[SOLVED] recursive scp, no links across file systems

lucmove · 08-27-2009, 06:10 AM

I am trying to copy my entire home directory to another computer with scp:

scp -o Compression=yes -rp luc@192.168.1.102:../luc ./

But scp is copying symlinks that point to other file systems! That will never fit in my otherwise small /home partition. How do I tell scp not to copy across file systems? There is no such option in the man page.

TIA.

colucix · 08-27-2009, 06:20 AM

You can use tar across ssh. I suggest to login to the remote machine, then issue this command from there:

Code:

tar cf - /home/luc | ssh luc@localmachine tar xf -

this will send a tar archive of your remote home directory through the pipe and it will be un-tarred onto the local machine on the fly! Symbolic links are not followed in this case.

lucmove · 08-27-2009, 08:03 AM

Thanks, but it is not clear. I can't make it work, tar "refuses to create an empty archive".

lucmove · 08-27-2009, 08:17 AM

OK, I figured it out. It's copying. Thanks!

colucix · 08-27-2009, 08:27 AM

In your example you are logged in the local machine and you copy from a remote location to your local machine. My suggestion is to login to the remote machine:

Code:

ssh luc@192.168.1.102

and from there run the above command, that is:

Code:

tar cf - /path/to/home/luc | ssh luc@address-of-local-machine tar xf -

this should not try to create an empty tar if /path/to/home/luc exists. I tested on my systems just now and it works.

Edit: oops... too late; I has been distracted while writing this last post! Good to know it works now!