copy directory tar.gz file from root to external hard disk error

Question

I am able to login to root terminal and then create tar zip file by running the command tar -zcvf dspace_tar.gz /home/dspace in a root terminal.

But I am not able to copy using the command

cp -av dspace_tar.gz /dev/sdb1

which is my external hard disk.

I get two errors: stat error and no such file or root directory.

Solution

Do not try to write to a device file (/dev/sdxY) - you should write to the mount point (/media/username/drive_name)

Since your trying to copy as root you should be doing:

cp -av dspace_tar.gz /media/username/external_hdd_name

If you don't know the mount point of the device, first plug it in then do this to get the address:

lsblk -f

The options:

• -f option provided more information about the filesystems.
• -a : used when copying archives
• -v : displays the process in the terminal

Comments

[George Udosen]

Please you should be doing cp -av dspace_tar.gz /media/username/external_hdd_name

[George Udosen]

Do sudo lsblk -f to see the address of the device when its plugged in.

[Zanna]

@George I suggest writing an answer here

[George Udosen]

@Zanna done that.

[George Udosen]

Only when he is trying to format the HDD should he be doing mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1 doing that will destroy any data he has there

[anna328p]

Bad idea. He has filed in the gas.