Aspire One full backup

As usual with my servers, I wanted to make a full backup of my new Aspire One. So, I made a new directory /backup and made the usual command with TAR as root:

cd /

tar -czpPlf /backup/backup-total-date.tgz --directory / --ignore-failed-read --exclude=backup --exclude=mnt --exclude=proc .


Which should have saved the complete hard drive, less the excluded directory.

I did a check on the tar archive to see if everything was there, because I had the problem with some TAR version before, and no surprise, it was incomplete, missing many important directories like /etc /boot /root /usr.

Version of TAR was 1.7, so upgrade with yum to 1.7.7, redid the check and still the same problem.

Downloaded the latest TAR version 1.20, installed it and it fixed the problem.

If you upgrade TAR to 1.20, make sure you replace the original TAR file from /bin. Save the original first. Make a link to the new file:

ln -s /usr/local/bin/tar tar

Just follow the standard instruction in the TAR INSTALL file.

You can also install a bash command file to automate, here is the code:

#start of code
#!/bin/bash

if [ "$1" = "" ]; then

echo "need file name of the form: backup-date.tgz"

exit

fi

cd /

tar -czpPlf /backup/$1 --directory / --ignore-failed-read --exclude=backup --exclude=mnt --exclude=proc .
#end of code


Don't forget the dot at the end of the command and make the file executable with chmod 755

Love my new Aspire One, which can be completed easily with the Add/Remove Software or YUM. Anything I need is there. Only problem is connecting to my networked Lexmark E250d, the foomatic driver seems inappropriate. Printer start but the error light goes on and no printing. I can live with that.

Have fun,

Pierre Forget