What system files/dirs do you back up?

Xyne · 2009-04-17 09:59:00

I just took a look at some of my backup scripts that I wrote not too long after switching to Linux. I realized that I'd included some things which are probably useless but I'm not sure about some others, so I'd like to know what others back up and why.

I'm fairly sure that all of /etc is worth backing up but I don't know about /var. I compress the local database and save that but I see no reason to save the sync database. I see no reason to back up the package cache either unless I'm using an old version of something. What else is worth backing up in /var? What about the rest of /?

What do you back up outside of /home?

Blue Peppers · 2009-04-17 10:38:51

I don't back up anything outside of home (and not much of home). I see a system wipe as a chance to start afresh, not to cling to old remnants of systems long gone (having said that, I don't encourage system wipes). Due to arch's fast set up time, while it may take me a while to set up my perfect system, it takes hardly any time to get a system I can use, thus speed does not necessitate backups of /etc or anything like that.

Maki · 2009-04-17 10:41:35

I backup the pacman local db, /home & /etc on another hard drive where i keep my pacman cache dir, music, video's & stuff. I should backup mpd, mysql maybe but i'm lazy

mikesd · 2009-04-17 10:46:07

I backup /etc and my data files.

Xyne · 2009-04-17 10:47:10

@Blue Peppers
It seems like a waste of time to reconfigure everything that stores files in /etc (vsftp, apache, ssh, etc). I also wouldn't want to reinstall everything due to a single partition failing, whether or not the initial installation is relatively fast.

Blue Peppers · 2009-04-17 12:53:10

Xyne wrote:

@Blue Peppers
It seems like a waste of time to reconfigure everything that stores files in /etc (vsftp, apache, ssh, etc). I also wouldn't want to reinstall everything due to a single partition failing, whether or not the initial installation is relatively fast.

How often does your root partition fail? It happens rarely enough for me, that I don't mind reconfiguring everything over again. I see it as a opportunity to learn, and if it takes longer than half an hour, then so be it. It's no inconvenience to me, and it needn't be to most people. I have a list of apps that I need, ~/.config files for them and no strange configureations anywhere else.

Back when I had just started linux, I was reinstalling (minus backups) every 2 weeks or so. I didn't have a clue, but by re-working those lost configuration files, I learnt how they worked. As I still don't feel I know enough about archlinux, I see losing the files as, while not being a good thing, not a bad thing.

Last edited by Blue Peppers (2009-04-17 12:53:52)

Allan · 2009-04-17 13:04:41

/etc/profile/additions
/etc/rc.conf
/etc/rc.local
/etc/sudoers
/etc/X11/xorg.conf
~/.bashrc
~/.inputrc
~/.xinitrc
~/.Xmodmap

And various parts of /home that I do not want to have lost...

jondkent · 2009-04-17 13:26:24

My music, videos and photos obvious
Various files in /etc that I don't want to lose, esp my x.org config that took awhile to get how I wanted it.

Rsync this up to my home server and also backup to a removable drive occassionally.

Trashlord · 2009-04-18 19:12:06

I don't back up virtually anything.

Usually, I only back up recent stuff I've done (such as perl scripts/programs I've written, and don't want to rewrite).

ozar · 2009-04-18 19:29:54

I make images of all my partitions regularly and don't worry much about any specific files or folders. It's been working very well for about the last 5 years and doing so has saved my butt more than a few times.

skottish · 2009-04-18 20:06:06

I backup all of /home and /etc using rsync on shutdown. This machine is powered off at least once a day.

Stythys · 2009-04-18 20:50:39

Blue Peppers wrote:

Xyne wrote:
@Blue Peppers
It seems like a waste of time to reconfigure everything that stores files in /etc (vsftp, apache, ssh, etc). I also wouldn't want to reinstall everything due to a single partition failing, whether or not the initial installation is relatively fast.
How often does your root partition fail? It happens rarely enough for me, that I don't mind reconfiguring everything over again. I see it as a opportunity to learn, and if it takes longer than half an hour, then so be it. It's no inconvenience to me, and it needn't be to most people. I have a list of apps that I need, ~/.config files for them and no strange configureations anywhere else.
Back when I had just started linux, I was reinstalling (minus backups) every 2 weeks or so. I didn't have a clue, but by re-working those lost configuration files, I learnt how they worked. As I still don't feel I know enough about archlinux, I see losing the files as, while not being a good thing, not a bad thing.

/etc is like 30MB for me...no reason not to back it up. As mentioned, there are many config files that would be a pain to reconfigure. Plus, I don't see how you would "learn" how they work, after already taking the time to configure them in the first place. I really don't wanna reconfigure all those, especially all my web server stuff. Doesn't make much sense.

Wintervenom · 2009-04-18 21:08:06

At least $HOME and /etc.

Last edited by Wintervenom (2009-08-03 14:26:14)

fukawi2 · 2009-04-19 03:54:34

/etc/
/home/
/usr/local/
/root/

And this in root's crontab:

0 1 * * *    /usr/bin/pacman -Qe > /root/`/bin/hostname -s`-pacman.pkglst

I also use Back In Time on my Desktop to backup to my file server -- it's jsut a GUI to rsync, but manages snapshots too which is cool:
http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=23002

Last edited by fukawi2 (2009-04-19 03:55:51)

jwcxz · 2009-04-19 14:13:02

I back up my home directory, which is around 30 gigs (minus the virtual machines); /etc on occasion; and I also backup my list of packages once in a while.

As for my backup mechanism, I just use DAR. Every month, I create a full backup and store it to my server. Then, every Friday, I use DAR's differential backup capabilities and SSH to transfer my changed files over to the server.

celthias · 2009-04-20 00:34:04

Things like

/etc/rc.conf
/etc/hosts
/etc/mpd.conf
.Xdefaults
.xinitrc
.bashrc
and other ~/ configs like openbox configs are all symlinked to my dropbox folder, so they're backed up more or less as soon as the changes are made. The same applies to other regular smallish files in my ~/, but that's OT.

MoffspringR · 2009-04-21 09:29:41

I backup my /home and xorg.conf

In my /home, I backup all files include hiden folders: .opera, and another ".gnome*" folders

japetto · 2009-04-21 13:35:16

Home and /etc here as well. I find it easier to just backup all of /etc and then restore as needed.

Gigamo · 2009-04-21 13:52:39

I just have my most important configuration files from /home and /etc in a git repository (github). I have had only one harddisk die on me so far and there was nothing really crucial on it, so right now I'm not very paranoid about losing data. I guess my time will come

adamlau · 2009-04-27 09:45:17

Like most everyone here, selected files from /home and /etc.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-04-17 09:59:00

What system files/dirs do you back up?

#2 2009-04-17 10:38:51

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#3 2009-04-17 10:41:35

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#4 2009-04-17 10:46:07

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#5 2009-04-17 10:47:10

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#6 2009-04-17 12:53:10

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#7 2009-04-17 13:04:41

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#8 2009-04-17 13:26:24

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#9 2009-04-18 19:12:06

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#10 2009-04-18 19:29:54

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#11 2009-04-18 20:06:06

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#12 2009-04-18 20:50:39

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#13 2009-04-18 21:08:06

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#14 2009-04-19 03:54:34

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#15 2009-04-19 14:13:02

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#16 2009-04-20 00:34:04

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#17 2009-04-21 09:29:41

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#18 2009-04-21 13:35:16

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#19 2009-04-21 13:52:39

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

#20 2009-04-27 09:45:17

Re: What system files/dirs do you back up?

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