Backups never works. Why?

[speartip]

Stock up to date install of Ubuntu 20.04. I always backup my files, usually using Areca, however it seems that this is no longer maintained. Over the past 10 years or so I have been wanting to use the Backup utility that is installed with Ubuntu, but in all that time I have never got it to work. My Files seem to Backup OK to my External Drive, but every time I test a restore, either single files through Nautilus or a full restore to a test folder it always fails with the message, "Restore Failed, failed with an unknown error". What am I doing wrong?

[maglin2]

I don't know - but it looks like the same thing I must have beeen doing. I gave up and now use Back in Time or Luckybackup.

[HermanAB]

Just use rsync and make your own script for it.

[speartip]

Just use rsync and make your own script for it.

I have done that in the past, but I like the idea of Deja-dup, where all backups are encrypted, & single files can be restored within Nautilus. I have Googled around & this issue seems to be more prevalent than I thought. I hope others aren't relying on this, then getting a nasty shock when a restore is needed. It makes me wonder why this is the default backup utility, when it seems to cause problems for so many.

[zebra2]

Lucky Backup for me. It is just a frontend for rsysc but I have never been able to script rsync to do exactly what LuckyBackup does well. Plus all backups look exactly like the original file structure so easily handled with nautilus. It also works well with Wayland. I used rsync back when LuckyBackup was barfing at Wayland. By the time I got pretty good writing the scripts for every computer in the house Lucky was back in business and less of a bother for a point and click person like myself. I suspect that rsync is hiding underneath most of these backup programs though.

[HermanAB]

If you want multiple backups without wasting space, see this:
https://www.aeronetworks.ca/2019/08/...de-simple.html

[rbmorse]

If you're going to do that, take a look at rdiff-backup. Takes care of all the monkey motion with differential backups and you can keep as many versions as you want. Very network and script friendly (even I can do it!).

I've also decided I like using include and exclude lists with rsync-backup. Makes adapting to configuration changes very easy, but pay attention to the way rdiff-backup assigns priorities to argument statements.

[TheFu]

rdiff-backup is what I use for the last decade. Restored a few systems every few years. Was using rsync before and back-in-time. Both are fine, but not as efficient as rdiff-backup. rdiff-backup is like an efficient rsync, deigned for versioned backup use.

I do not backup everything, just the stuff needed to put the system back within 30-45 minutes. Usually keep 90 - 180 days of versioned backups for each system. Most runs take 2-5 minutes to complete the daily backup.
Anyways, start simple: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....2#post13973172 has a short backup script.

[kurt18947]

My needs are pretty simple - single user nothing complex - so I copy the folders in /home that contain consequential files. I've been using luckybackup but may experiment with grsync. I wasn't sure luckybackup was still maintained, it sounds like it is.

[dragonfly41]

I know that there are dozens of threads advising use of grsync, rsync, rdiff-backup, luckybackup, Timeshift ... ...
But I follow a simple practice of using Krusader as my twin-panel command centre for many operations.
Right now I am going through the process of copying folders from 18.04 into a newly installed 20.04 on separate SSD's.
Because many apps have changed in 20.04 I selectively copy content from source to destination and sometimes just install apps afresh.
It is not as simple as copying $HOME in entirety, There are also /etc, /opt, /var and hidden files.
So I setup Krusader twin panels as left>source .. right>destination
Select (highlight) the folder in left panel
then just hit F5 Copy.
If I want to synchronise folders I can use synchroniser tool.
https://docs.kde.org/trunk5/en/extra...chronizer.html

I use Krusader useractions for several operations.
http://www.owl.homeip.net/manuals/ap...eractions.html

One interesting example is using Krusader useraction to run meld to compare two folders.
This is the command I created in a custom useraction (toolbar > Useractions > Manage useractions):
meld %lPath% %rPath%

Just another workflow to add to the rich list of options. But twin panel managers are not often discussed (because they are GUI I guess).