From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Sat Jun 16 16:19:23 2012
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B28DF1065673
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:19:23 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Received: from wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl [89.206.35.99])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 22C778FC18
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:19:22 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (8.14.5/8.14.5) with ESMTP id q5GGJGJ3041430;
	Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:19:16 +0200 (CEST)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Received: from localhost (wojtek@localhost)
	by wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (8.14.5/8.14.5/Submit) with ESMTP id
	q5GGJFfv041427; Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:19:15 +0200 (CEST)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:19:15 +0200 (CEST)
From: Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
To: Gary Aitken <freebsd@dreamchaser.org>
In-Reply-To: <4FD1098E.7020203@dreamchaser.org>
Message-ID: <alpine.BSF.2.00.1206161818070.41364@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
References: <4FD1098E.7020203@dreamchaser.org>
User-Agent: Alpine 2.00 (BSF 1167 2008-08-23)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-4.2.7
	(wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl [127.0.0.1]);
	Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:19:16 +0200 (CEST)
Cc: FreeBSD Mailing List <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject: Re: dumping file system subtree (/var)
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:19:23 -0000

> When I originally set up my SSD, the stuff I was following indicated there was no need to put anythng on a separate filesystem.  I'm now trying to build a backup system on a usb drive and I want a separate /var and /tmp.
>
> I had originally set the nodump flag on /tmp and /var, so my snapshot is empty for those.
>
> I don't think there's any reason to preserve /tmp, but is there any good way to copy /var from the running system on the SSD to another filesystem (and still preserve everything, including flags)?  My impression is both mksnap_ffs and dump should only be used on a complete filesystem, not a subtree.
>
> Or do I need to unset the nodump flag on /var, make a snapshot of /, take a dump :-), and then split the /var out upon restore?
>
> And would it be wise to repartition the SSD to put /var and /tmp on their own partitions?
>
i really have no idea why you just don't dump it all? restore have -i 
option that allow you to partially restore files from a dump.

I have SSD, single partition and i use dump to backup it to external hard 
disk.


alternatively - use tar.