Kevin Kempter wrote:
Hi All;
I'm awaiting a new linux laptop that will be my primary work machine. I want
to implement a strategy that allows me as easily as possible to revert back
to a former state. My primary concern is a scenario where I apply system
updates and it breaks something that for me is critical.
I wonder if a simple rsync script would work. If so, here's what I'm thinking:
1) updates are available so I execute the rsync script which pulls any updated
files from my laptop to a backup server/drive
2) apply updates
3) if something breaks (even if I can no longer login) I boot the laptop, run
the rsync script in the opposite direction (push files from the backup drive
to the laptop)
I assume that if I were to execute step 3 above that my system would be in the
exact state that it was before I ran the updates. Is this a correct
assumption ?
Depends in part on the rsync commands, the file structure, and the order
of operations. Restoring over a running system would overwrite files
that are in use, particularly in /etc and /var - not a good idea.
Restoring from a backup of a live system would restore copies of files
that might have been in the process of being changed. Would be safer to
do this using a live CD for both the backup and the restore. Would want
to do the backup/restore on a per-filesystem basis. Assuming you have /
/boot and /home:
rsync --archive --delete --hard-links --one-file-system / /backup/laptop/
rsync --archive --delete --hard-links --one-file-system /boot/
/backup/laptop/boot/
rsync --archive --delete --hard-links --one-file-system /home/
/backup/laptop/home/
On restore would need to mount and restore / first, then mount other
partitions and restore them.
Are there better approaches ?
Perhaps using other backup tools (backuppc has been mentioned favorably
recently), but it should be workable; however, this sounds like a
time/labor-intensive approach every time there are updates, for a low
probability of fatal problems with the OS. Just backing up user files
would be a lot faster and easier.
Phil
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