Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2015 01:56:54 -0700 From: Mehmet Erol Sanliturk <m.e.sanliturk@gmail.com> To: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> Cc: "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Possible (or smart) to put freebsd-boot on USB stick for root-on-ZFS? Message-ID: <CAOgwaMtW4RyPD1Y8U7W4JDic6PJm82Am8a%2B2P3J92i9rP4e=VQ@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <20150324092914.ed0ebb7f.freebsd@edvax.de> References: <CAA=KUhvYfhJ9i_CU6Lhni0EB03zjPMBpBHOHLJ92THVs2owZxw@mail.gmail.com> <CAOgwaMtJpBboseqb295fr1Fdtw09dqFLqG5BVS4rWHPd_h2f7A@mail.gmail.com> <20150324092914.ed0ebb7f.freebsd@edvax.de>
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On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 1:29 AM, Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> wrote: > On Tue, 24 Mar 2015 00:49:46 -0700, Mehmet Erol Sanliturk wrote: > > I was using a FULL installation previously : Everything on the SAME HDD . > > When it was becoming necessary to install a new operating system , I was > > using another HDD and after installation on it the new OS , I was copying > > my files ( in my home directory in previous HDD ) into new installed HDD > . > > This was taking approximately twelve hours . > > This setup gives you the ability to relapse to the old "state" > whenever something fails - both the OS and your files will be > as you left them. I think the main problem here is the copying > process. If you are using separate UFS partitions, using dump > and restore to transfer files might be quicker than "stupid" > copying. > > > > > I one instance , my OS has been corrupted by a malicious inject ( this is > > my suspect because I could not find a true reason for what was the attack > > through "Bash" ) . > > The "modern" installation method of "curl ... | sudo bash" maybe? ;-) > > > > > Now , I am using the following set up : > > > > > > I am using TWO HDDs : > > > > One is ONLY OS , and other is for my data files ( all of them downloaded > > from Internet as open source project files ) mounted after installation > of > > OS . > > This is a good approach. In case you can't use separate disks, > at least use separate UFS partitions. If you're using ZFS, you > can apply the restriction that /home is not mounted during OS > installation or upgrade. > > > > > When I want to upgrade to a new OS , I am using a NEW HDD ( I am NOT > > installing onto existing HDD ) by disconnecting power of existing OS and > > data HDDs . > > This will also help you to avoid accidental messing with boot > records or partition tables. I "happily" remember the OS/2 installer > damaging my partition table, and I had to reconstruct it manually > with a hex editor and a handheld calculator. :-) > > > > > After installing the new OS and verifying that it is working correctly , > I > > am powering the data HDD and using an fstab entry to mount it . > > You can do something similar with ZFS and connected disks: Use > boot environments as known on Solaris. Create a snapshot of the > working installation first. Then install the new OS. Boot into > that environment and check if everything works. Make sure /home > is out of scope, just in case. And if you're happy with it, you > can delete the snapshot. If not - make it the active installation > again and purge the damaged new install. See the "beadm" port > for details. > > > > > Use a USB stick or HDD ( revolving platter or SSD ) for ONLY OS and OTHER > > HDDs for your data files . > > > > > > OS my be on any convenient medium : revolving HDD , SSD , USB stick , it > is > > not important . > > If you don't mind longer startup times, you can even use a SD > card in an USB enclosure, or a USB stick. This makes it possible > to have "pluggable OS versions", like "beadm in hardware". :-) > > > > > You may generate any number of copies of it as a spare for possible > > failures of used OS device : > > In case of failure , the only thing is to do is to shut down the > computer , > > attach a spare OS medium and boot the computer . > > Exactly. BEs allow you to do this with your regular set of hard > disks. However, by applying ultimate fat fingers, you can still > damage things. It's way harder to do that when your old install > is on a separate physical disk, disconnected, safely stored. > > > > > I am not using RAID , but "rsync" : one with -"-delete" as a replication > > of current data disk , another without "--delete" for fear of accidental > > deletions . > > Also have a look at cpdup, it's very handy. > > > > > -- > Polytropon > Magdeburg, Germany > Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 > Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ... > In my set up , my /home/user_name is in OS disk for login purposes and it is mainly empty , it is not in data disks . On NEW OS installs , I am using the SAME user name ( not password ) to prevent user changes in data disks . Data disks are mounted on different directories such as /Data_Files /Saved_Files_A An external HDD ( ntfs ) , synchronized through .../media/... in Linux ( auto mounted when attached ). ( In FreeBSD , this may be an internal HDD mounted by "fstab" into a directory such as /Saved_Files_B and formatted as like /Saved_Files_A or different ( one UFS , other ZFS , etc. ) . ) Owner of /Data_Files /Saved_Files_A directories are my user_name , not "root" . Thank you very much . Mehmet Erol Sanliturk
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