Some confusion about the default backup dirs / Specify default dirs for Windows AND Mac systems

Server
1

EDIT: Server 2.4.15 / Client 2.4.11 (Win) and 2.4.12 (Mac)

I think I didnt see the default dirs as I should be…

I always try to define settings which apply to all systems - if applicable. I recently got a MAC I want to backup as well.

So, to backup all windows machines, I defined:

  • Default backup dirs: C:\Users
  • Include list: Users/:/Desktop/* and so on (for Docs, Downloads and Pics, etc).

I thought, I could easily define a new base path via Default dirs to backup:

  • Default backup dirs: C:\Users|/Users
  • Include list: Users/:/Desktop/*;/Users/:/Desktop/* etc.

But it turned out, that my windows test machine now backs up everything doubled.

So, I tested a named backup dir:

  • Default backup dirs: C:\Users|/Users|MacUsers
  • Include list: Users/:/Desktop/*;MacUsers/:/Desktop/* etc.

But that didnt helped either.

Then I tested:

  • Default backup dirs: C:\Users|/Users|MacUsers
  • Include list: *\Pictures\*;*\Desktop\* etc. which is applicable for both base dirs, but the win client started to backup MacUsers again. It somehow interperting /Users as a folder inside C:\Users?

How can I define both cases without seperate settings? I thought seperated base dirs are acting as a root point for further includes?

2

All you need to cover both windows and mac is…

Default backup dirs: /Users|Users/optional

Include list: Users:\Pictures*;Users:\Desktop* etc…

3

Thanks! But, please explain - why does the path /Users should cover /Users (Mac) and C:\Users (Win)?

4

Maybe someone else knows ‘why’, but I imagine its assuming the C: s the root drive already so you just need to specify folders within the root drive

5

Maybe @uroni can shed a light on this. If C:/ is the root, how can unix alike paths work. I even set a absolute path, which should ignore any preset drive letter.

6

So, I have a little update on that.

Regardless of what I set as default dir, urbackup always sometimes printed Scanning for changed hard links on volume of "C:\".... which lead me to the question how is it always C:? Maybe this has nothing to do with my issue, maybe C: because its the system drive and the drive urbacup is running on.

However:

Setting Users as default backup dir (I mean exactcly Users), I get a “directory not found” error within urbackup. If I enter /Users all is working again.

So, C:/Users and /Users seem to be the same thing here! That said, I believe, I can go with:

  • Default backup dirs: /Users
  • Include list: *\Documents\*;*\Downloads\*;*\Music\* (or Users/:/Documents/* etc, which seem to lead to the same behavior).

I would suggest some more examples for the manual, if it makes sense. @uroni could you leave a note with your thoughts? :slight_smile:

7

Just a small explanation? :sweat_smile:

8

No one? :confused: