Re: udev issues backing up /dev

[rir <rirans@comcast.net>]

On Sun, Feb 25, 2007 at 04:36:56PM +0100, Matus UHLAR - fantomas wrote:

> backup using dump/restore - it backs up whole filesystem (unless you
> exclude/include only some files), even the "hidden" part.

> however, udev remounts the original /dev to /dev/.static, with a small
> hacks, you can mount that too.

My question is what should I be backing up regarding udev?  
You imply that, on a running system, /dev/.static/dev should be backed 
up as /dev.

I don't have a problem with how to do this; I'll archive the dev stuff 
along with other meta-data and stick it at the head of my archive, like:

    cd /dev/.static && \
    find ./dev -xdev -depth -print \
    | $CPIO > $TMPDIR/dev.cpio

    cd / && \
    find ./$TMPDIR/README ./$TMPDIR/ARCHIVE_DATE ./$TMPDIR  /  \
    -xdev -depth -print \
    | $CPIO | $MEDIA_WRITER

Dump/restore is slick but I see it as only good for supporting a system.  
I like my backups to also be suitable for use as a information archive.
I've settled on cpio archives for portability.  It is bad enough trying to 
find a working 5-1/4 drive or a 60meg 1/4 inch tape drive, without trying 
to find an operating system that has a filesystem and version of restore that 
match some 15 year-old archive.

Thanks for the reply; I didn't realize that about dump.

Be well,
rir