Arch Linux

slikan

Member

Registered: 2017-10-22

Posts: 7

Copy packages that containas invalid characters

Hello everyone, im trying to copy all packages located in /var/cache/pacman/pkg to a usb stick to perform an offline install, the problem is that some of the packages contains characters like colons which outputs 'invalid argument'.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 12,453

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

Use a Linux filesystem, not a Windows one.

slikan

Member

Registered: 2017-10-22

Posts: 7

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

What makes you assume I'm using windows? , I'm actually re-installing arch, working from a bootable usb.

WorMzy

Administrator

From: Scotland

Registered: 2010-06-16

Posts: 12,644

Website

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

So what is complaining about 'illegal characters'? That usually means that you're using a Windows filesystem (FAT/NTFS) which don't support characters like ':' and '?'. Linux filesystems like ext4 and xfs have no problem with these characters.

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slikan

Member

Registered: 2017-10-22

Posts: 7

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

Try to copy any file that contains a colon in its name with cp and let me know how its goes for you, guess im in the wrong forum.

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,096

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

Why are you being so snappy and defensive? What filesystems are you dealing with, you're claiming something doesn't work that no one can reproduce, you need to post your commands and your outputs and your target locations. We don't have a problem, you have and the more you refuse to disclose information and having an attitude while doing so will make it very unlikely for anyone being inclined to help you.

Also... proof

touch "thisfilehasa:colon"
mkdir test
cp thisfilehasa:colon test/
ls test/   
thisfilehasa:colon

You should generally assume that if experienced people tell you this is related to the FS you're dealing with -- chances are it's related to the FS you're dealing with.

Also no one said you're using Windows, but that you're using a filesystem originating from there. Standard USB sticks come preformatted with FAT the vast majority of the time as it's simple and supported everywhere. If you want to copy packages from pacman you need a linux filesystem: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/File_s … ile_system

Last edited by V1del (2025-02-06 16:39:08)

slikan

Member

Registered: 2017-10-22

Posts: 7

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

I'm using ext4, what it could be then?

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,096

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

where? On your internal disk as well as the USB? Post the outputs of

lsblk -f
fdisk -l
mount

and your exact command and it's exact output in [code][/code]  tags.

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 12,453

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

What makes you assume I'm using windows? , I'm actually re-installing arch, working from a bootable usb.

If there's an issue with 'invalid characters' like the title claims, it can only be because you're using a Windows filesystem. If, on the other hand, you're making wild assumptions about what the problem is instead of giving actual commands and errors, well then you gave us nothing to work with. We can only go by what you said, and those characters are not invalid on Linux.

slikan

Member

Registered: 2017-10-22

Posts: 7

Re: Copy packages that containas invalid characters

I cant post the extact output since its in another computer, I formated the disk using ext4, but I can see the usb was formated with vfat, guess that was the problem, my mistake. Since I  chrooted while trying to copy the files I assumed the FS I was using was the ext4. Thank you again.

Last edited by slikan (2025-02-06 17:20:46)