From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Oct 1 20:07:23 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D1A0016A4CE for ; Fri, 1 Oct 2004 20:07:23 +0000 (GMT) Received: from yoda.pixi.com (yoda.pixi.com [206.127.224.41]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 64DEF43D2F for ; Fri, 1 Oct 2004 20:07:23 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from knowtree@aloha.com) Received: from yoda.pixi.com (yoda.pixi.com [206.127.224.41]) by yoda.pixi.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id i91JTmh14405; Fri, 1 Oct 2004 09:29:48 -1000 Message-Id: <200410011929.i91JTmh14405@yoda.pixi.com> To: Matt Staroscik , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org From: knowtree@aloha.com Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 09:29:48 HST X-Posting-IP: 141.190.32.68 X-Mailer: Endymion MailMan Standard Edition v3.2.19 Subject: Re: How do you duplicate a drive? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 01 Oct 2004 20:07:23 -0000 > > I have a RAID mirror (2x 160GB) which I would like to back up onto a spare > 160GB drive. > > I do not have a hot-swap caddy so I was planning on powering down the > system to get the backup drive in and out. > > But once I have the new blank drive in, what is the best way to duplicate > the RAID? Ideally I would like to create a disk that could boot the system > (and rebuild the RAID) in case disaster strikes. > > Can dd do this? As far as I know (never having done it myself) yes, byte for byte. Before you do that I suggest you read up on vinum, the FreeBSD mirroring service. There is man vinum, and a lot more in the on-line handbook, and even more in Greg Lehey's The Complete FreeBSD. Greg wrote vinum, BTW. (Greg, no charge for the plug.) Gary Dunn Honolulu