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Topic: Preventing backup on shutdown

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mikshaw

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Posted: Oct. 20 2006,04:44

If it doesn't backup from runlevel 2, my only guess is that you are not shutting down properly. The system must enter either runlevel 0 or 6 and run knoppix-reboot or knoppix-halt in order for the backup to occur. It looks to me as though the backup system is properly coded to work as expected regardless of your runlevel.

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roberts

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Posted: Oct. 20 2006,18:46

If do have backup.tar.gz sitting on multiple devices, which you shouldn't, you always have complete control of your system by specifying which device by using the restore boot option.

In fact all auto searches can be overridden with boot options.
Be it restore, mydsl, or even bootfrom. By specifying the exact device will speed up the boot process, as auto scanning will not be performed. On the otherhand the auto scan feature provides a nice and easy hands free boot from CD experience.

andrewb

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Posted: Oct. 22 2006,23:44

Quote (mikshaw @ Oct. 19 2006,14:44)

I've realised what the problem was I was having - I had a persistent /opt directory. In this case .backup_device exists permanently so even when 'norestore' is specified a backup still occurs on shutdown. I'm moving away from the persistent /opt so the problem should go away.

When there is a persistent /opt it's not that it doesn't backup - it DOES backup from runlevel 2, but no RESTORE is done when 'DSL 2' is used as a boot option. This results in the previous backup being overwritten with default values. I've tracked this down to the 'DSL 2' boot line in grub having the 'norestore' option specified. This means that if you decide to boot to CLI using 'DSL 2' you will not have your backup restored, BUT you will have you backup overwritten when you close down (unless you just pull the plug!).

To my mind this is a trap for the unwary. Particularly with slower systems where you may use a persistent /opt & want to boot to CLI rather than X on every occasion. I suggest the 'norestore' option be removed from the 'DSL 2' boot option for the default install. Users can always add 'norestore' if they wish & at least they will then be aware of what is going on. If I get a chance I'll check how the WIKI describes the backup/restore function, but it does need to be made clear that specifying 'norestore' at boot time doesn't stop a backup being made of the settings from that session being done

colinbes

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Joined: May 2004

Posted: Oct. 23 2006,00:13

Found an easy solution to preventing auto restore on shutdown while still maintaining ease of backup.

In /opt there is a script called powerdown.sh, removing appropriate lines prevent backup from being called.

I went this route and kept /opt/.backup_device as this allowed presetting of backup device and provision of simple script for support personnel to remotely execute backup when required.

Just make sure that powerdown.sh is included in filetool.lst file else the change won't be restored on next reboot.

8 replies since Oct. 19 2006,23:24

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