Howto: Backup and restore your system!

[jbiggs12]

Since you get the splashscreen, a grub issue is less likely the culprit, it sounds more like an fstab issue, I ran into something similar the day I moved from a dual-boot windows-ubuntu to a reformatted ubuntu-only hdd.

Things that could be useful to know:

* Did you include /etc/fstab in your backup?
* Could you provide more details on the backup circumstances:
- did you make changes to the partition table?
- other things you could think might have had an implication.
- what made you have to use your backup? (wrong deletion of some files/folders, unbootable system,...)
* Also the output of: "sudo fdisk -l" and "cat /etc/fstab"

Welcome to the hard-learning method...

I included everything when I restored the backup. I made no changes to the partition table; there was simply a problem with my computer suspending, so I figured that it'd be simple to restore the computer to what it had been about a day ago (when I tried to suspend it, the suspend light would just keep blinking and it would never actually suspend. I'm on a lenovo thinkpad x61t.). I followed the instructions to the letter. Now that I think about it, though, when I started up the system it flashes for a brief second that it's unable to find a certain disk, then goes straight into the GRUB menu. Could it be the fact that I formatted the drive, made a clean install, copied the files, and then it didn't boot because it didn't know that it was on a different drive? Here's the outputs you wanted, btw:

sudo fdisk -l:

Disk /dev/sda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf635030e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        4524    36338998+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2           11901       12161     2096452    5  Extended
/dev/sda3            9562       11900    18787328   83  Linux
/dev/sda4            4525        9561    40459702+   b  W95 FAT32
/dev/sda5           11901       12161     2096451   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

cat /etc/fstab:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=1154102c-e38e-441f-90ea-50505ea2a37b /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=603e8cba-ec9d-4b48-ab7a-0053b469c25f none            swap    sw              0       0
# swap was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
UUID=db6ffbe0-375d-4f53-b3c7-e0c446173638 none            swap    sw              0       0

[El_Belgicano]

Okay, from what I see, "cat/etc/fstab" reports 2 swap partition, while your "sudo fdisk -l" only has 1.
By reformatting, it is quite probable you have compromised your /etc/fstab...

Can you post the output of "ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid", that will enable us to check the disk UUID's you have on your disks and compare them with the ones you have in your /etc/fstab.

We'll get you out of there...

[jbiggs12]

Okay, from what I see, "cat/etc/fstab" reports 2 swap partition, while your "sudo fdisk -l" only has 1.
By reformatting, it is quite probable you have compromised your /etc/fstab...

Can you post the output of "ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid", that will enable us to check the disk UUID's you have on your disks and compare them with the ones you have in your /etc/fstab.

We'll get you out of there...

I also have a truecrypt volume. Would that show up on one thing, but not the other? Just wondering.

ls -l /dev/disk/by/uuid:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Aug  9 21:25 1154102c-e38e-441f-90ea-50505ea2a37b -> ../../sda3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Aug  9 21:25 603e8cba-ec9d-4b48-ab7a-0053b469c25f -> ../../sda5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Aug  9 21:25 7A34D1BD34D17C97 -> ../../sda1

[El_Belgicano]

At first, you could try to modify the following in your /etc/fstab, using "sudo nano /etc/fstab" or from a LiveCD.

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=1154102c-e38e-441f-90ea-50505ea2a37b /               ext4    relatime,errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=603e8cba-ec9d-4b48-ab7a-0053b469c25f none            swap    sw              0       0
# swap was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
#UUID=db6ffbe0-375d-4f53-b3c7-e0c446173638 none            swap    sw              0       0

Then reboot.

[jbiggs12]

At first, you could try to modify the following in your /etc/fstab, using "sudo nano /etc/fstab" or from a LiveCD.

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=1154102c-e38e-441f-90ea-50505ea2a37b /               ext4    relatime,errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=603e8cba-ec9d-4b48-ab7a-0053b469c25f none            swap    sw              0       0
# swap was on /dev/sdb2 during installation
#UUID=db6ffbe0-375d-4f53-b3c7-e0c446173638 none            swap    sw              0       0

Then reboot.

Thanks! Will do.

[anhtunguyen89]

Hi all,
I'm using Lucid for learning Linux as a new user.
I'm getting more into linux commands and find out it's really powerful.
Now, my real problem is:
1. I'm installing linux in my extended harddisk as portable system, i've just done some upgrades for the system and installed some apps.
2. And now i want to move it to my local harddisk (of my laptop), which is having windowxp installed on.

My way of thought is:
1. Backup all things
2. Make new partition for the linux system on local harddisk. (this step i can do easily with partition apps)
3. Restore to the new partition
4. Install GRUB and config to make the dual boot.

But the details i dont think i'll do with ease. I just hope someone here can help me out?
This must be a extreme lesson for me.

[pro003]

I would recommend you to use some cloning tool such as clonezilla or similar. Parted magic boot live cd has some tools for cloning, if you are little bit familiar with these softwares.

[anhtunguyen89]

Hi all,
I'm using Lucid for learning Linux as a new user.
I'm getting more into linux commands and find out it's really powerful.
Now, my real problem is:
1. I'm installing linux in my extended harddisk as portable system, i've just done some upgrades for the system and installed some apps.
2. And now i want to move it to my local harddisk (of my laptop), which is having windowxp installed on.

My way of thought is:
1. Backup all things
2. Make new partition for the linux system on local harddisk. (this step i can do easily with partition apps)
3. Restore to the new partition
4. Install GRUB and config to make the dual boot.

But the details i dont think i'll do with ease. I just hope someone here can help me out?
This must be a extreme lesson for me.

I'm considering the other way:

1. Make new partition
2. Install new linux system on
3. Restore at this point

I think that it's easier to follow this way, right?

[pro003]

I guess it's ok, you could do that if you have properly backed up your previous installation...

[sembagdod]

Thank you, the instruction are very clear and interesting to read..