Re: backing up /etc
Shri Shrikumar, 2002-Mar-19 23:26 -0000:
> Hi All,
>
>
> Simple question - is there a way to backup merely the files in /etc that
> have been modified.
>
> Only a dozen or so config files have been modified and it seems a bit of
> a waste to backup around 5Mb of config files when the ones that have
> been modified could easily fit on a floppy along with a copy of
> dpkg --get-selections.
Depends on what you're using. I use TAR in various scripts to
backup my data. Check out "--update".
If you use RSYNC, which I also use, check out "--update" and
"--delete".
> The other reason is what happens if one of the packges (whose config I
> havent touched) has a new standard config file perhaps with better
> security - I would then be overwriting the new one.
>
> How does apt figure out when config files have been modified before
> asking whether it should install the package maintainers version or keep
> the current one.
When you upgrade packages, a message will show during the setup
phase to notify you of any configuration structure changes that
have been made. The maintainers are also good about putting in the
scripting to convert existing configs over to the new structure
during this phase as well. Sometimes a package will install the
maintainers versions of config files during the upgrade, but in
this case you are always given the choice to install or not, and
the maintainers versions are placed with the package docs for
reference.
jc
--
Jeff Coppock Systems Engineer
Diggin' Debian Admin and User
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