Howto: Backup and restore your system!

[sofasurfer]

I started using the tar command to backup to /media/sdb1. When I would browse to /media/sdb1 I would see a tar.tgz file. I then managed to trash my system because I got my drives mixed up. So I then the package, pysdm, a storage device manager.

I don't know if this has anything to do with this or not, but now when I save a tar to /media/sdb1 and then browse to /media/sdb1 I see a complete copy of my file system NOT A COMPRESSED FILE. Why? Shouldn't the file system by compressed?

Here is the command I used after 'sudo su'...

tar cvpzf fresh-install-backup.tgz.07.01.08 --exclude=/proc/* --exclude=/lost+found/* --exclude=/mnt/* --exclude=/sys/* --exclude=/media/sdb1/* /

[jmz2]

Thanks to all for making this trhead that has helped me a lot.

However I need to now if I must worry about the 'socket ignored' error that I am receiving after the tar execution.

The translation is:
el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta ----> socket ignored

This is the error message:

/bin/tar: /dev/log: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7586/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7586/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7586/testAutomation-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7586/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7586/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7586/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30701/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30701/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30701/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30701/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30701/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30701/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19179/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19179/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19179/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19179/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19179/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19179/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/13286/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/13286/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/13286/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/13286/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/13286/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/13286/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/28293/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/28293/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/28293/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/28293/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/28293/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/28293/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19301/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19301/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19301/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19301/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19301/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/19301/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31761/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31761/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31761/testAutomation-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31761/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31761/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31761/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/testAutomation-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/3263/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31751/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31751/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31751/testAutomation-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31751/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31751/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/31751/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7594/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7594/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7594/testAutomation-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7594/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7594/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/7594/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/8926/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/8926/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/8926/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/8926/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/8926/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/8926/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30059/vmx-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30059/servercontrol-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30059/remoteDevice-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30059/mks-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30059/ui-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/user1/30059/control-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/server-vmxvmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/nfc-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/vmx-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/fsserver-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/server-vcvmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/server-vmdb-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmware/root/15999/server-fd: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta
/bin/tar: /var/run/vmnat.19970: el `socket' no se tendrá en cuenta

Thanks for your help.

[scorp123]

I don't know if this has anything to do with this or not, but now when I save a tar to /media/sdb1 and then browse to /media/sdb1 I see a complete copy of my file system NOT A COMPRESSED FILE. Why? Shouldn't the file system by compressed?

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean. You do get a tar.gz file, yes? So there you go, that's your compressed archive.

[scorp123]

However I need to now if I must worry about the 'socket ignored' error that I am receiving after the tar execution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_domain_socket

In other words: "sockets" are temporary files used by programs that need to talk to each other. Copying them is pretty much pointless (sockets are virtual files and there is no content that could be saved) and that's why "tar" is ignoring them.

Should you crash your system and restore everything from backups you only have to worry about getting your programs back running. Guessing from the many references to "vmx" I suppose this is VMware? So you'd restore your system, get VMware and the guest OS's running again ... and those "socket" files will be recreated dynamically as needed once the relevant processes are running and start talking to each other again.

[imolafem]

Do you mind sharing how this would be scheduled in cron for nightly backups?

[scorp123]

Do you mind sharing how this would be scheduled in cron for nightly backups?

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto

[imolafem]

Thanks, that is a good start. But what I'd like to do is do a full backup every night of the week to a different file per night of the week. Then Monday's gets overwritten the following Monday. So how do I write the crontab stuff with what variables to accomplish that?

[imolafem]

Thanks, that is a good start. But what I'd like to do is do a full backup every night of the week to a different file per night of the week. Then Monday's gets overwritten the following Monday. So how do I write the crontab stuff with what variables to accomplish that?

Just thought I'd show you guys what I put in crontab:

amanda@kubuntu804:~$ sudo crontab -l
# m h  dom mon dow   command
 01 0   * * 0   tar cvpzf /archive/sun.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 1   tar cvpzf /archive/mon.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 2   tar cvpzf /archive/tue.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 3   tar cvpzf /archive/wed.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 4   tar cvpzf /archive/thu.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 5   tar cvpzf /archive/fri.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 6   tar cvpzf /archive/sat.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
amanda@kubuntu804:~$

Hope it works =)

[scorp123]

Just thought I'd show you guys what I put in crontab:

amanda@kubuntu804:~$ sudo crontab -l
# m h  dom mon dow   command
 01 0   * * 0   tar cvpzf /archive/sun.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 1   tar cvpzf /archive/mon.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 2   tar cvpzf /archive/tue.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 3   tar cvpzf /archive/wed.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 4   tar cvpzf /archive/thu.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 5   tar cvpzf /archive/fri.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
 01 0   * * 6   tar cvpzf /archive/sat.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /
amanda@kubuntu804:~$

Hope it works =)

I guess this could be simplified. Take a look at the manual page of the "date" command:

man date

... Here we can see that e.g. a command such as

date +%a

... would spit out the day of the week. Example:

> date +%a
Thu

So instead of repeating the same command seven times, you could replace it with this one command:

 tar cvpzf /archive/`date +%a`.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /

... just make sure it gets executed every day, e.g.

 01 0   * * *  tar cvpzf /archive/`date +%a`.backup.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/archive --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /

[Elderlygent]

Hi there,

Thanks to Heliode I backed up my Home directory and I'm very glad I did. It's on a cd.

Now that I've zapped my old home changing from Gutsy up to Hardy, how do I go about getting the stuff off the disk and into my new /home?

I've tried messing about with the Terminal, but I'm really not very good at it, sorry.

LATER: I've worked out how to do it.