From: ldo@nz.invalid   
      
   On Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:07:29 -0000 (UTC), Handsome Jack wrote:   
      
   > On Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:49:49 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:   
   >   
   >> There is another way, and that is to use options like --link-dest   
   >> to create separate point-in-time snapshots with deduping to save   
   >> space.   
   >   
   > I don't understand the instructions for link-dest either in the   
   > "rsync --help" command line, or in man.   
      
   First backup:   
      
       rsync «various-options» «src-dir» «backup-dir-1»   
      
   Second backup:   
      
       rsync «various-options» --link-dest=«backup-dir-1» «src-dir»   
   «backup-dir-2»   
      
   Now you have backups from two points in time. For restore purposes,   
   each one looks like a full backup, even though the second one was   
   created as an incremental backup. The --link-dest option means that   
   files that were unchanged share a single copy that is hard-linked into   
   both places, saving both storage space and network traffic (if the   
   backup is being done over a network).   
      
   You can continue this sequence to save backups from as many points in   
   time as you like. To get rid of old backups, just do   
      
       rm -rf «backup-dir-1»   
      
   etc.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)