[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: udev issues backing up /dev



rir wrote:
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



I can't add anything to the discussion re. /dev, but am curious about your reference to "a working 5-1/4 drive or a 60meg 1/4 inch tape drive,".

Since most hard disks are now less than 5-1/4 inches, are you referring to floppy disks? And that tape size is ancient, I think.

If you have access to either a CD or DVD burner, you might want to look into cdbackup/cdrestore (package name is cdbackup, IIRC). From the man page:

DESCRIPTION
       cdbackup  is  a  utility  to make streaming backups to
       CD-R(W)/DVD-R(W) disks. It’s designed to work with any backup
       tool  which  writes  the backup to stdout (like tar/cpio/afio).

Bob

Attachment: smime.p7s
Description: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature


Reply to: