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Thread: How To Back up from recovery mode

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Beans
    55
    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex

    How To Back up from recovery mode

    Hi Everyone,

    I would appreciate some advice on this probmel.

    I have a sytem that keeps crashing after it was upgraded to 9.10 from 9.04 (with ISO image). The X Server just locks up and requires hard boot every time. It happens so often that the system is practically unusable. I think that my only recourse is to do a clean install.

    I want to back up my home directory (or perhaps most data) to a USB drive. But since it takes a while to do this backup and the system crashes in the meantime, I think that perhaps I should boot in text mode (Recovery Mose?) to avoid X Server. Then I should mount USB drive and copy home directory to it. My questions are as follows:

    1. What is the best way to start the system to boot in the text mode? Is this the way to go?

    2. When logged on in this text mode, how do I mount the USB drive? What commands?

    3. What command to use to copy the entire home directory to be able to get the dot files etc also copied?

    Is this the preferred way to do things.

    I need to do cleans install on this system and would appreciate any other advice/suggestions. Best regards,

    Tariq

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Berlin, DE
    Beans
    180
    Distro
    Kubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

    Re: How To Back up from recovery mode

    You have upgraded from 9.10 to 9.04? Was it the other way around or have you upgraded to 10.04 (Lucid Lynx)?

    My first step if you are on either 9.10 or 10.04 would be to log on to recover mode (see step 1 below) and run:
    Code:
    sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.bak
    reboot
    You might just get lucky.

    If I were you I'd start the computer with a live cd and, then mount the home directory (usually finding it in Dolphin/Nautilus and entering it is enough) and then back up the home directory using grsync:
    Code:
    sudo aptitude install grsync
    from terminal, then run it and you will have to choose a source and a destination directories and run it.

    If you want to do it from the command line you will have hold shift after your bios has finished loading and select recovery mode in grub. Then when you are faced with the menu select drop to command prompt (or something along those lines). If you have set up a root password you will have to log in. I'll assume you're NOT root in the following commands, but if you are just drop the sudo.

    1. Connect your usb drive and run
    Code:
    ls /dev
    For me it will be sdb1 but it depends on how many drives you have so it might be sdc, etc.

    2. Mount it (assuming it is sdb1)
    Code:
    sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
    Now your /mnt folder points to the USB drive.

    3. Make a folder your USB drive
    Code:
    mkdir /mnt/home_backup
    this should run without sudo, but if you have a problem with permissions, just add sudo.

    4. Copy your files
    Code:
    cp /home /mnt/home_backup -R
    -R = recursively, i.e. go into all subdirectories and copy them and the files in them too

    5. If you want to unplug your USB drive before shutting down the system run
    Code:
    sudo umount /mnt
    to safely unmount the drive.

    6. Before you wipe out your hard drive, make sure that everything was indeed copied to your usb drive. Better safe then sorry.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Lake Placid, Florida, USA
    Beans
    2,019
    Distro
    Xubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr

    Re: How To Back up from recovery mode

    Can't you just use the "live" cd and mount the partition and copy to usb?

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