Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Archived topics about LMDE 1 and LMDE 2
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

Viking, i want to do the Oneiric instruction for the qt4-fsa project. I think the more people get the possibility to use it,
the better for the project. I am grateful for this program and it's not too much work writing a second instruction. I already
have 75% of the Oneiric v., do a bicykle tour with my dog now and when i'm back home it's finished for a first check.

Brian, i don't know if it makes sense to create the howto as a web page. Decide it yourself please. I think the best what we can
do for now is, test and discuss it in order to make it more well known. And no, Steve is not the developer, he is one of us, the
xircon :D

With the creation of a Live CD, that are only thoughts until now. My technical abilities are very limited. But since i use Linux
i could realise all i wanted.

Edit: The Oneiric Live CD is horrable. For slow connections unusable if you want to change the language. Because language files
must be downloaded first. That takes ages with small broadband. After changing the language you get a horrable language mix.
Not all apps are translated and in windows some sentences are in german, some are english. I recommend to use the Maverick v.
Last edited by Gerd50 on Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

Videos of backing up a partition.
Low resolution size 29MB http://lin.me.uk/mint/videos/qt4-fsarchiver-low-res.mp4
Low resolution zipped size 21 MB http://lin.me.uk/mint/videos/qt4-fsarch ... mp4.tar.gz

High resolution size 133 MB http://lin.me.uk/mint/videos/qt4-fsarchiver.mp4
High resolution zipped size 117 MB http://lin.me.uk/mint/videos/qt4-fsarchiver.mp4.tar.gz

I'll make a restore video next but I think your average guy will only be running one linux system so a live DVD is a must.
I'll get a live DVD together first and then make a video of using it with a link to download the iso.
viking777

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by viking777 »

Edit: The Oneiric Live CD is horrable. For slow connections unusable if you want to change the language. Because language files
must be downloaded first. That takes ages with small broadband. After changing the language you get a horrable language mix.
Not all apps are tanslated and in windows some sentences are in german, some are english. I recommand to use the Maverick v.
Thanks for that Gerd, I thought it was just me having problems with the language, but the situation you describe is exactly what I experienced. I think I will take your advice and switch to the Maverick version and try again.

Cheers and Happy Christmas :D
maxibuntu

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Post by maxibuntu »

Removed
Last edited by maxibuntu on Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

Thanks Brian and Maxibuntu. Video help links and Debian 6.0 package fix added to the howto :)
viking777

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by viking777 »

OK, at last I have managed to produce a fully UK localised version of the qt4-fsarchiver live cd/usb. If you want to do the same this is how you do it. It might not be the best way to do this but at least it is one way - I am posting from it now.

I already assume you have a live version of qt4-fsarchiver but it is in German and you want it in English. In the opening post on this thread, Gerd50 has already given instructions as to how to change localisations for both 'archiver' itself and the ubuntu maverick version it runs from (as he says please do not bother with the oneiric version unless you read German).

One thing that is missing from Gerd's excellent 'how-to' (and he probably wouldn't have noticed this, neither did I until I tried posting on this forum from the live medium), and that is that despite all the customisations that Gerd has listed, at the end of it all you are still left with a German keyboard. Luckily this is easy to fix. Hit 'System/Preferences/Keyboard and go to the 'Layouts' tab. In here click 'Add' and then from the 'Country' menu scroll down to the UK keyboard layout and click 'Add' then click 'Apply System-Wide' followed by 'close'.

Having done this you are now ready to make your UK localised iso.

