Re: dump or dd image over multiple volumes

[Alvin Oga <aoga@Maggie.Linux-Consulting.com>]

hi ya thedore

multiple ways to clone a disk for other pcs..
	- from floppies
	- across the net
	- local disk on the other ide/scsi cable
	- ...

- dont use dd/dump ... no point in copying ( dd'ing ) a 95% empty
  partition to the target

i'd clone multiple machines this way ( from a master server )...
	( with all the patches and updates already applied
( with a non-interactive script clone.sh + fdisk.sh )

	- add the target disk as /dev/hdb
		
	- fdisk can be automated by preloading the values too
	  separate partitions for ( /, /tmp, /var, /usr, /home, swap)
		/tmp, /proc, doesnt need to be copied

	- local disk copying is not susceptiable to network hiccups

    <clone.sh>
	--  i prefer multiple partitions for this tar mess

	hda#  fdisk.sh /dev/hdb
	hda#  mount /dev/hdb[1.n] /mnt[1..n]

	hda# (tar cf - /bin /dev /etc /lib /root /sbin ) | \
		(cd /mnt/hdb1 ; tar xvfp -)
		# hdb2 is /tmp
	hda# (tar cf - /usr ) | (cd /mnt/hdb3 ; tar xvfp -)
	hda# (tar cf - /var ) | (cd /mnt/hdb5 ; tar xvfp -)
		# hdb6 is swap

		# i prefer /opt/home instead of /home
	hda# (tar cf - /opt ) | (cd /mnt/hdb7 ; tar xvfp -)

		# make the missing directories
	hda# mkdir /mnt/hda1/{mnt,proc}

	hda# chroot /mnt/hdb1 ; lilo -C etc/lilo.hdb.conf
		# fix your ip# for the new machine if any

	hda# mail -s "clone #1,001  done" thedore < /dev/null
    </clone.sh>

	take hdb to a different pc.. and it should boot as /dev/hda ...

-- if you dont want to plug in /dev/hdb into the "master"

	- use a boot/root floppy that can mount your master to the target
	or vice versa.. and still run the (non-interactive) clone.sh

-- the scripts that was used before... for hundreds of disks..
   ( some things in the old scripts is sorta broken but some manual stuff
   ( is good to see that the disk is live before running the cloner

	http://www.Linux-Consulting.com/Boot/Linux-1U/
	- fun stuff was a way to automating fdisk..

c ya
alvin


On Mon, 18 Feb 2002, Karsten M. Self wrote:

> on Mon, Feb 18, 2002 at 03:20:28PM -0500, Thedore Knab (tjk@annapolislinux.org) wrote:
> > I want to create a dual boot machine for a student lab.
> > 
> > Once I build the machine, I want to clone it using dd or dump.
> 
> I'd strongly suggest using a file rather than device level tool.  tar
> might be preferable to either of your suggestions.  As dd works at a
> binary level, you'd be copying all the slack space on your system, far
> more slowly than a file-based copying utility.
> 
> > I was wondering if dd or dump could be used to created a bootable cd image of
> > a hard drive with multiple mount points ?
> 
> You've also got other alternatives.
> 
> Assuming a network:
> 
>     # on source:
>     $ cd /
>     echo "/mnt/* /net/* /proc /notar" > notar
>     $ tar czpsvf - --exclude=notar * |
>         ssh -c blowfish -o 'compression no' root@host ( cd /; tar xzpsf -)
> 
> ...will allow you to "clone" your systems over the network.
> 
> Other alternatives are to install the bulk of the operating system
> on an NFS (or other network mounted) /usr partition.
> 
> Peace.
> 
> -- 
> Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com>    http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
>  What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?       There is no K5 cabal
>   http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/         http://www.kuro5hin.org
> 
>