Configurations for only transmitting modified files in a file system update over a network to a target computer system are provided. The target computer system can store a root file system on a storage device. The subject technology determines differences between a previous image of the root file system and a new (e.g., updated) image of the root file system. When a file has not been updated or modified, the subject technology does not transmit the file in an update over the network to the target computer system. The root file system includes metadata that at least describes the location of each file on the storage device. For a file in which the position is preserved (i.e., unchanged), the location metadata for that file is not changed. The subject technology therefore forgoes transmitting the unmodified metadata over the network.