*Your next step is to go to 'System/Administration/Remastersys Backup. At this point what you do depends on what cd/dvd/usbkey you have used to install the qt4-fsarchiver iso onto in the first place. If you have used either a dvd-rw or a usbkey of 4Gb or above then you will probably be OK. If like me you have used a 1Gb or 2Gb usbkey or a cd-rw, then you wont be. I have to say that this is the first time I have ever used remastersys and I have read precious little of their help files, so maybe I have missed something about compression, but all I can tell you is that after I had competed this procedure the resulting iso file was 1.7Gb in size which is huge, but that is what it turned out to be, so unless you know remastersys better than I do, then that is what you have to live with. If you have installed to something smaller than that, then I have included a section at the end of this post as to how to get around that limitation for now, but eventually you are going to need something of that size. So from this point on I will assume that your live media is either a 4Gb usbkey or a dvd-rw. If it is smaller than these then you need to read the workround at the end of the post BEFORE you continue.

Your next step then (if your media is large enough) is to login to remastersys (password = ubuntu) and select 'Backup'. You will get a warning that you must close down any open windows etc. so do that then click OK. In the window that appears click the first entry 'Backup' followed by 'OK' and then wait for your backup to be completed, which will take some time. Having done this you need to move the completed iso file somewhere more permanent as you are going to erase the contents of the existing media fairly soon now, and you will need root privileges to do this.

Next shut down the live ubuntu and reboot to a distro on your hard drive. Now use unetbootin or your dvd burning tool to write the iso you have just made to whatever media you want, but remember again that it must be large enough to accommodate the huge remastersys iso.

You should now have a UK localised live version of ubuntu with qt4-fsarchiver. Like I said before, there may be a better way, but I haven't found it yet.

Workround for those with live media with a capacity less than 4Gb

Go back to the paragraph above starting with a *.
Instead of clicking on 'Backup' here you need to click on the menu item marked 'Modify' then press OK. Then click on item 'd' - 'Working directory =' followed by OK. Change the working directory from the default to a directory which is mounted and writeable in Ubuntu (any of your hard drive partitions or external drives should be OK as long as they have at least 3Gb of space available). Click Ok again and continue where you left off. You now have the advantage that you don't have to move your iso file after it has been produced.

And that is it.

BTW. If any of you know of a site willing to host fies of this size (1.7Gb - without payment :) ) I would happily upload it and save others the bother that I had in making it. My Dropbox account doesn't have the room to host something of that size.
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

Question
Does it matter what Linux/Debian flavor the rescue media runs under as long as it's easy to use?

I've been shrinking a Squeeze based XFCE distro down by reducing apps etc.
I've got it down to 702 MB if it's of any interest i'll post a link after it's uploaded.
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

Easy to use is the main thing Brian. A Squeeze based XFCE is a good choice i think. Of course a link is of interest. I just thought
about adding Vikings great frickelwork to the howto. Thanks for it Viking. But a link would be better in order to keep the howto
as short as possible. Is it possible to cut some more MB? Down to 698 MB in order to make it burnable on a normal 700 MB CD?
Without the need of, i don't know what Übergrösse brennen in english is, burn oversize?
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

If I get rid of Firefox it will fit easily on a cd but this is my first try i think i can improve a lot.

another hour to go uploading :D

I think it's good to show folk how to do it for those that want to learn.

Anything you post on this thread gets buried quite quickly, the place for tutorials for all mint distros is here http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewforum.php?f=42

I suggest polishing up the first post and when complete create a new thread there.
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

hmm, FF should be on a qt4-fsa CD i think. But what about an installer, it's not needed or? Ok, i have no knowledge about all that.
As i said, for me it would be a January project. You are a very fast man :D

Yes, your suggestion to move the howto to the general tutorial area is a good idea. But remember, the qt4-fsa project is a
project in development. Nobody knows, what will happen with it the next year. As long as we don't have a package in any
repos it would be too early for a tutorial i think. Maybe with the progress of development there are a lot of changes to do.
xircon

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by xircon »

Definitely need a browser, what about midori?
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

Lean and Mean is the way,
this is the base install,
you can always bloat it after but
it's only job is to restore fsarchivers backups.

edit
I've been messing with another rescue iso and it's around 670 MB with firefox installed but I haven't played with the firefox profile yet.
down to 638 MB now :D
easy to customize your own copy to.
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

I've started on the restore CD, I've made it as small as I can so now it's time to add features to it.

