image backup

[papa53921]

Being new to Ubuntu, i downloaded the latest (fawn) system, but can't find out how to do an image backup. need assistance.

[jgrabham]

So do you have an ISO file that you want to put on a CD?

download this - http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm

(MAKE SURE YOU ONLY BURN AT 8X (go on properties the main screen))

[reacocard]

You mean to backup the system after install? Partimage is probably the best image-based system, but you have to run it from the livecd as it can't work on mounted partitions.

My solution to backup is to use rsync to keep a mirror of all the files on my system on my external harddrive. Then if anything goes wrong, I can just boot the livecd and copy the backup in, reinstall grub and I'm good to go. Best part is is that restoring doesn't need any tools other than what Ubuntu already provides, so I don't even need an Internet connection to restore! It also backs up extremely fast since it only transfers changed files, usually less than 10 minutes.

[jgrabham]

Oh right read it again, understand now!

[PetePete]

something like Norton Ghost I presume you mean?

[Polygon]

partimage is really good. ive used it to make backups of my bros ntfs partitions, but of course it works for all of the standard linux filesystems as well

[mech7]

Is there also something like acronis true image under linux? So you can make a image while continue to work?

[Polygon]

you can make a image of a disk/partition while you still use the computer, you just have to have to unmount the disk or partition that your making the image of... or else it wont work

and partimage is just a console program with a little GUI... you can run it on a live cd and surf the internet or whatever while it makes the image of your disk (if your wanting to make a image of the partition that contains the root directory or something)

[reacocard]

you can make a image of a disk/partition while you still use the computer, you just have to have to unmount the disk or partition that your making the image of... or else it wont work

And therein lies the problem. What if you want to backup /, while using it? Partimage can't do that, which is why I use rsync. rsync works perfectly on mounted partitions, is fast and easy to use, and can also do backups across a network. What's not to like?

[runningwithscissors]

And therein lies the problem. What if you want to backup /, while using it? Partimage can't do that, which is why I use rsync. rsync works perfectly on mounted partitions, is fast and easy to use, and can also do backups across a network. What's not to like?
It's not a backup "image". Just a copy of the files on the FS.

@ OP: to back a partition up to an image:
dd if=<partition_device_file> of=<target_image_file>

[daz4126]

It's not a backup "image". Just a copy of the files on the FS.

@ OP: to back a partition up to an image:
dd if=<partition_device_file> of=<target_image_file>


I used

dd if=/dev/sda1 of=/home/daz/hard_drive.img

and it seemed to make an image file.

... but how do I restore this?

DAZ

[x0as]

I use dd from a live cd


dd if=/dev/sda1 of=/mnt/backups/sda1-image

and to restore


dd if=/mnt/backups/sda1-image of=/dev/sda1

I gzip the images for storage, / partition compresses from 3.5gb to 1.9gb.