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Date:      Wed, 3 Apr 1996 10:37:34 -0700 (MST)
From:      Terry Lambert <terry@lambert.org>
To:        lehey.pad@sni.de (Greg Lehey)
Cc:        terry@lambert.org, lutz@muc.de, ishort@pcm.co.za, freebsd-questions@freefall.freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Backup Software
Message-ID:  <199604031737.KAA19445@phaeton.artisoft.com>
In-Reply-To: <199604030606.IAA15998@nixpbe.pdb.sni.de> from "Greg Lehey" at Apr 3, 96 09:21:09 am

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> >> I wouldn't use cpio (or tar) to backup my system. They both have problems
> >> with special files, sparse file and files with long names. You should
> >> better use dump/restore instead. I' using the following command:
> >> 	dump 0uBf <nr-of-kblocks-on-tape> <tape-device> <file-system>
> >> Repeat foreach file system.
> >
> > I wouldn't backup special files.
> 
> Why not?  I find it a useful feature, if it's done right.  My
> definition of 'right' is that restoring a special file restores the
> file's inode, not any 'contents' it might have.

Because special files should be intrinsic to the system and created
or destroyed only by successful hardware probes or subsystem
registration.

As such, you don't need to back them up because they are never, ever,
going to get damaged or go away... so you will never, ever, need to
restore them from backup.


					Terry Lambert
					terry@lambert.org
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.



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