> Because cp will completely foul up device files. Try copying /dev/mem
> from
> one place to another. You won't like the results :-)
> sorry, but I can't stand it if people don't actually try things
> instead of repeating false statements:
> ---8<--- snip ---
> root@wombat:/tmp> ls -l /dev/mem
> crw-r----- 1 root kmem 1, 1 May 5 1998 /dev/mem
> root@wombat:/tmp> cp -a /dev/mem .
> root@wombat:/tmp> ls -l mem
> crw-r----- 1 root kmem 1, 1 May 5 1998 mem
Mea culpa. I actually did try it, but only after I sent that mail. And I
actually didn't like the results. My machine hung. I took that as evidence
that something other than a mknod was happening.
So, tar vs cp -a (and cpio) would be more a matter of taste.
Jeff
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