Re: Backup Image for my needs
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Norman Bird wrote:
> I'm looking for recommendations that are simply that will allow me to back
> up the image of my Debian Etch box. I will store on windows box connected
> via samba. i just want to be able to create the image, store on external HD
> on windows box, or on external HD I can attach to Debian server is even
> better. I have a 300 GB external HD available for it.
'partimage' is a tool that works with a similar mind set as typical
windows tools and would do what you ask for. It can also be used to back
up an image of your windows partitions.
On linux, however, (as others have also pointed out) it is not necessary
to backup a 'partition'.
My backup consists of just copying the 'files' to a backup medium
(usb-disk). If anything should happen, I just install a base system and
copy everything back. If I happen to backup to a new computer or a new
hard disk, it will be a different sized disk, so I'd probably want to
partition it differently. Therefore, it's better not to limit one self
to just backing up partitions.
If I bork up my system somehow and just want to recreate a preexisting
state, I don't have to wait for the whole partition to be restored from
backup, I just replace the files changed since the last backup -- much
faster!
I use rsync for these purposes and recommend its use. It is not 'point
and click' and thus requires a little bit of reading, but it is just
soooo much more powerful and flexible that learning it quickly pays off.
Here are two links on how to create backups with rsync. The man page
also has some fine explanations and examples.
http://blog.interlinked.org/tutorials/rsync_time_machine.html
http://www.mikerubel.org/computers/rsync_snapshots/
> If someone can suggest a way/method or product they know will work
> with no problems for what I mentioned that my need is? If you mention
> a product, can you point to the exact way to use it, be it a site or
> tutorial?
The first choice for documentation on linux are
1. the man pages: type 'man command' on the command line. 'command' is
the name of the command or programm you need documentation for. 'man
rsync' gives you the man page for rsync.
2. The documentation for the package in /usr/share/doc/packagename. Note
that 'packagename' is often the same as 'command' but there are more
commands than packagenames.
3. If these both are not sufficient, try searching the net
4. If all three don't yield the information you require, there are also
the mailing lists.
;-)
Cheers,
Johannes
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