ACK! So I just found out that time machine does not backup hard links. Nor does it backup meta-data to permit restoring hard links.
Repeat by: keybounceMBP:~ michael$ mkdir test-link keybounceMBP:~ michael$ cd test-link keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ echo file a > a keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ ln a b keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ ln b c keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ ln c d keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ ln d e keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ ls -li total 20 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 a 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 b 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 c 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 d 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 e keybounceMBP:test-link michael$ tmutil startbackup -b Total copied: 760.28 MB (797214702 bytes) Avg speed: 1231.99 MB/min (21530541 bytes/sec) After restoring from time machine: keybounceMBP:~ michael$ ls -li test-link* test-link: total 20 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 a 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 b 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 c 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 d 35248494 4 -rw-r--r-- 5 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 e 'test-link (original)': total 20 35248827 4 -rw-r--r-- 1 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 a 35248828 4 -rw-r--r-- 1 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 b 35248829 4 -rw-r--r-- 1 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 c 35248830 4 -rw-r--r-- 1 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 d 35248831 4 -rw-r--r-- 1 michael admin 7 Aug 13 11:27 e keybounceMBP:~ michael$ Note that the restores are all different files. This is on 10.9.5. Does this still happen (no hard-links after restoring) on 10.12? What is the best way to backup a file system? The goal is "perfect restoration" (including meta data / file structure, not just data restoration), with historical replication (so not just disk cloning)? --- Entertaining minecraft videos http://YouTube.com/keybounce _______________________________________________ MacOSX-talk mailing list MacOSX-talk@omnigroup.com http://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-talk
