the backup files do not fit the packages versions. So I was kinda wondering if there is such thing as a backup where to restore the whole system (including OS itself) you'd put the backup CD in and let it restore "installer like". So without having to install linux first. This might also prove usefull later when I want to change the hdd of my server with a faster one. For now I have 3 older/slower hdds and because of that I am kind of limited with the partitions options. It would also be cool if I could specify by backup to ignore the current partitions/hdds, so I could restore all later on a single bigger hdd. So... Is there a way to make such a backup or am I running after windmills? :)
I don't know of a CD based program, but there's 'g4u' -- ghost for unix, that does a pretty good job. It takes an entire disk image an uploads it to an FTP server. Works well for both Linux and Windows disks.
Personally I prefer good old fashioned tape drives for performing system backups. I've been using an HP Travan drive ( TR4 - 4GB uncompressed 8GB compressed ). Just recently I had to replace my old Travan drive with one I bought on ebay for a whopping $20. Thing works like a charm. Its scsi 2 and I love it. Attached is the bash script that I run the nightly backups with.
If you find this solution works for you, and you have questions feel free to email me and ask.
-- Mark
"If necessity is the mother of invention, then who's the father?" ----------------------------------------------------------- Paid for by Penguins against modern appliances(R) Linux User Since 1996 Powered by Mandrake Linux 8.2 & 9.1 ICQ# 27816299
#!/bin/sh #MAILTO:mdw1982 # ########################## # variables for the program: # ########################## TAPE=/dev/st0; HOME_FILES=/home; DOCUMENTS=/mnt/arc_2/Documents; WWW=/var/www; MAIL=/var/spool/mail; DATABASE=/var/lib/mysql; MP3=/mnt/mp3; LOG_PATH=/home/mdw1982/; LOG_DIR=backup_log; DATE=$( date +%m-%d-%Y );
# ##########################
# functions for program :
# ##########################
message(){
echo ".........This is the Tape backup program..........";
echo " ------------------------------- ";
echo "";
echo "I've successfully completed the nightly backup of the system";
echo "for $DATE";
echo "";
echo "The Log file containing the backup's contents has been written";
echo "to $LOG_PATH.";
echo "............. END OF TRANSMISSION ................";
}
# does the directory to receive the backup logs exist?
# if not then we're going to create it...
checkLog(){
for i in $( ls -d /home/mdw1982/* ); do
ITEM=$i
if [ $ITEM = $LOG_DIR ]
then
FOUND=true
else
FOUND=false
fi
done
}
# ##########################
# main program :
# ##########################
# putting all the goodies to the tape
find /bin /boot /etc /home /root /var /mnt/arc_2/Documents /var/www -print | grep -iv
"\./var/ftp" | sort | cpio -oaBc -O /dev/tape
# writing out the logfile to disk
cpio -iBct -I /dev/tape > /home/mdw1982/backup_log/$( date +%m-%d-%Y )_bkup.indx
# compressing the logfile
gzip -1 /home/mdw1982/backup_log/$( date +%m-%d-%Y )_bkup.indx
# outputing message to email
message;
# exiting the program
exit;
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