Debian operating system @lemmy.ml WasPentalive @lemmy.one 4 mo. ago

dd for image backup

I am supposing this will not work - simply using dd to copy the booted disk /dev/sda for example to a file on an external hard drive. This would not be a good back as too many system file would be missed. right?

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Right. You can't get a correct image of rw mounted filesystem.
- Is there an easy way to create a very minimal linux that runs out of memory or that would live in a very small partition, that would be capable mainly of dd ing the working partition to a file on a USB?
  
  OH - what about one of the many bootable install ISOs and Ventoy?
I think it's good enough. Shut down as many services as possible if you want to be safer. In the end it would just be like booting after a power failure.
- Do you have experience of restoring such a backup?
  
  Yeah, didn't have any problems. But maybe I just got lucky.
- it would just be like booting after a power failure.
  
  That level of confidence is EXACTLY what I want when I'm restoring a backup.
  
  The difference being that it should just be writing log files and nothing important.

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