I've got a language option that I think will be OK but what languages to include? I don't think you need us and uk for instance
What languages please, less is best because of the size limits of the CD
Image
Would it be good to have these wireless driver debs in the cd if size permits and how important is it?
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

On Parted Magic i found english, italian, spanish, french, japanes, chinese, german. I think it's a good choice. German is
not necessary, german users can use one of the ubuntu cd's. With the wireless drivers, if FF is on the cd, wd drivers are
needed i think.

I added Viking's howto produce a fully UK localised version of the qt4-fsarchiver live cd/usb to the HowTo. As long as
we don't have an 'own' Live CD available, it's the best way to work with qt4-fsa for those who have a single boot system.
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

Gerd50 wrote:On Parted Magic i found english, italian, spanish, french, japanes, chinese, german.
I think it's a good choice. German is
With the wireless drivers, if FF is on the cd, wd drivers are needed i think.
are "wd drivers" wireless drivers?
As long as
we don't have an 'own' Live CD available, it's the best way to work with qt4-fsa for those who have a single boot system.
I don't understand, Image

Are you saying that qt4-fsarchiver on the restore iso I PM'ed you a link to did not work?

I think :roll: if you create a distro install iso it's smaller than if you snapshot a working system.

I want to create a restore + iso but only once so I want to get the base right and I think that Saline (Debian Stable) is the base and go from there
so I will make a post or PM the developer soon

When the base is decided I want to put a customized desktop together including custom menus with an example to show folk how to make their own menus with video.I haven't used or looked at the new Shell Shell or Unity but at least they have started to use the desktop instead of leaving a big empty space to fill with graffiti.

ikey mentioned doing a new shell, i'd love to chat with him
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

are "wd drivers" wireless drivers?
Yes, wireless drivers.
Are you saying that qt4-fsarchiver on the restore iso I PM'ed you a link to did not work?
No, i did not say that. Your qt4-fsa restore cd works :D

But until now the people who have one system installed and don't have your cd, need a Live CD such as the Ubuntu Maverick v.
we were talking about. And it is in german. Viking described how to produce an english Maverick CD. I added the description
to the HowTo for those, who don't want to wait for your rescue cd.
Last edited by Gerd50 on Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
ukbrian

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by ukbrian »

No, i did not say that. Your qt4-fsa restore cd works :D
Thank you, i'm a bit thick sometimes, maybe a lot thick. :D
But until now the people who have one system installed and don't have your cd, need a Live CD such as the Ubuntu Maverick v.
we where talking about. And it is in german. Viking described how to produce an english Maverick CD. I added the description
to the HowTo for those, who don't want to wait for your rescue cd.
No problem, I understand now but more haste less speed sometimes.
I wish they had done a gui for clonezilla as being able to backup xp vista and win7 ntfs partitions is of importance.

It's also a shame but I can't find where the gui devs hang out to make some suggestions because i know nothing about qt is it?.
wowjustwow

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by wowjustwow »

Thanks for the tutorial, Gerd50. I switch the repos I'm tracking and things went horribly bad and ruined my partition. Just prior to switching, I used your tutorial to install qt4-fsarchiver and make a backup. It was easy to do. :D

I have to use Windows every couple of months, so I keep it on my other bootable partition. Rather than trying a LiveCD to restore, I did a minimal WUBI install on the Windows partition and installed qt4-fsarchiver in it. I was then able to restore my LMDE partition in a few minutes.
Gerd50

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by Gerd50 »

Thanks for the good news wowjustwow. I'll add your wubi experience to the HowTo :D
xircon

Re: Backup/Restore Partitions with qt4-fsarchiver HowTo

Post by xircon »

:evil: Just spent two hours trying to get wubi to work, everything appears OK, but I get no boot menu, it just boots straight to win7, give up, uninstalling, going to bed Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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