The rsync error “file is too large” typically occurs when you’re trying to sync files larger than what your file system can handle.
Rsync is a tool in Unix-based systems like Linux for copying and synchronizing files and directories remotely and locally. It’s well-documented and widely used for backups and mirroring, among other things (LinuxInformation 2020).
Rsync’s “file too large” error can arise for various reasons, often relating to the type of file system you’re using. Different file systems have different maximum file size limits:
1. FAT16: 2GB
2. FAT32: 4GB
3. NTFS: 16EB (practically unlimited for most cases)
4. EXT2/EXT3: 2TB
5. EXT4: 16TB
(SysTutorials, 2020).
For example, if you’re trying to rsync a file larger than 4GB to a FAT32 file system, you’ll likely encounter the “file too large” error.
You also might get this error if you are using rsync in 32-bit systems. They may support large files, but most 32-bit binaries and libraries (including rsync and libc) aren’t large file aware. In these cases, even though the file system can support large files, rsync can’t handle them and will return a “file too large” error.
To solve the problem:
1. Convert the File System: Convert your file system to one that can handle larger file sizes. You can use tools like ‘parted’ or ‘gparted’ in Linux. Note that changing your file system will likely delete all existing data so do back up your data first. Here’s an example command using the ‘parted’ tool in Linux to convert a file system to ext4:
```
parted /dev/sdX mklabel ext4
```
Remember to replace ‘X’ with your specific disk identifier (nixCraft, 2021).
1. Use 64-bit System: If you’re using a 32-bit system, consider using a 64-bit system which generally has better support for large files.
1. Split Large Files: If it’s not possible to change the file system or switch to a 64-bit system, another workaround is to split the large files into smaller chunks with tools like ‘split’, then rsync these smaller files and reassemble them at the destination.
```
split -b 2000m bigfile chunk
```
This command will split ‘bigfile’ into 2GB chunks named ‘chunkaa’, ‘chunkab’, etc., which can then be rsynced individually.
Despite these solutions, if there are many large files to handle, it might be time to ponder about your infrastructure and assess whether your current file system and architecture are able to cater to your needs.
Sources:
1. LinuxInformation (2020). What is Rsync? URL: https://www.linuxinformation.com/what-is-rsync/
2. SysTutorials (2020). File Systems Maximum file size URL: https://www.systutorials.com/241499/what-is-the-maximum-file-size-on-ext2-ext3-ext4-and-fat32-file-systems/
3. nixCraft (2021). Linux Convert ext3 to ext4 File system. URL: https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-convert-ext3-to-ext4-file-system/
