Update / overwrite files and directories recursively
Update / overwrite files and directories recursively with Linux mv – cp commands
You want to update / upgrade your system. Its not easy as you think to copy or move new files with overwriting old files on linux. I know you think “–force” will help you, but not here!
With move command ‘mv’ it was not possible to update all files and directories. Therefore we use copy command ‘cp’.
#mv new/files/* files or #mv -f new/files/* files
mv: cannot overwrite directory …
#cp -af new/files/* files
cp: overwrite ‘…’?
You have type “yes” many times.
The solution:
#yes | cp -a new/files/* files