Howto: Backup and restore your system!

[crazybear]

Thanks. Sorry, if this is on an inappropriate thread. I had started my own...waited several days...but had NO responses and NO access to Ubuntu [now it is several weeks]...so looked around for another thread I though was on the same topic. Sorry, if that was not true. Are there not moderators to move things around. I'll not post here further...but go back to my own thread and wait. I'll try out what you suggest. I hope it works. Hard to believe that with an install CD one can get in and change any Ubuntu system. in this case, however, it is most welcome. Again sorry and again thanks.

- NB, yes, I know there is a community here and I have used it a few times before. Sometimes with success and sometimes without. As I said, I had a local older man who had spent his entire life programming Linux who had often walked the few blocks over to assist me. Sadly, he has died, and sadly he was SO far advanced and so quick at the terminal [he did everything in the terminal] he often did things that I couldn't understand or even keep apace with. Now I'll cut and past some of this back to my thread and hope it works out.

[crazybear]

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[crazybear]

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[UsernameIsInUse]

Usefull, thanks!

[hub_cap]

I backed up my system using:

sudo tar cvpzf /media/Ubuntu_2_Backup/12.04LTS-backup-`date +%F`.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/backup.tgz --exclude=/media --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys --exclude=/home/fred/Downloads /

I am attemping to restore a broken system using a Live CD, with the following commands.

cd /

sudo tar xvpfz /media/Ubuntu_2_Backup/12.04LTS-backup-2012-05-06.tgz -C /

The backup is not going to my internal partition.

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x30683067

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 88132574 44066256 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 88133630 312580095 112223233 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 88133632 190579094 51222731+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 303372288 312580095 4603904 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 190579158 242915327 26168085 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 242917376 303370239 30226432 83 Linux

Where sda5 in my Ubuntu and sda1 is windows xp.

What command do I use to reinstall the backup on to the proper partition?

[Jonny87]

I backed up my system using:

sudo tar cvpzf /media/Ubuntu_2_Backup/12.04LTS-backup-`date +%F`.tgz --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/backup.tgz --exclude=/media --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys --exclude=/home/fred/Downloads /

I am attemping to restore a broken system using a Live CD, with the following commands.

cd /

sudo tar xvpfz /media/Ubuntu_2_Backup/12.04LTS-backup-2012-05-06.tgz -C /

The backup is not going to my internal partition.

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x30683067

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 88132574 44066256 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 88133630 312580095 112223233 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 88133632 190579094 51222731+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 303372288 312580095 4603904 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 190579158 242915327 26168085 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 242917376 303370239 30226432 83 Linux

Where sda5 in my Ubuntu and sda1 is windows xp.

What command do I use to reinstall the backup on to the proper partition?

From what I can see, your not far wrong. Except if your running a live CD it will be trying to restore to the root directory of the Live CD session as that's the active system. I'd mount sda5, find where it's mounted (other wise mounted it to a pre-determined dir, e.g. /media/root_drive). Now lets say that it's mounted and it's mounted under "/media/sda5". then you want to use something like the following;

sudo tar xvpfz /media/Ubuntu_2_Backup/12.04LTS-backup-2012-05-06.tgz -C /media/sda5

This is all based on the fact that sda5 is the partition that want for root. you'll also need to continue on and update grub etc.

[gflam]

I'm looking to install some software on my computer which last time caused me some issues on my system. I'm currently running Ubuntu 12.04 on my new laptop which now for the most part is setup completely how i'd like it. I'm looking now to install some things like bumble bee the nvidia optimus support that we now have on linux however last time i went messing with nvidia it really messed up some stuff with unity. If i preform this backup using a tar and put it on an external hard drive and in the worst case situation i mess my system up bad and wish to just reinstall Ubuntu and restore the tar would everything then be set up the same like desktop icons, remapped keyboard keys, programs etc

How thorough would this be. I assume this is going to be sufficient just want to be safe and again obviously worst case scenario just want to make sure i'm covered as i have a lot set up on my machine for work

[newb85]

I'm looking to install some software on my computer which last time caused me some issues on my system. I'm currently running Ubuntu 12.04 on my new laptop which now for the most part is setup completely how i'd like it. I'm looking now to install some things like bumble bee the nvidia optimus support that we now have on linux however last time i went messing with nvidia it really messed up some stuff with unity. If i preform this backup using a tar and put it on an external hard drive and in the worst case situation i mess my system up bad and wish to just reinstall Ubuntu and restore the tar would everything then be set up the same like desktop icons, remapped keyboard keys, programs etc

How thorough would this be. I assume this is going to be sufficient just want to be safe and again obviously worst case scenario just want to make sure i'm covered as i have a lot set up on my machine for work

The backup would include absolutely everything. However, I would not reinstall before restoring. Instead, if your tinkering goes poorly, use a live CD (or USB) to erase the contents of your Ubuntu partition. Then, from the live CD run the restore command. Please note the last post by Jonny87.

[gflam]

Okay thank you that's what i figured just thought i'd ask the stupid question just to be sure ha i'll run this tonight and tomorrow will go messing with my system

[Jonny87]

I'm looking to install some software on my computer which last time caused me some issues on my system. I'm currently running Ubuntu 12.04 on my new laptop which now for the most part is setup completely how i'd like it. I'm looking now to install some things like bumble bee the nvidia optimus support that we now have on linux however last time i went messing with nvidia it really messed up some stuff with unity. If i preform this backup using a tar and put it on an external hard drive and in the worst case situation i mess my system up bad and wish to just reinstall Ubuntu and restore the tar would everything then be set up the same like desktop icons, remapped keyboard keys, programs etc

How thorough would this be. I assume this is going to be sufficient just want to be safe and again obviously worst case scenario just want to make sure i'm covered as i have a lot set up on my machine for work

Correct, everything will be 100% identical. Though sometimes in my experience that restoring is the hardest part. If you have any doubt read some more of this thread to get the full picture and consider doing a test run on a spare machine (if you have one) or in VirtualBox. Other wise if your still really not sure, download a copy of Clonezilla and clone the entire HDD. Feel free to contact me via PM or posting on here if you want more help on this.