System tar & restore

tritonas00 · 2013-01-20 13:27:36

Hi !

We are working on this project and we would like to share it with the community.

System tar & restore contains two bash scripts, star.sh and star-gui.sh

The purpose is to make the process of backing up and restoring a full GNU/Linux installation easier using tar or transfer an existing installation using rsync.

-GUI and CLI interfaces
-Creates .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz or .tar archives
-Supports openssl / gpg encryption
-Uses rsync to transfer a running system
-Supports Grub2, Syslinux, EFISTUB/efibootmgr and Systemd/bootctl

Documentation
Stable Releases
Changelog

Last edited by tritonas00 (2016-12-18 19:30:57)

tritonas00 · 2013-01-23 14:12:51

package --> https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/syst … d-restore/

Try it in vbox, a second hard disk or a usb flash drive.

tobias_ · 2013-01-24 18:58:11

This looks handy! I will definitely try this for my root backup.

pmav99 · 2013-02-01 09:24:56

nice!

tritonas00 · 2013-02-18 21:28:24

Demo--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5O_FQ65lo&hd=1

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-08-31 21:04:01)

danraymond · 2013-02-19 02:44:59

Hi,

This looks great, will it work for Ubuntu?

As its for Arch also I can't use the PKGBUILD mehtod to get the scripts. Is there another way for us ubuntites?

Thanks

Dan Raymond

tritonas00 · 2013-02-19 16:54:52

Its just two bash scripts. Download them directly from here http://code.google.com/p/system-tar-and … loads/list and run them.

When restoring, select Debian. It worked for lubuntu.

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Also we are working on a new Transfer Mode which will transfer a running system with rsync in specified partitions, generate fstab and install a bootloader

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-04-08 18:42:55)

danraymond · 2013-02-20 04:39:47

Hi,

Thanks for last post. This really saves me the time I had trying to get this to work myself. Well done!

Restoring to drive and USB is no issue. How can I restore to say Virtual Box?

[edit] When I try to boot from USB its boots okay but gets stuck at login (everything seems owned by ROOT?) Change ownership of my user directory but still keeps going back to login after I enter user name/password - any ideas? I will retry both scripts to see if I did something wrong.

Thanks

Dan

Last edited by danraymond (2013-02-20 10:33:49)

tritonas00 · 2013-02-20 16:46:06

no problem with permissions here.

what filesystem did you use for the usb ?

Also now in git we have a direct Transfer Mode using rsync. No need to do a backup if you just want to tranfer your system.

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-02-20 16:51:20)

danraymond · 2013-02-20 22:45:08

Hey, Transfer mode could be just what I need. How to find in GIT please?

Danny Raymond

tritonas00 · 2013-02-21 00:07:50

install rsync and git packages

then in your terminal:

git clone https://github.com/tritonas00/system-tar-and-restore

It will give you a folder with name system-tar-and-restore with the two scripts inside.

Format your usb as ext2 filesystem.

Then run the restore script and select "Transfer this system with rsync" when prompted.

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-02-21 00:17:01)

danraymond · 2013-02-22 05:34:08

Wow the new transfer mode works a treat on my Bodhi Linux installation. Was able to:

a) transfer to USB (which booted first go) I made partitions first of course, with gparted
b) dd USB to an image file in an other drive
c) convert image file (used clonevdi, which works in wine smoothly)
d) load VDI into Virtual Box
e) it boots voila!

Just a query: Is the transfered system a golden copy? I.e. a perfect clone? So can I use it as a master backup or does the transfer process make any changes I should know about.

Great work though, a very clean and simple solution to the backup/clone model ( I like to make my machine perfect for me (haha!) and then make a copy. Of course I then tweak it some more! ;-} Now I can easily keep todays perfection, tomorrows perfection etc etc! Looove Linux! Oh! and what a simple way to put your system on a larger partiton with minimal sweat!

Thanks for your genius.

xyy_xx · 2013-02-22 05:44:53

hi that's awesome, but one question. for example can it restore system to a NEW computer with NEW hard drive?

tritonas00 · 2013-02-22 15:24:34

xyy_xx

Of course, i do that all the time. Thats why it re-builds initaramfs - generates fstab etc..

I have an archlinux backup with disabled KMS, vesa in xorg.conf and dhcp. Every machine i tried, it restored succesfully. Linux is portable

danraymond

as far i know rsync preserves everything including acl's, extended attributes so yes its "perfect" clone.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fu … with_rsync

GNU tar does not support those attributes, acl's (except for fedora's pacthed tar)

Of course in both cases all files tranfered/restored.

Also i think there was no need to do it with dd for your vbox. You have already the system in your usb, so create an empty disk in your virtual machine, boot from the usb, make your disk partitions and do a tranfer from your usb to your virtual disk Or you could take a backup and restore it from a livecd in your virtual machine.

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Also now in git it builds the initramfs for every available kernel and also writes entries for all kernels found , in syslinux.cfg (when Syslinux is selected)

I will upload 2.4 version soon and update the aur package.

