Re: Cloning a workstation

[Karsten Heymann <kheymann-news03@ecology.uni-kiel.de>]

Hello Sarunas,

Sarunas Burdulis wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I need to clone a workstation (which has some custom configuration and
> scripts added to otherwise basic Sarge/KDE) into another set of
> absolutely identical hardware (Intel Pentium 4, IDE HD). Just one clone,
> not a massive install. What tools would you use? Easiest/quickest?
> Machines are on an Ethernet, have CD/DVD and floppy drives.

A very low-level way to do it is using netcat. boot both systems from cd
(knoppix or similiar) and let them have access to each other over the net
(a cross-cable and manual chosen 192.168.0.x IP's will do). Both systems
neet netcat (executable name nc).

Now run 
  nc -l -p 12345 | gunzip -c > /dev/hda
on the system to be installed to and on the master system run
  cat /dev/hda | gzip -0 -c | nc CLIENT-IP 12345

12345 is any unused port number. This will copy the content of the master
system's harddisk bytewise onto the new systems harddisk. I suggest using a
cross-cable and connect both computers directly for additional speed. 

I've copied systems this way using only tomsrtbt (although today I'd prefer
Knoppix :) ).

Yours,
Karsten