Don't emit warnings on "Excluding special files to prevent Borg from hanging" #1079

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opened 2025-04-19 13:56:29 +00:00 by Compizfox · 5 comments

Compizfox commented 2025-04-19 13:56:29 +00:00

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What I'm trying to do and why

I'm running Borgmatic through Cron. This also automatically sends me emails if Borgmatic emits errors or warnings, which is great.

However, every time Borgmatic runs (which is everyday), I get this (unnecessary) email in my inbox:

Excluding special files to prevent Borg from hanging: /etc/systemd/system/php7.3-fpm.service, /etc/systemd/system/php7.4-fpm.service, /var/lib/docker/volumes/backingFsBlockDev

How can I disable this warning, while still ensuring that I keep getting notified on actual errors?

borgmatic version

1.7.7

borgmatic installation method

Debian package

Operating system and version

Debian GNU/Linux 12

### What I'm trying to do and why I'm running Borgmatic through Cron. This also automatically sends me emails if Borgmatic emits errors or warnings, which is great. However, every time Borgmatic runs (which is everyday), I get this (unnecessary) email in my inbox: Excluding special files to prevent Borg from hanging: /etc/systemd/system/php7.3-fpm.service, /etc/systemd/system/php7.4-fpm.service, /var/lib/docker/volumes/backingFsBlockDev How can I disable this warning, while still ensuring that I keep getting notified on actual errors? ### borgmatic version 1.7.7 ### borgmatic installation method Debian package ### Operating system and version Debian GNU/Linux 12

witten commented 2025-04-19 16:16:03 +00:00

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If you want to disable warnings and only see errors, you can try the --verbosity -1 flag. Alternatively, a better solution might be to explicitly add those special file paths to your configured excludes. That's what the warning is warning you about—that these paths that you've implicitly asked to be included (because they're found within your source directories) are getting auto-excluded. But if you manually exclude them, the warnings should go away.

Side note: You may want to consider upgrading borgmatic. The version you're using is over two years old at this point!

If you want to disable warnings and only see errors, you can try the `--verbosity -1` flag. Alternatively, a better solution might be to explicitly add those special file paths to your configured excludes. That's what the warning is warning you about—that these paths that you've implicitly asked to be included (because they're found within your source directories) are getting auto-excluded. But if you manually exclude them, the warnings should go away. Side note: You may want to consider upgrading borgmatic. The version you're using is over two years old at this point!

witten added the question / support label 2025-04-19 16:16:10 +00:00

Compizfox commented 2025-04-19 16:33:26 +00:00

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Thanks, I'll try that!

To be honest I don't understand why those specific paths are "special". I just included the entire /etc directory, and apparently those two SystemD service files and that Docker file are considered "special".

I'm fine with them getting auto-excluded, but I don't need to be notified about it daily ;)

Borgmatic 1.7.7 is the version in the latest Debian stable (bookworm) repository.

Thanks, I'll try that! To be honest I don't understand why those specific paths are "special". I just included the entire `/etc` directory, and apparently those two SystemD service files and that Docker file are considered "special". I'm fine with them getting auto-excluded, but I don't need to be notified about it daily ;) Borgmatic 1.7.7 is the version in the latest Debian stable (bookworm) repository.

witten commented 2025-04-19 22:38:52 +00:00

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If you're interested, here's some info about a couple common "special" file types:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Named_pipe
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_file

The reason they're excluded is because Borg will hang upon reading them when its --read-special flag is set (which is incidentally set when borgmatic database hooks are used).

If you're willing to install borgmatic outside the normal Debian apt mechanism, then there are a few other ways to install that will get you a newer version.

If you're interested, here's some info about a couple common "special" file types: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Named_pipe * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_file The reason they're excluded is because Borg will hang upon reading them when its `--read-special` flag is set (which is incidentally set when borgmatic database hooks are used). If you're willing to install borgmatic outside the normal Debian `apt` mechanism, then there are [a few other ways to install](https://torsion.org/borgmatic/docs/how-to/set-up-backups/) that will get you a newer version.

Compizfox commented 2025-04-21 09:15:03 +00:00

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Hmm, it turns out these files are symlinks (?) to /dev/null:

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root    9 Jun 29  2020  php7.3-fpm.service -> /dev/null
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root    9 Apr 18  2022  php7.4-fpm.service -> /dev/null

I don't have these old versions of PHP installed any longer, so I guess I can just delete them.

The Docker file is a block device, I've read. I'll just add that to the excludes explicitly.

Thanks for the help!

Hmm, it turns out these files are symlinks (?) to `/dev/null`: ``` lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Jun 29 2020 php7.3-fpm.service -> /dev/null lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Apr 18 2022 php7.4-fpm.service -> /dev/null ``` I don't have these old versions of PHP installed any longer, so I guess I can just delete them. The Docker file is a block device, I've read. I'll just add that to the excludes explicitly. Thanks for the help!

Compizfox closed this issue 2025-04-21 09:15:03 +00:00

witten commented 2025-04-21 15:38:27 +00:00

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Sounds good!

Sounds good!

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Reference: borgmatic-collective/borgmatic#1079