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Fix rsync that fails

We'll capture verbose output with rsync -avv, check permissions and disk space, fix SSH if needed, and resolve common rsync failures.

Troubleshooting · Servers & Linux
10–25 min
What you'll need
  • SSH or console access (for remote sync)
  • Read access to source, write access to destination
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Steps

Goal: Capture the error, check disk space and permissions, fix SSH if remote, and resolve the failure.

  • Run rsync -avv source/ dest/ (or your paths). The last lines show where it failed.
  • Good: You see the exact error. Proceed to Capture verbose output.
  • Bad: No output—check that rsync is installed and paths are correct.

Capture verbose output

Goal: See the exact failure point.

  • Run rsync -avv source/ dest/. The -a preserves attributes; -vv shows detailed transfer info.
  • Good: The output shows the error (permission denied, disk full, no such file, etc.). Proceed to Check permissions and disk space.
  • Bad: Rsync hangs—check network or SSH for remote sync.

Check permissions and disk space

Goal: Rule out disk full and permission issues.

  • Run df -h on source and destination. When destination Use% is 100%, free space or choose another destination. See fix-linux-runs-out-of-disk.
  • Run ls -la on source and destination. You need read on source, write on destination. When permission denied appears, fix with chown/chmod or sudo. See fix-linux-has-permission-denied.
  • Good: Disk has space and permissions are correct. Proceed to Test SSH if remote.
  • Bad: Fix disk or permissions first.

Test SSH

Goal: Confirm SSH works for remote sync.

  • When using rsync user@host:path, run ssh user@host echo ok. If SSH fails, rsync fails. See fix-ssh-will-not-connect.
  • Good: SSH returns “ok”. The issue is path or other—check paths exist.
  • Bad: Fix SSH first.

When to escalate

Escalate if:

  • You cannot fix permission denied on source or destination.
  • SSH fails and you cannot fix it.
  • The error suggests filesystem or network corruption.

Provide rsync -avv output, df -h from both sides, and ls -la on source and destination.

Verification

  • rsync -avv completes without errors.
  • Files appear on destination with correct permissions.
  • No “permission denied” or “No space left on device” in output.

Escalation ladder

Work from the device outward. Stop when the problem is fixed.

  1. Capture verbose output Run rsync -avv to see the exact error.
  2. Check disk space df -h on source and destination.
  3. Check permissions Verify read on source, write on destination.
  4. Test SSH ssh user@host echo ok for remote sync.
  5. Escalate Provide rsync -avv output, df -h, ls -la; consider filesystem or network issues.

What to capture if you need help

Before calling support or posting for help, have these ready. It speeds everything up.

  • rsync -avv output (full error)
  • df -h from source and destination
  • ls -la on source and destination paths
  • Steps already tried

Does rsync fail with an error?

Run rsync -avv to capture verbose output. The last lines show the failure.

Run `rsync -avv source/ dest/`. Good: You see the exact error. Bad: No output—check that rsync is installed and paths are correct.

Yes No (succeeds)

You can change your answer later.

Is the destination disk full?

Run df -h on the destination. Use% at 100% means no space.

Run `df -h` on destination. Full: Free space or choose another destination. See fix-linux-runs-out-of-disk. Not full: Proceed to permissions.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Free space and retry

Free space on destination (clear logs, remove old files). Retry rsync. If still full, see fix-linux-runs-out-of-disk.

Done

Permission denied on source or destination?

ls -la on source and destination. Read on source, write on destination required.

Run `ls -la` on source and destination. Permission denied: Fix with chown/chmod or sudo. See fix-linux-has-permission-denied. OK: Proceed to SSH (if remote).

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Fix permissions and retry

Fix ownership or permissions. Use sudo when you have root. Retry rsync. See fix-linux-has-permission-denied for details.

Done

Is this a remote sync over SSH?

rsync user@host:path requires SSH.

If remote: run `ssh user@host echo ok`. Fails: See fix-ssh-will-not-connect. OK: Path or other issue—check paths exist.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Fix SSH and retry

Fix SSH connectivity. See fix-ssh-will-not-connect. Retry rsync after SSH works.

Done

Done

Rsync completes or you have identified the cause. Gather output for escalation if needed.

Done

Reviewed by Blackbox Atlas

Frequently asked questions

Why does rsync fail?
Common causes: permission denied on source or destination, disk full on destination, SSH connection failure, or path does not exist. Run rsync -avv to see the exact error.
How do I debug rsync?
Use rsync -avv for verbose output. Check df -h for disk space, ls -la for permissions, and test SSH with ssh user@host echo ok before syncing.
When should I escalate rsync failures?
Escalate if you cannot fix permissions, the destination is a remote system you cannot access, or the error points to network or filesystem corruption.

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