Files for a tar (FC3)

[Mogens Kjaer]

Daniel Vogel wrote:
> For a few days i've trying to figure out how to make backup of my machine.
> 
> Since i have to duplicate it, i thought on tar'ing directories so i can 
> store untar them on the other mahcine, (wich is far away from this one) 
> and store it to have a safe copy.
> 
> But i still cannot tar var directory. In particular i have lots of 
> problems with /var/named/chroot/proc wich is filled with an incredible 
> ammount of stuff, like:
...
> 
> The question is, is there any of this files-directories that i can erase 
> to make a tar? by now im having problems with some files from the 
> -number- directories like:
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 root root 0 sep 12 01:57 exe
> wich is not linked to anything
> 
> what can i do?

It looks like the /proc file system, don't try to back up this!

Make a backup of one file system at a time, e.g. separate backups
of /boot and /.

Use the "-l" option to tar to make it stay in the same file system:

tar cvlSf /dev/nrtape /boot
tar cvlSf /dev/nrtape /
etc.

It will complain about the leading /, this can be ignored.

The "-S" option makes tar handle sparse files more efficiently,
the file /var/log/lastlog is an example of this:

# tar cf /tmp/test1.tar /var/log/lastlog
# tar cSf /tmp/test2.tar /var/log/lastlog
# ls -l /tmp/test*.tar
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 603996160 Sep 12 08:17 /tmp/test1.tar
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     10240 Sep 12 08:17 /tmp/test2.tar

Mogens

PS: Don't steal another thread when sending mails to
a mailing list.

-- 
Mogens Kjaer, Carlsberg A/S, Computer Department
Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-2500 Valby, Denmark
Phone: +45 33 27 53 25, Fax: +45 33 27 47 08
Email: mk at crc.dk Homepage: http://www.crc.dk