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-02-22 16:24:26)

danraymond · 2013-02-23 06:19:52

HI Tritonas00,

When you suggest boot usb and transfer to VD in VBox. Are you saying to boot the usb in VBox or outside VBox, never tried this before, suggestions would be helpfull.

Danraymond

tritonas00 · 2013-02-23 15:02:15

Hi.

Boot the usb in vbox of course

see--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWyEXGtMQjE

demize · 2013-02-23 22:46:55

tritonas00 wrote:

xyy_xx
danraymond
as far i know rsync preserves everything including acl's, extended attributes so yes its "perfect" clone.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fu … with_rsync
GNU tar does not support those attributes, acl's (except for fedora's pacthed tar)
Of course in both cases all files tranfered/restored.

Have you considered using DAR instead of tar?

tritonas00 · 2013-02-24 05:34:39

Have you considered using DAR instead of tar?

Yes, i'm actually between dar and star.

danraymond · 2013-02-27 06:15:38

Tritonas00

Have achieved direct boot in to VBox wiht my Bodhi backup uisng the information in the video link as suggested. However, very very slow in my rig (2Gb Ram), up to 10 mins!!!!

the dd then clonevdi much quicker. I will try again once 4Gb Ram installed.

Only one problem; your script works so well I have been making lots of copies of my tweaked system (You know.....mmmmmm.... thats not really a problem ;-} --)

tritonas00 · 2013-02-27 11:29:33

I'm glad you like it!

you can try to make a tar archive with the backup script, put it in your usb then boot your vbox with a livecd and attach the usb in your virtual machine, make partitions and do a restore.

i keep my backup archive in my local ftp server so i retrieve it from there (script supports downloading)

also 2.4 is up

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-04-08 18:43:29)

orschiro · 2013-03-01 12:49:31

I like the idea. However I am using LVM. Do you plan to support LVM in the future?

tritonas00 · 2013-03-02 08:34:33

orschiro wrote:

Do you plan to support LVM in the future?

I already added lvm support in git

The script lists all available lvm logical volumes provided in /dev/mapper and mounts them accordingly

Also now the target distro is auto-detected. (git)

Last edited by tritonas00 (2013-03-02 08:41:53)

danraymond · 2013-03-07 09:12:17

Mmmmmm now this is an interesting effect!

I used restore (with the transfer option) to clone my running system (booted off its usual home on a usb hard drive) to over write a redundant linux mint distribution on my main PC's harddrive (sda1).

Well, was I surprised: it seems to have overwritten the linux mint with bodhi (my prefered ubuntu variant at the moment) without deleting any data! So my E17 menu's are resplendent with both lots of applications (some duplicates), being both ubuntu/debian based they all still run ;-} Might have been tragic with a less compatable distro. No harm done though.

The obvious word to the wise: clear your partition first! But it raises a query: Can the transfer script be modified to somehow clobber the receiving partition, or at least throw a warning with option to bailout to delete the data in the partition?

Great script, saves me so much time.

Dan Raymond

tritonas00 · 2013-03-07 15:29:38

haha nice

Ok Dan i will tell the script to not accept partitions that are not empty.

danraymond · 2013-03-08 07:17:47

Hello Tritonas00

A small question: can I back up a windows xp drive using this method (via the tar file)? Thinking about archiving a windows laptop so I can restore it in the future (but possibly to a different laptop).

Arch Linux

#1 2013-01-20 13:27:36

System tar & restore

#2 2013-01-23 14:12:51

Re: System tar & restore

#3 2013-01-24 18:58:11

Re: System tar & restore

#4 2013-02-01 09:24:56

Re: System tar & restore

#5 2013-02-18 21:28:24

Re: System tar & restore

#6 2013-02-19 02:44:59

Re: System tar & restore

#7 2013-02-19 16:54:52

Re: System tar & restore

#8 2013-02-20 04:39:47

Re: System tar & restore

#9 2013-02-20 16:46:06

Re: System tar & restore

#10 2013-02-20 22:45:08

Re: System tar & restore

#11 2013-02-21 00:07:50

Re: System tar & restore

#12 2013-02-22 05:34:08

Re: System tar & restore

#13 2013-02-22 05:44:53

Re: System tar & restore

#14 2013-02-22 15:24:34

Re: System tar & restore

#15 2013-02-23 06:19:52

Re: System tar & restore

#16 2013-02-23 15:02:15

Re: System tar & restore

#17 2013-02-23 22:46:55

Re: System tar & restore

#18 2013-02-24 05:34:39

Re: System tar & restore

#19 2013-02-27 06:15:38

Re: System tar & restore

#20 2013-02-27 11:29:33

Re: System tar & restore

#21 2013-03-01 12:49:31

Re: System tar & restore

#22 2013-03-02 08:34:33

Re: System tar & restore

#23 2013-03-07 09:12:17

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#24 2013-03-07 15:29:38

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#25 2013-03-08 07:17:47

Re: System tar & restore

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