Don't have regrets - have backups - using rdiff-backup

[bobbicat]

Here is my method for maintaining a simple backup of my Kubuntu /home and /etc folders. It is one way to be able to recover when things have gone badly wrong.
This method does not back up files from other operating systems.
Need to recover a deleted file? Lost your operating system and need to re-install from scratch? This method is your friend.
I am not a computer expert, so although this method does work - there might very well be better ways to achieve the same goal.
Any comments, suggestions, corrections, are very welcome.

This is a medium level set of instructions, it assumes that you have a separate hard drive, that it has a partition table and space for a backup partition.
It also assumes your familiarity with use of the terminal and your ability to edit system files like /etc/fstab and /etc/crontab

Warning: make mistakes in some of these operations and your computer could stop functioning correctly

1. set up and format a partition, on a separate drive, about double the volume of the files you will back up

2. create a folder /mnt/backup:

sudo mkdir /mnt/backup

make yourself owner of the file (substitute your user name for 'username') :

sudo chown -R username:username /mnt/backup

3. create an entry for /mnt/backup in /etc/fstab so that the partition will be mounted:

find the UUID of your backup partition using:

sudo blkid

then:

kdesudo kate /etc/fstab

first save fstab as /etc/fstab.bkup

then add this line to your fstab:

UUID=(uuid of your backup partition)	/mnt/backup (format type here) defaults 0 2

in format type put the formatting for your partition, ext3,ext4,btrfs etc
save your fstab as /etc/fstab, making sure there is a blank empty line at the end of the fstab text and close


4. put a sub-folder in /mnt/backup - call it /mnt/backup/info

mkdir /mnt/backup/info

5. write some scripts and save them into the /mnt/backup/info folder
(edit the include and exclude folders according to your needs)

/home/
/etc/

(save the above as /mnt/backup/info/backup.include)

/home/bob/.adobe/
/home/bob/.dbus/
/home/bob/.macromedia/
/home/bob/.thumbnails/
**.iso

(save the above as /mnt/backup/info/backup.exclude)

#!/bin/bash
#
# local-backup v1.0
# script by bob 
# published on kubuntu forums 
# purpose - to make simple (hourly) backups to a dedicated partition
# 
# backup partition is /mnt/backup/
# data files are in /mnt/backup/info
# backups will appear in /mnt/backup/store
#
# This method is offered in the hope that it may be useful
# No liability is accepted for any consequences arising from its use 
#

/usr/bin/rdiff-backup --exclude-globbing-filelist /mnt/backup/info/backup.exclude \
    --include-globbing-filelist /mnt/backup/info/backup.include \
    --exclude / / /mnt/backup/store/ 

# The following line removes restores which have been current for over [2] days

/usr/bin/rdiff-backup --remove-older-than 2D --force /mnt/backup/store/

(save the above as /mnt/backup/info/local-backup)


6. make local-backup executable

chmod +x /mnt/backup/info/local-backup

(do not put any kind of file extension on 'local-backup' - that would prevent it from working)


7. download and install the backup program, rdiff-backup

sudo apt-get install rdiff-backup

8. place a copy of local-backup in /etc/cron.hourly to get hourly backups

sudo cp /mnt/backup/info/local-backup /etc/cron.hourly

9. edit /etc/crontab so that backups are on the hour
as always backup up your crontab - save as /etc/crontab.backup

kdesudo kate /etc/crontab

then edit the hourly line to read:

0  *	* * *	root    cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly

save as /etc/crontab


10. wait until the hour has past and check that everything is running smoothly by running this code:

sudo rdiff-backup -l /mnt/backup/store

which will will report on backups made


11. use the following code to activate backup at shut-down & reboot (this WILL cause a slow-up at shut-down while files are saved)

sudo cp /mnt/backup/info/local-backup /etc/init.d
sudo ln -s /etc/init.d/local-backup /etc/rc0.d/K10local-backup
sudo ln -s /etc/init.d/local-backup /etc/rc6.d/K10local-backup

12. NEVER manually edit the files in /mnt/backup/store it will cause a system malfunction

Enjoy a more secure system and check out rdiff-backup on the net to discover how to recover files
If you have suggestions for improvements then please comment here. How was it for you? Feedback is always welcome.
The scripts can be edited to personalize inclusions and exclusions, backups can be retained for a longer or shorter period to suite the user.

[woodsmoke]

A worthy post!

Don't be a stranger around here! lol

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Nice instruction set, bobbiecat.

When I installed Kubuntu 14.04 I decided to give btrfs a try, instead of ext4. Glad I did. Awesome fs. It has amazing and easy ways to create backups, either full or incremental If one is going to use a second HD then syncing a full backup might be the best route. Here are instructions on incremental backups on a btrfs system:
https://btrfs.wiki.kernel.org/index....emental_Backup
http://arstechnica.com/information-t...filesystems/3/

There are some threads on this forum about btrfs:
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...btrfs+greygeek
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...btrfs+greygeek
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...btrfs+greygeek

[bobbicat]

Thanks for the input. There is no doubt, I WILL be back woodsmoke
You are too kind, gentlemen - though I do detect pressure to dip a toe in the waters of BTRFS
It is on my mind to make a second install of Kubuntu, a test bed for that file system
I will study the links you have provided, GreyGeek and see where they take me
...probably right back here to these Forums, where I will no doubt have questions and comments to make

[woodsmoke]

woodlookingforwardtoyourinputsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Who, us? Putting (btrfs) pressure on you (btrfs) to try a certain files (btrfs) system? Nah.....