rsync and Thunderbird mail folders

Colin Brough

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Aug 21, 2012, 8:18:31 AM8/21/12

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What risks are there, if any, in rsync'ing the .thunderbird folder to
a backup machine while Thunderbird is running. Purpose of the rsync is
purely backup - critically of the addressbook and filed-in-folders
mail.

Is there anything else in .thunderbird/.... apart from abook.mab and
the Mail folder that is worth backing up? I'm confident I can recreate
the account settings.

Cheers

Colin

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Daniel James

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Aug 22, 2012, 8:42:30 AM8/22/12

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In article <s0LYr.4229$3p2....@fx03.am4>, Colin Brough wrote:
> What risks are there, if any, in rsync'ing the .thunderbird folder to
> a backup machine while Thunderbird is running.

I don't know whether either is a problem with Thunderbird, but the main
problems commonly encountered in backing up an application's data while
it is running are:

1. Files may be locked by the application and not get backed up.

2. Files that should be kept in a consistent state may be changed after
one has been backed up and before the other -- leading to an
inconsistent backup.

> Is there anything else in .thunderbird/.... apart from abook.mab and
> the Mail folder that is worth backing up? I'm confident I can recreate
> the account settings.

That depends how you use Thunderbird. If you're using IMAP and keep your
mail on the server then the addressbook and settings (not only account
settings) are just about all there is.

Personally I use POP3 and download all my mail to the local drive. I
always close Thunderbird before backing it up.

Cheers,
Daniel.

Davey

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Aug 22, 2012, 8:59:48 AM8/22/12

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Ditto. If I make a change to an address book, then I back it up to the
backup HDD there and then, directly from T'bird. At the end of the day,
I shut down all programs, and then run an rsync script that backs up
anything that is different/new, on selected TB folders and also on
Documents, Downloads, Videos etc, to the backup HDD. It then shuts the
PC down for the night.
--
Davey.

Tim Watts

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Aug 22, 2012, 12:14:05 PM8/22/12

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Daniel James wrote:

> In article <s0LYr.4229$3p2....@fx03.am4>, Colin Brough wrote:
>> What risks are there, if any, in rsync'ing the .thunderbird folder to
>> a backup machine while Thunderbird is running.
>
> I don't know whether either is a problem with Thunderbird, but the main
> problems commonly encountered in backing up an application's data while
> it is running are:
>
> 1. Files may be locked by the application and not get backed up.

Locking in linux is usually (and by default) advisory only - so this very
unlikely to be a problem.

> 2. Files that should be kept in a consistent state may be changed after
> one has been backed up and before the other -- leading to an
> inconsistent backup.

True in general, but if the backups happen when the client is quiescent[1],
it is almost always fine (cf restoring from such a backup is comparable with
the client crashing and being restarted).

[1] Mail clients are more awkward in this respect as they may be checking
mail by themselves every few minutes.

--
Tim Watts