer to a pen
>>> drive. To accomplish this, I use the following command:
>>>
>>> rsync -urva --delete /home/psmith/mydirectory/
>>> /media/MYPEN/mydirectory/
>> Which messages do you see and what mount options are used for mounting the
>> FAT partition? I've tried your scenario and I get messages like this:
>>
>> rsync: chgrp "/media/USBDRIVE/." failed: Operation not permitted (1)
>>
>> Generally using -a on ext[23] -> FAT transfers is not a good idea,
>> because -a implies -rlptgoD (according to man-pages) but FAT does not
>> support user or group information, links or devices
>>
>> I suppose a simplier "rsync -rtv" should accomplish what you need.
>>
>> You might even want to try unison - it can synchronise two folders in both
>> directions, copying newest files from one directory to its counterpart.
> 
> Thanks, Adalbert. The messages that I get are:
> 
> "rsync warning: some files vanished before they could be transferred
> (code 24) at main.c(1040) [sender=3.0.3]"
> 
> This happens with accented filenames.
> 
> After having removed all accents, I do not get any error message.
> 
> Still the reported problem occurs: rsync needs to copy all files after
> umounting and subsequent mounting of my pen. This is the behavior that
> I am wanting to control: rsync should copy only modified files. Before
> unmounting my pen, rsyinc copies only modified files; but after having
> umounted my pen and mounted it again, rsync copies all files. Any
> ideas?

Are you sure it is really doing a copy?  Rsync will attempt to update 
the file attributes and display the name if you  use -v, but they won't 
quite match between fat and linux filesystems so it will do it again 
next time.  It shouldn't take much time, though.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com