You need to run the command as root. If you do it with any other person, all files will be created with that account. Only root has the ability to change the ownership of a file.

I ran it using root.

What is the destination file system? Is it a network file share of some sort? Depending on the destination file system and possibly folder settings, there may be something that is overriding root's normal local capabilities.

For example, if you are using sshfs, the abilities will be limited to the abilities of the login used to mount the share.

Something curiously maps ownership in your target directory to the guest user...
Could you tell more about target directory, is it a mounted directory from network, if yes what protocol?

edit, yes as @IsaacKuo says... Sorry didn't read the posts on page 2

Hello All,

The problem is resolved now..
rsync -rtvua /home2/user1/ /home3/user1.backup
I made something stupid there .. (sorry .. to make all of you confusing)

thanks...

but now I want to rsync /home3/user1/backup to another server via ssh..
ssh-keygen was created and I was able to login

I ran command below:

rsync -rtvua /home3/user1.backup guest@backup.mydomain.co.id:/backup/VIP/10.100.100.50

all ownership become 'guest' ?

what I missed?

As already noted, if you use a regular user, such as guest, all files created will be owned by that user. Root is the only user which can change ownership of a file.

Your command explicitly uses the userid "guest" to log into backup.mydomain.co.id.

Hi IsaacKuo,

you are right!..

if I tried to rsync specific user it run correctly (the ownership preserved)

rsync -rtvuaz /home3/user1.backup root@backup.mydomain.co.id:/backup/VIP/10.100.100.50 --> this will preserved ownership for user1

but if I run:

rsync -rtvuaz /home3 root@backup.mydomain.co.id:/backup/VIP/10.100.100.50 --> all folders owned by root..
or
rsync -rtvuaz /home3/* root@backup.mydomain.co.id:/backup/VIP/10.100.100.50 --> all folders owned by root..

what wrong?

Did you get any error messages?

Do you know for sure which remote shell the rsync command is using? I personally do not use rsync in this fashion, so I can't be certain ... I think by default the way you state it an unencrypted connection is used. Probably not a good idea, since I'm guessing this data is being transferred over the internet (as you seem to be using a fully qualified domain name).

In any case, the remote shell you are using may not be properly configured to provide root with full access rights. The usual thing, I think, is to use "-e ssh" to specify ssh shell - for the sake of encryption and security. You'll have to configure ssh to allow root login, of course, and for security's sake you'll likely want to disallow password login (only allowing key based authentication).

Finally, it is still possible there is something funny about the destination file system or parent folder properties. You have not said anything about the destination file system or the parent folder properties yet.

rsync uses ssh by default, "-e ssh" is redundant.

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# rsync -aRXHv ./* /mnt/clone/

When I'm cloning a linux install (that's not currently being used). While in the / of the install to be cloned. $(cd /mnt/original/)