Re: backing up a drive

[Doofus <doofus@bulldoghome.com>]

Dmitri Minaev wrote:

>On 3/21/06, Robert Brockway <rbrockway@opentrend.net> wrote:
>  
>
>>>There may be a way around this limitation or to fix it after
>>>performing dd.
>>>      
>>>
>>Following a reimaging from dd the options to expand the filesystem are:
>>1. Resize the filesystem using suitable tools if possible.
>>or
>>2. Take the data off using a tool like dump, xfsdump (for xfs), cpio or
>>tar and remake the filesystem before restoring.
>>    
>>
>
>Or send the dd output to a file instead of a partition. Then you can
>use the free space on the target partition for other files.
>

Surley Dmitri's method here is best because `dd if=<physical device>
of=<filename>`

for example:  `dd if=/dev/hda of=/disk2/backup1.img`

will not only give a bit-for-bit copy of the entire drive that's easily
rewritten onto to the original media, but is also a simple (and
portable) file, so you don't need to worry about finding an identical
disk to do the initial disk dump onto.

Only do this in single user mode though, right? Or better still, on a
cold system running from a pair of rescue floppies or a debian installer CD.