Decide exactly which folder and result you want
Pick one ordinary personal folder whose files you can read as your own user. Close programs actively changing those files, or use the application’s supported export first. A running database or virtual machine needs a more specific consistency plan than copying whichever bytes happen to be visible.
Choose a new, clearly named destination folder for this run. For example, documents-2026-11-02 can distinguish today’s copy from the next one. A dated name is just your organisation scheme: rsync does not automatically rotate these folders, limit their growth or protect an old copy from later edits.
Confirm the drive is really mounted where you expect
Connect the external drive, open it in Files and confirm its identity and free space. Copy its actual location rather than guessing a /media path. The examples use Alex and a drive named BACKUP; those are placeholders, and a real mount point may include a different name or number.
For a terminal check, use the command below with the actual mounted-drive path. Inspect the reported source, filesystem and target. findmnt can report the containing filesystem for an ordinary directory, so output showing the internal root filesystem is not confirmation that an external backup drive is mounted.
findmnt --target "/media/alex/BACKUP" --output SOURCE,FSTYPE,TARGETMatch the destination filesystem to the promise you need
A drive that accepts ordinary documents may still fail to preserve Linux metadata. FAT32 has a single-file limit of roughly 4 GiB, so a 6 GiB video will not fit even when the drive has 200 GiB free. ExFAT also does not represent Linux ownership and permissions like a Linux filesystem.
Use a Linux-aware destination or a suitable backup application and archive format when those attributes matter. Do not format a drive holding needed files to make an example work. Resolve compatibility first, and read any permission or attribute errors rather than declaring the run successful because some filenames appeared.
Make the path layout unambiguous
Create the intended empty destination folder on the verified drive using Files. Use complete absolute paths and quote them. In this example the source ends with a slash, meaning its contents go inside the destination. Without that source slash, rsync can add the source directory’s name as another level.
The archive option preserves a useful set of file attributes and symlinks where supported. It does not include every possible attribute: ACLs, extended attributes and hard-link relationships need separate consideration. A symlink is not the same as copying the data it points to; inspect links in any folder you depend on.
Preview the copy and read the proposed changes
Check that rsync is installed with rsync --version; use the Ubuntu software-installation guide if it is missing. Then substitute your verified paths in this preview. The separator before the paths marks the end of command options. Do not reverse the source and destination.
Dry-run mode makes no transfer changes. Read its itemised output and errors, looking for the intended filenames and directory layout. It cannot prove that a later real transfer will finish or provide realistic transfer-speed statistics. Stop if the preview refers to unrelated folders or a different drive.
rsync -a --dry-run --itemize-changes -- "/home/alex/Documents/" "/media/alex/BACKUP/documents-2026-11-02/"Run the inspected command, then check its completion
When the preview matches your plan, run the same command with dry-run mode removed. Keep the device connected and let the process finish. Read the final output for problems; disappearing source files, an unavailable destination and permission failures deserve investigation. Adding administrator privileges is not a general fix for an unexpected result.
This command leaves destination-only files in place, but an existing file with the same path can be updated or overwritten. Reusing the same destination therefore does not preserve all earlier versions. Rsync normally uses size and modification time to decide what needs updating; an uneventful repeat is not an exhaustive audit of stored contents.
rsync -a --itemize-changes -- "/home/alex/Documents/" "/media/alex/BACKUP/documents-2026-11-02/"Rehearse recovery into a separate empty folder
Create a new restore-check folder in your home directory. Preview the reverse-direction copy below, using the backup as the source and that empty folder as the destination. After checking it, run the same line with dry-run mode removed. Never rehearse by overwriting your working Documents folder.
Open several recovered files, including a recent document, a large file and something with an accented name or nested path. For selected unchanged files, compare SHA-256 values from the original and restored copies. Sample checks improve confidence in those samples; they do not certify every file or your ability to recover a complete computer.
rsync -a --dry-run --itemize-changes -- "/media/alex/BACKUP/documents-2026-11-02/" "/home/alex/restore-check-2026-11-02/"Keep the recovery record and plan the next copy
Record the source, destination, completion date and restore result. Eject the external drive through the desktop before disconnecting it. Keep another recoverable copy elsewhere for important files; one attached device does not cover every failure. Decide when you will repeat the copy and how much dated-folder history you can store.
For example, three separate 40 GB dated copies can consume about 120 GB before filesystem overhead, even if the originals changed little. This simple workflow promises no deduplication. If manual runs are easy to forget, move to a backup tool with a schedule and retention policy you can inspect and rehearse.
Sources & further reading
Documentation reviewed .
Rsync project — rsync manual ↗Rsync project — Frequently asked questions ↗util-linux — findmnt manual (man7.org) ↗Microsoft — File system functionality comparison ↗Ubuntu Server documentation — Backups and version control ↗This guide is based on the sources linked above, with original explanations and examples. Software interfaces and service features can change. A documentation-based guide is not a hands-on product review. Read our editorial policy or report a correction.