Re: backing up and rebuilding the kernel
Look into doing something like:
tar -clzvf /home/somedir/My_backup.tar.gz /*
The "-l" ("el" not "one") option will keep tar from trying to move off
to another filesystem. You might want to leave off the -z from the
options to skip compressing the archive (name it My_backup.tar then).
You've got a 2Gb root and 18Gb /home, so the space savings might not be
important.
As for safely fiddling with your kernel... you'll want to get familiar
with how LILO works and where your kernel goodies are. The Debian kernel
install tools help a lot, since they try to keep your last successful
kernel around in case the new one fails to load. Basicly, you'll end up
with two files in root (actually, they're usually symlinks to files
located in /boot): vmlinuz and vmlinuz.old. Lilo will try to load up the
vmlinuz image at boot.
If that image fails, you can hold down shift (or was it spacebar?) as
your machine restarts. You will be presented with a boot: prompt, which
will allow you to chose a kernel image to load. It's been a long time
since I've had to do this (been lucky with my kernel builds lately), but
I believe all one needs to do is enter vmlinuz.old to load the "old"
image.
Don't worry about problems enabling SMP support... that's fairly simple
(a checkbox in the kernel config). The other little details like device
drivers will get you. If you're a "constant fiddler" you're probably
able to figure it out though :-)
--Rich
"JACKSON, DEAN" wrote:
>
> Right I have just spent the last 3 evenings building a debian server (much
> to my fiancés disgust)
> it has 2 hard drives a 2gb and a 18gb all the system files are mounted on
> the 2 gb(sda1) /home is mounted on the 18gb(sdb2) (swap is sda1)
>
> what is the easiest way to back up the system files (2gb sda1) to a single
> file on the 18gb/home (so it can be backed up onto a tape drive one day)
> and also if I need to restore what is the best way? a bulk restore would be
> required to get the system back to how it is now/when I last backed it up
>
> I need to do this as I am a constant fiddler and newbie so I cock up
> regularly and do not know how to undo what ive done sometimes. and the next
> task involve a kernel re-build to enable dual processor support (smb) and im
> scared just thinking about it so any advice here would be nice. all I want
> to do is add smb can I do this without deleting anything I already
> have?(newbie not sure exactly what ive got but it works!)
>
> Dean Jackson
> TeleWare
> email dean.jackson@teleware.co.uk
> Telephone 01908 251474
> <<Dean Jackson (E-mail).vcf>>
>
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--
_________________________________________________________
Rich Puhek
ETN Systems Inc.
_________________________________________________________
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