From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jun 19 17:12:30 2008 Return-Path: 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 7D0481065674 for ; Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:12:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (gizmo.acns.msu.edu [35.8.1.43]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3830B8FC2B for ; Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:12:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id m5JH6vWJ068641; Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:06:57 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: (from jerrymc@localhost) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id m5JH6v0w068639; Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:06:57 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc) Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:06:57 -0400 From: Jerry McAllister To: Brad Mettee Message-ID: <20080619170657.GA67933@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> References: <4.3.2.7.2.20080619115705.02c0f750@mail.agoron.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.7.2.20080619115705.02c0f750@mail.agoron.net> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.2i Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: clone a drive, no raid involved X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:12:30 -0000 On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 12:08:34PM -0400, Brad Mettee wrote: > I'm setting up a pair of machines with almost identical OS config, and > completely identical hardware. One is a primary DNS server, the other is > secondary. NS1 will also serve web, NS2 will be a mail server. Both are low > volume/loads. > > It looks like I can use DD to copy an entire drive, but it's a 500G drive > and that's going to take a really long time (especially since it's brand > new with no data besides base OS). > > My question: Is there a better way to duplicate a drive including boot info? Really, the better way is to use fdisk/bsdlabel/newfs to create the identical file systems and boot/label blocks. Then use dump(8) piped to restore(8) to populate them with the data from the old file systems. It is generally better than making a byte-by-byte copy with dd unless you are experimenting with some oddities of unformatted disk access or whatever. Also, using dump/restore will allow for those small differences from disk to disk that are usually there without causing the problems dd copies of whole disks can have. ////jerry > > Brad Mettee > PC HotShots, Inc. > Baltimore, MD > (410) 426-7617 > > -> Let us bring out the *Power* of your PCs. <- > -> Custom Business Software Solutions since 1991 <- > > visit http://www.pchotshots.com for information about our company. > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"