Keeping files on a obsolute linux system drive

Ali3n0id · 03-02-2015, 08:39 AM

I want to keep a large amount of files (1TB) I have on a linux install that I no longer require. The files are on a USB 3 2TB drive where the OS is installed alongside it. I no longer require said install but keep the files downloaded still and use it as a Samba share whilst still keeping the ext4 file system if possible. I don't have another hard drive I can copy this amount of data to so that is not possible.

What's the most elegeant/easy method to do this please?

Many thanks in advance.

business_kid · 03-02-2015, 09:27 AM

a 3TB disk will bring out the magpie in any of us. I have heard of people storing gigabytes of information considering it 'valuable'. Linux is in development, so all software goes out of date. Photos, videos, etc are avidly recorded and stored, but rarely are they avidly watched. In short most of this data fails the test of time.

You sound as if you are doing just fine with the data, and I don't know what your problem is. Maybe you would be able to do a rm-rf on the linux install if you are sure it will not be needed.

suicidaleggroll · 03-02-2015, 10:00 AM

Is there a question in here?

What is the most elegant/easy method to do what, exactly? Keep the files that are on your external HDD on your external HDD and continue using it as you already are?

Ali3n0id · 03-02-2015, 12:34 PM

I want to keep the contents of '/home/user/downloads' but deleting everything else under '/', is using 'rm -rf' the recommended method for this?

suicidaleggroll · 03-02-2015, 12:56 PM

Just move everything in /path/to/mount/point/home/user/downloads to a new directory on the root level of the drive (/path/to/mount/point/data or something) and then "rm -fr" all other directories on the drive.

Ali3n0id · 03-02-2015, 03:39 PM

Perfect, not pretty but I'll give it a shot. Thank you both!

business_kid · 03-03-2015, 03:32 AM

You can also use the approach
rm -rf /{bin,dev,etc,lib,lib64, . . . . . ,var}
That will leave you /home. then get picky there. I would personally move your downloads to another partition and just use rm -rf , but be very careful to move to the right directory. Root is "God" in a system. If you run rm -rf on /, you are in for a reinstall, and all your data is gone. Don't do a 'Sodom & Gomorrah'(the ultimate rm -rf

on your own system.

I much prefer no leading slashes on a rm -rf. rm -rf sbin - yes. rm -rf /sbin - never.

Ali3n0id · 03-06-2015, 01:50 PM

Thank you gentlemen I just moved the drive to another linux box and rm -rf all directories apart from 'Downloads'. Easy as 'Pi'.