Rclone + crontab does not copy Google files

Help and Support
1

What is the problem you are having with rclone?

I am trying to automate a backup from one Google Teamdrive (A) to another Google Teamdrive (B).
The backup/copy is made using rclone in combination with crontab.
The copy seems successful (folders are being created in drive B, pdf-, jpg, and MS Office files are copied) but Google files are not copied to drive B (Google docs, Google spreadsheets,...)
Is it possible to copy Google files with rclone + crontab?

P.S. I am no Linux-expert at all. It just copy and past code i find on the internet to make things work.

Run the command 'rclone version' and share the full output of the command.

rclone v1.68.2
- os/version: raspbian 10.13
- os/kernel: 5.10.103-v7l+ (armv7l)
- os/type: linux
- os/arch: arm (ARMv7 compatible)
- go/version: go1.23.3
- go/linking: static
- go/tags: none

Which cloud storage system are you using? (eg Google Drive)

Google Drive

The command you were trying to run (eg rclone copy /tmp remote:tmp)

0 0 * * 5 rclone copy Teamdrive_Teamdrive_A: Teamdrive_AUTOBackup_Teamdrive_B:

Please run 'rclone config redacted' and share the full output. If you get command not found, please make sure to update rclone.

[Teamdrive_AUTOBackup_Teamdrive_B]
type = drive
client_id = XXX
client_secret = XXX
scope = drive
token = XXX
team_drive = XXX
root_folder_id = 

[Teamdrive_A]
type = drive
client_id = XXX
client_secret = XXX
scope = drive
token = XXX
team_drive = XXX
root_folder_id = 
### Double check the config for sensitive info before posting publicly

A log from the command that you were trying to run with the -vv flag

Since the Drive is 200GB+, the log report would be enormous. When using the following command

rclone copy Teamdrive_A: Teamdrive_AUTOBackup_Teamdrive_B: -vv

the log keeps coming...
I hope this problem can be solved without posting this log? If needed, i will look for another way to send this in.

2

Use some small directory (but make sure it contains some items causing problems) for testing - it will result in manageable log size.

3

I noticed when trying to copy the files by using the following command:
rclone copy Teamdrive_A: Teamdrive_AUTOBackup_Teamdrive_B: -vv
...the Google files are converted to Office files (.docx, .xlsx,...) so the copy seems successful. Could it be that the problem is situated in the crontab tool?

Below you can find a piece of the -vv log:

2025/01/09 13:24:22 DEBUG : Google drive root '': Waiting for transfers to finish
2025/01/09 13:24:22 INFO  : 2.Middenbouw/MB - ADMINISTRATIE: Set directory modification time (using SetModTime)
2025/01/09 13:24:23 INFO  : 3.Bovenbouw/15. SPRINT, snelkoppelingenmap: Set directory modification time (using SetModTime)
2025/01/09 13:24:23 INFO  : 3.Bovenbouw: Set directory modification time (using SetModTime)
2025/01/09 13:24:24 INFO  : 2.Middenbouw: Set directory modification time (using SetModTime)
2025/01/09 13:24:24 ERROR : Attempt 3/3 failed with 1 errors and: failed to open source object: can't read dangling shortcut
2025/01/09 13:24:24 INFO  : 
Transferred:   	    8.679 GiB / 8.679 GiB, 100%, 55.734 KiB/s, ETA 0s
Errors:                 1 (retrying may help)
Checks:            205011 / 205011, 100%
Transferred:         3073 / 3073, 100%
Elapsed time:   1h50m15.7s

2025/01/09 13:24:24 DEBUG : 36 go routines active
2025/01/09 13:24:24 NOTICE: Failed to copy: failed to open source object: can't read dangling shortcut
4

Can you post FULL log showing actual problem you are trying to fix? Not some random snippet showing something different.

To make is shorter copy only some small directory maybe.

and BTW if it works when you run it from command line then it should work when run from crontab. Assuming that you run the same command with the same config etc.

5

Thanks for your reply.
Since I am not the most specialized Linux user, It ain't easy for me to simply adjust commands. I'm sorry.
But I have the impression that the problem has now been resolved. So thanks for your assistance anyway!

6

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