Re: lenny backups and recovery
On 20100118_132425, Adam Hardy wrote:
> Paul E Condon on 15/01/10 22:48, wrote:
> >On 20100114_133757, Adam Hardy wrote:
> >>Just recovered from a kernel-not-loading situation, without any data
> >>loss and happily wondering what I should do now to make sure I don't
> >>get the same adrenalin shot next time it happens.
> >>[snipped]
> >>I am looking at http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Linux-Complete-Backup-and-Recovery-HOWTO/overview.html
> >>but it was last updated in 2006 so I figure there might be some
> >>useful new stuff too somewhere.
> >>
> >>Also wondering what the lenny installation cd 'rescue mode' does -
> >>and whether I need a boot floppy with a copy of my partition info?
> >
> >Hi, Adam
> >
> >I took a look at the tldp document and don't like it. I would even
> >characterize it as somewhat wrong headed. I understand the goal, but...
> [snip]
>
> Thanks Paul for the info re rsync. Plus I was unaware that I needed to backup /boot
I should clearify my attitude toward backing up /boot:
1. I assume that I have a daily backup system up and running reliably.
2. I want to have a human (me) readable record of which version of
the kernel I actually need to restore if I have to do a major recovery.
3. I don't want to have handwritten notes that I have to find in the
midst of the chaos of a malfunctioning computer.
4. If I actually don't have a usable backup disk. Hand written notes
are pretty much worthless. So ..
ls /boot on the backup disk is a good way to know where to start. And it
doesn't involve remembering to make a note when/if I move to a different
kernel.
I wouldn't try to do a file restore from /boot on the backup disk. If
the kernel file is damaged or lost, I want to do an apt-get install to
get all the other stuff that a kernel install puts on the computer.
>
> Is there a new way to create a rescue disk which will allow me to
> rescue a hard drive if the partitions get trashed? I was wondering if
> there was a similar sort of menu-based program a bit like the "rescue
> mode" option on the lenny install cd?
>
The rescue mode on the Lenny install CD is the only rescue mode that I
believe has actually been tested with Lenny by people who have some
idea of what it is supposed to do. My faith might be misplaced, but
not likely, IMHO.
But I would not use it to recover partitions on my boot drive. My
opinion is that when my computer is malfunctioning seriously such that
I can't get it going again by booting into single user mode and poking
around a bit - then I want to have a cleanly functioning computer on
which to work *before* I try to get my personal stuff working
again. I'll need a functioning computer to access this list and ask
for advice.
Recovering trashed partitions is for when you don't have a backup and
are desperate to recover something --- anything, IMHO. I wouldn't
-plan- to use partition recovery on my boot drive as part of my
-planned- response to a malfunction. If I ever have trashed partitions
-and- my backup disks are -all- unreadable, I will find another
computer or replace the HD and do a fresh install on the replacement
HD or something else before I touch the old HD that appears to have
trashed partitions. It may be that the old HD is actually fine and
that the problem is some other hardware e.g. the motherboard.
--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net
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