So near but so far !

[Baldlygo]

I'm not sure where to post my problem so I will start here.

I now run a nearly perfect OS (Mint 10) on my eeepc via an 8G pendrive - but one thing really bugs me - Configuration Backup.

I am worried I screw up my pendrive along with the hours of configuration that I have put into it. I thought it would be a simple process to backup the entire Pendrive using WinXP and then copy it back to a different 8G Pendrive. In fact this is exactly what I did at the beginning and had two Pendrives the same - both worked fine. After adding various apps succesfully I tried the same method again but this time it refuses to boot correctly. The only difference is that I am trying to add mint on a mint pendrive whereas I had easypeasy on the drive that worked ok in the first instance.

Having failed I have read around a lot re cloneing USB drives and backing up to a Buffalo Linkstation share (which shows in Nautilus but not in Backup or Backup in time). I do not want to buy another copy of Acronis (which would work well). I would buy a bigger and faster SD but if I added the extra cost of cloneing software I might as well buy a brand new and bigger netbook instead.

So if I can't backup directly to my Network drive can I get away with just backing up certain files and folders which store all my settings. Then I could create an entirely new mint on another pendrive and just copy back those to restore my settings? I guess this should be in the support forums but which one?

Ever hopeful - Paul

[viking777]

Don't waste your money on Acronis that is for sure. As brilliant as it is on Windows (and it is superb on that platform) it is really second rate with Linux (unless you buy their server edition which will cost you more than a high spec computer!) I used to use Acronis but I had to give up with it eventually.

The normal solution to imaging linux is Clonezilla, although I have no idea how well it clones USB installs (or even if it does that at all, but I imagine it would). I have only ever used it on hard disk partitions where it works well apart from the horrible user interface that you have to suffer to use it. You could try that, it is completely free.

There are also free windows imaging tools, this is one I read about recently:

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

It doesn't specifically say it images Linux partitions but it says it has "Linux based recovery options." which could mean anything. Obviously not being a windows user I have no experience of this solution.

[Baldlygo]

Thanks viking777 - I looked at Clonezilla but found it too scarey Having spent hours looking into this I conclude that I will just run the risk of failures and disasters. It might only take 1 hour to install all my pendrive settings and preferences from scratch anyway. I have also installed EasyPeasy on my spare Pendrive and am using it now to post this.

I will keep an eye out for a solution for using Back in Time to my network drive.

Paul

[wayne128]

Well, even simpler.. yet sound scary too. dd command

you can use dd command in Linux to clone the whole USB flash to another USB flash with the same or larger capacity.

[viking777]

Well, even simpler.. yet sound scary too. dd command

you can use dd command in Linux to clone the whole USB flash to another USB flash with the same or larger capacity.

Of course, why not dd?

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dd if=/dev/sdb of=/dev/sdc

Is not too scary is it?

The only thing you need to do is to make absolutely sure that sdb is the key you want to copy from and sdc is the key you want to copy to, get it wrong and you will erase all the data on your usb key Please note the above command is NOT a copy and paste job, it is just an example, you have to supply the correct device addresses for your usb keys, the best way to do that is to open a terminal and run the command

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tail /var/log/messages

then plug in the full usb key and read the output, you will see a message something like this:

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Mar  1 16:14:52 acer kernel: [ 1837.406003]  sdc: sdc1

So /dev/sdc is the address that I would need for the first part of the dd command - yours will probably not be the same.

Then repeat with the empty usb key and note its address.

Then type Ctl/c to end the 'tail' command then run the dd command as above but with the correct addresses. (If it says you don't have permission just stick 'sudo' in front of the dd command. I can't remember if it needs it or not).

dd is not as clever as clonezilla in that it copies everything, even empty space (which is why you can't use it to clone to a smaller drive) This means it takes longer but that is not a real problem for a usb key.

Thanks Wayne - good suggestion.