-a does an 'archive' copy, meaning that it tries to preserve as much as it can (permissions, etc.).
If you choose this option, don't use it to copy a live system. I still think that something like clonezilla is a better alternative. You preserve the entire filesystem and all its metadata, and you can trivially resize afterwards it to match the target disc with gparted. 2009/11/26 Ryan Ralph <ryanralph1...@gmail.com>: > I think I can manage to work out the grub stuff. > Is it possible to guarantee all data will be copied exactly or is that what > the -a option does? > -- > Ryan Ralph > ryanralph1...@gmail.com > > > On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 2:11 PM, Matthew Hannigan <m...@zip.com.au> wrote: >> >> I'd use the -a option to cp rather than dd. >> dd preservies/copies far more than you want or need, and requires >> you to resize afterwards. >> >> So.. >> >> >> cd source && cp -a . destination >> >> >> Are you ok with the grub stuff? >> >> >> On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 12:06:44AM +1100, Ryan Ralph wrote: >> > Hi everyone, >> > >> > Was just wondering if someone could explain to me how the best way to go >> > about backing up my setup at the moment. >> > >> > What I need to do is do is take a "ghost image" (windows term) of my >> > 120gb >> > hard drive that ubuntu is currently installed on and then restore it >> > onto >> > one of my newer 500gb drives. >> > >> > I was thinking that I could try using dd, copy the backup to one of the >> > 500gb drives, then restore it to the other 500gb drive and resize the >> > partition if required. This seems like it would be quite time consuming. >> > >> > Does anyone know a better way? If not could someone please explain what >> > commands I would need to use for dd? >> > >> > Thanks in advance >> > >> > -- >> > Ryan Ralph >> > ryanralph1...@gmail.com >> >> > -- >> > ubuntu-au mailing list >> > ubuntu-au@lists.ubuntu.com >> > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au >> > > > -- > ubuntu-au mailing list > ubuntu-au@lists.ubuntu.com > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au > > -- Bring choice back to your computer. http://www.linux.org.au/linux -- ubuntu-au mailing list ubuntu-au@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au
