RE: How to duplicate a disk

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On Thu, 2005-10-27 at 15:14 -0500, STYMA, ROBERT E (ROBERT) wrote:
> > Assuming the old drive is /dev/hda, the new one is /dev/hdb AND that
> > you've set up identical partitions and formatted them (with 
> > partition 1
> > being the root filesystem, and 2 being the root user's home 
> > directory),
> > create new mountpoints and mount the new drive's partitions there:
> > 
> > 	# mkdir -p /newdrive/rootfs
> > 	# mount /dev/hdb1 /newdrive/rootfs
> > 	# mkdir -p /newdrive/rootuser
> > 	# mount /dev/hdb2 /newdrive/rootuser
> > 
> > Then copy the contents:
> > 
> > 	# cp -ax / /newdrive/rootfs
> > 	# cp -ax /root /newdrive/rootuser
> > 
> > Don't worry about the swap filesystem, just create the 
> > partition for it
> > on the new drive.
> > 
> Are you saying this will create a bootable drive after 
> doing a grub-install on the new drive? 

It should.  You'd need to readdress the new drive, put it on the
machine, boot the rescue CD and do a grub-install.  After that, it
should be good to go.  I have burned CDs of filesystems that can be
copied via "cp -a" to pre-partitioned drives, followed by "grub-install"
and it's worked.

The thing I was really trying to stress is that "dd" is not a good tool
to use _unless_ the source and target drives are the same make and model
as "dd" does a block-by-block copy...and that includes the partition
table and boot sector.  If the drives don't match up, you could end up
with a mess.  That holds even for drives in LBA mode on some systems
with weird BIOSes.

That being said, your mileage may vary.  Void where prohibited.
Batteries not included.  Some assembly required.  In other words,
this may or may not work for you.  It has for me, but watch your
posterior!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-         Okay, who put a "stop payment" on my reality check?        -
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