I was attempting to migrate some users to a new server, that is I reinstalled the OS on the same box. Made a rookie mistake with some file permissions...

Anyways, I copied various user directories to a ext2 formatted thumb drive while preserving file systems. After installing the OS, I connect the drive, the OS detects it, giving [sdb] Assuming Drive cache: write through, [sdd] No Caching mode page present...etc.

Looked suspicious. I mount -t ext2 /dev/sdb1 /media/USB1GB

However, all the files are gone and there is only a lost+found directory with nothing in it. I am working from the command line.

Any suggestions? Are my users info gone forever?

Did you check before whether the copy was successful, i.e. unmount and mount r/o again and compute any checksum? How much space is left on the USB stick by df?

It looks like the copy was not successful. Though, when I did the copy, I checked the USB stick with DIR to make sure files were copied. Command df only shows 1% of the stick was used, which probably means something went really bad with copying.

I've gotten so I always use two usb sticks when I copy. They seem to be 95% reliable but that 5% unreliability will eat your lunch.

Did you unmount the USB stick before removing it? Something like this usually happens when the files are still in cache and not physically present on the USB device and it is removed before the cache can be written out to the USB device.

Duh! I pull em all the time no wonder I keep loosing files!