Backup & Recovery (Rsync/Tar (Rsync/Tar/Dd))

Stop rsync from choking when your destination filesystem is full

🧩 The Challenge

Everyone hates that moment when an rsync job fails halfway through because you hit a hidden disk quota, and then you have to figure out exactly what made it over before the crash. Cleaning up partial transfers manually is a total nightmare that nobody asks for.

💡 The Fix

Use the rsync –partial-dir option to catch those incomplete file chunks in a safe place instead of leaving them in your live destination folder. It keeps your remote or backup directory clean while you fix your space issues.

rsync -av --partial --partial-dir=.rsync-partial source/ destination/

⚙️ Why It Works

By default, rsync deletes partial files when interrupted, but by setting a dedicated partial directory, you keep the successfully received chunks available to resume next time. You save tons of time on massive file transfers when you do this.

🚀 Pro-Tip: Use –append-verify if you’re dealing with massive log files that won’t change but often get interrupted.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 8/9/2026