Re: Using the cp command.

[alex <radsky@ncia.net>]

CW Harris wrote:

> On Thu, Jun 10, 2004 at 10:21:18AM -0400, alex wrote:
>  
>
> > I'm trying to copy the contents of one partition to another with:
> >        cp -afv  (partition a)/*  (partition b)/
> >
> > Normally, the command works fine except when (partition b) already 
> > contains a large number of directories and files that are duplicates of 
> > those in (partition a) . 
> >
> > The command works but each duplicate requires permission  to be 
> > overwritten so it's a tedious process, clicking on 'y' for each 
> > duplicate being copied.
> >    
>
> What version of cp are you using?  I cannot duplicate this behavior
> here.  Are you sure you don't have an "-i" set?  Are you using /bin/cp
> or an alias?
>
> cp (coreutils) 5.0.91  [here]
>
> you might check out "--reply=yes" option (man cp)
>
>
>  
After updating  my cp, I found that "info cp" provides a bit more 
information
about "--reply=___"  than is found in "man cp".   I  then ran :

#   cp -afv --reply=yes  /mnt/hda1 /*  /mnt/hda2/
It worked perfectly.........hands off, all the way

I used it on a friend's computer to make an updated backup
of WindowsXP on hda2 for him with a KNOPPIX CD.    
hda1 and hda2 were mounted before doing the cp.

Thanks Chris-------alex