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Subject: Re: backing - up FreeBSD
To: mmd@sprintlink.co.za (Stacey)
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 96 14:21:03 MET DST
From: Greg Lehey <lehey.pad@sni.de>
Cc: questions@freebsd.org, mmd@sprintlink.co.za
In-Reply-To: <3162920F.4C17@sprintlink.co.za>; from "Stacey" at Apr 03, 96 12:58 pm
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>
> Hi..
> I would like to know if you can answer the following question?
> 1) I would like to backup FreeBSD on on tapes. How do I do this?

Let me count the ways... No, don't.  There are too many.  Assuming you
have a real tape unit, it will typically be called /dev/st0.  To back
up a directory hierarchy, say /usr/home, you could enter:

  $ tar cvf /dev/rst0 /usr/home

The name /dev/rst0 refers to the 'raw' version of the tape, which is
what you should almost always use.

> 2) I would like to copy a complete "disk/system" i.e. like you can in dos
> when you use xcopy???

Where do you want to copy it?  To tape?  That's what the tar call
above does.  To *avoid* copying subdirectories, you could supply tar
with a specific list of files only.  You don't often do this in UNIX.

> Your help will be greatly appretiated, if you don't have a answer could
> you recommend any site's I could go to on the internet.

Your best bet would probably be a book on basic UNIX system
administration.  Look at the bibliography in the online handbook
(http://www.freebsd.org/handbook/handbook249.html) or in "Installing
and Running FreeBSD" (this book also includes a couple of lines on the
subject, but you probably want more).  My personal favourite is Evi
Nemeth and Co's "UNIX System Administration Handbook". 2nd
ed. Prentice Hall, 1995.  ISBN 0131510517

Greg