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Backup and recover a computer. Like Windows Home Server

Want new functionality in Bubba? Discuss it here.
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Capoxi
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Aug 2007, 20:16

Backup and recover a computer. Like Windows Home Server

Post by Capoxi »

A great feature in the upcomming Windows Home Server is the ability to backup and recover WinXP installations completely including applications and data after a drive failure using images stored on the server and a recovery CD.

If a similar feature could be made possible using a Bubba instead of a Windows Home Server it would be a great reason to buy a Bubba instead of a box running Windows Home Server.

Perhaps a image stored on a Bubba and after you replaced the harddrive, boot up the computer from a USB-thumb(for laptops with no CD) or CD and start the recovery.
Ubi
Posts: 1549
Joined: 17 Jul 2007, 09:01

Post by Ubi »

Indeed.
However the big difference here is the absence of a CD drive.
It is very easy to make a complete backup of Bubba onto an external HD using rsync or so. The trick is the restore. As there is no console access you need to get a nearly complete install (including network and ssh support) to be able to resync the image back. This is definitely not impossible, but may get tricky if the kernel versions of the rescue image and the backed up image differ.

The truely powerful way is to make a direct image (using dd or ghost) and flashing that back, but this requires opening Bubba for the restore process.

I just don't understand where windows keeps that image if it is not on the hard disk (which was apparently hosed). If it's simply a secondary HD then this whole recovery thing is just a clumsy form of RAID1. Also: how do you intend to store 750 GB data? On CDs?
Capoxi
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Aug 2007, 20:16

Post by Capoxi »

I was not thinking of backing up a Bubba to a Server.

I was thinking of using a Bubba to restore a Windows XP computer after a virus attack or harddrive failure. One of the key features of Windows Home Server is the ability to recover windows Xp computers by a novice user using a boot-cd.
bjorn
Posts: 88
Joined: 03 Jan 2007, 09:02

Post by bjorn »

Hi,

This could be achieved in several different ways. one could use "dd" to clone the entire disk, bit by bit .

or use ntfsclone:

http://wiki.linux-ntfs.org/doku.php?id=ntfsclone

or any of the proprietary softwares out there like Ghost, TruImage and so on. Most (if not all) of these could be configured to back up to the bubba server.

/Bjorn
limpo
Posts: 59
Joined: 24 Mar 2007, 06:50

Post by limpo »

Hi,

Making a backup of the bubba server would be a great thing, if it were possible to make an image of it that you can later restore it from.

Could one not use the rescue flash firmware and create(DD image) and send an image to a networked computer(sshfs)?

Does anyone have a working suggestion, where you made a backup image of your bubba. That you later been able to restore from?

Making a backup of your client computers can be done easy by downloading the Free Clonezilla bootcd:

Mini-HOWTO:

#sudo su

#sshfs user@bubbaIP:/home/user/backup /home/partimag

then you can use partimage,

#partimage

OR to start the graphical clonezilla.

#ocs-sr -x

This will do a fast and well compressed image(does not include empty clusters) that will be sent secure over a network(Lan/Internet).

/Limpo
Capoxi
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Aug 2007, 20:16

Post by Capoxi »

Thanks Limpo for suggesting Clonezilla. I to agree that a "restore" feature for the Bubba would be nice.
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