Backing up critical data ((was Re: Please help: Accidentally wiped off the whole hard disk!!!)

[Marty <martyb@ix.netcom.com>]

Karsten M. Self wrote:
> on Fri, May 13, 2005 at 02:16:22PM -0600, Glenn English (ghe@slsware.com) wrote:
> > On Fri, 2005-05-13 at 15:09 -0400, Angelina Carlton wrote:
> >
> > > Just for those of us just following along, can I use fdisk to record
> > > the EXACT information on my currently working systems to a file, and
> > > be sure that file contained enough information to rebuild the
> > > partition table if ever needed? Is there a tool/command to do this? 
> > > fdisk has quite a few options so I was courious about some
> > > preventative measures.
> >
> > The tools I use are the p command in fdisk, and a pencil and paper. Then
> > I stick it on the wall with a thumbtack.
>
> I create a script to document system settings, then post that to my
> Wiki:
>
>     http://twiki.iwethey.org/Main/LinuxSystemInfoScript
>
> ...and have even used same to reconstruct a partition table.  Once.
>
>
> Bindered hardcopy is also tres helpful.
>
>
> Peace.

Thanks.  That looks interesting.

Along the general lines of backing up systems and critical data,
there's also the dpkg (or apt) option to produce a list of packages
that can be used to reproduce a complete debian installation.
(I don't have it at my fingertips.  Can anyone refresh my memory?)

Secondly, if you take that list, and combine it with your data which has
been stored based on the output of the "cruft" command, or something
similar, then is seems that by combining these two commands with a few
scripts, it may be possible to backup only personal files, thus saving
lots of backup space.  Does anyone know if this is being done already,
or have any comments?  (Currently I'm using backuppc but I have noticed
that the vast majority of space for backups is various system files.)