osx 10.6 strange rsync errors

Robert DuToit rdutoit at comcast.net
Sat Apr 3 16:12:40 MDT 2010


Hi All,

I have been getting reports from users of backuplist+, my wrapper application for rsync (currently with build of 3.0.6), about odd behavior after updating to OS 10.6 Snow Leopard.

Basically: the problem occurs backing up a directory to a local mounted network volume. Previously all worked fine but after updating to 10.6 there are reports that no files get copied and the destination fills up with thousands (yes thousands) of .DS-Store files which on OSX are invisible and carry metadata about the directory that contains them (usually just one per directory...)

The destination files are visible and labeled 

..DS_Store.0aecRT
..DS_Store.0afcRT
..DS_Store.0cecRT
..DS_Store.0cfcRT

(Note the "two dots" prefix?)

on an on and on. One user reported 97,000 of these with seemingly random names attached.

rsync log shows 

>> file has vanished: "/Volumes/MacMini/Users/rg/..DS_Store.ZxgavW"
>> file has vanished: "/Volumes/MacMini/Users/rg/..DS_Store.ZygavW"
>> file has vanished: "/Volumes/MacMini/Users/rg/..DS_Store.ZzgavW"

So before any files are copied it fails on the "missing" files that aren't there in the first place!

The basic command line is 

pathtoRsync -aHAXN --fileflags --force-change --stats -v -u  --progress  pathttoSourceDirectory  pathToDestinationNetworkDirectory  &>  pathToOutputLogFile echo $!

This works fine when going to an external mounted Volume or a partition, just not to a local mounted Network Volume.

I haven't been able to get any more detailed information from users so far. Has anyone seen this or have a clue to what's happening? Something to do with the Network and DS_Store files it seems. I'm not sure where to even begin.

Thanks, Rob DuToit


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