Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
On Thu, Aug 4, 2022 at 11:36 AM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users wrote: > > > Right, I guess I should have mentioned that I don't trust that old HDD > anymore. Plus keeping backups of two old clients that only exist in BackupPC > has been a bad idea because if my backups get corrupted or deleted, I don't > have the original data to fall back to anymore. > There are straightforward solutions to that. Like using dd or ddrescue to clone the HD partition to a newer one. Or using backuppc's archive facility to make a tar image of each system. Or, given the disk space and time, use your VM with the mounted HD to restore into VM images of the old machines, perhaps one at a time and perhaps renamed to avoid conflict with the existing ones. Then let your current backuppc system back them up. If there is considerable overlap with the existing files the dedup might end up saving a lot of space. ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
No guarantees that I didn't miss something or that you won't make any unintentional mistakes in implementing the process resulting in total loss of data... backuppc--- via BackupPC-users wrote at about 19:33:43 +0300 on Thursday, August 4, 2022: > Les Mikesell wrote: > > > > why not just leave it at having the VM set > > up with a version of backuppc that works with the old drive mounted? > > Then on the odd chance that you need something from it, just fire up > > that VM again. > > Right, I guess I should have mentioned that I don't trust that old HDD > anymore. Plus keeping backups of two old clients that only exist in BackupPC > has been a bad idea because if my backups get corrupted or deleted, I don't > have the original data to fall back to anymore. > > kosowsky.org wrote: > > > > You could actually do it -- and I have done similar but it requires > > some effort and manual work... and hence there are risks of making > > mistakes.. > > The process goes something like this. > > That is amazing. I think I will try that. At least for the two old clients > that don't exist in the new BackupPC installation, the process looks not > entirely horrible. > > BR, > Fabian > > > ___ > BackupPC-users mailing list > BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net > List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users > Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki > Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/ ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
Les Mikesell wrote: > > why not just leave it at having the VM set > up with a version of backuppc that works with the old drive mounted? > Then on the odd chance that you need something from it, just fire up > that VM again. Right, I guess I should have mentioned that I don't trust that old HDD anymore. Plus keeping backups of two old clients that only exist in BackupPC has been a bad idea because if my backups get corrupted or deleted, I don't have the original data to fall back to anymore. kosowsky.org wrote: > > You could actually do it -- and I have done similar but it requires > some effort and manual work... and hence there are risks of making mistakes.. > The process goes something like this. That is amazing. I think I will try that. At least for the two old clients that don't exist in the new BackupPC installation, the process looks not entirely horrible. BR, Fabian ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
If I understand you correctly, you have separate v3 and v4 backups that you would like to merge. You could actually do it -- and I have done similar but it requires some effort and manual work... and hence there are risks of making mistakes.. The process goes something like this. 0. Turn off backuppc. 1. Convert the old v3 backup to a v4 backup using 'BackupPC_migrateV3toV4' starting with a *separate* TopDir from the new v4 2. For any common md5sum filenames (and in particular if you have any with _N extensions -- this should be as rare as a blue moon since only happens if there is an md5sum collision), check if the file contents are identical -- again to see if you created any rare-as-a-blue moon collisions.. (If there are, then you need to renumber with a _N extension and adjust the relevant attrib files for *any* of the relevant pc directories containing the file to reflect that but this is highly, highly unlikely) 3. Copy/move over the old v4 pool to the new v4 pool, ignoring identical file names since you just verified that they have the same contents. 4a. Option A: If you have common hosts to both the new and old backups, and you want to merge them: For each of the new v4 hosts in the pc directory, edit the corresponding 'backuppc' file and the backup number directories so that they start higher than the last old backup number for the corresponding hosts. Cat together the old and new backuppc files into a single combined backuppc file for the new host. Copy over each old pc host into the corresponding same-numbered new pc host. 4b. Option B: No common hosts or you are ok keeping them separate in which case rename the old hosts to .old and add to the 'hosts' file. Then just copy/move the old pc directory to the new one 5. Run 'BackupPC_fsck -f -s' to fix the file counts in the new combined pool directory and in each host pc directory. For good measure, run 'BackupPC_fixupBackupSummary' for each of the clients. For good measure, run BackupPC_nightly 6. Make sure all your config files are updated for v4 7. Hope and pray all works (and that I didn't leave anything out) :) If you are not comfortable with *any* of the above steps, then I would just accept 2 different backups. backuppc--- via BackupPC-users wrote at about 15:29:44 +0300 on Thursday, August 4, 2022: > Hi, > > Thanks everyone for asking for clarifications. I clearly haven't been > thinking enough about what I want to achieve ultimately. > > Current situation: > > - HDD with a complete BackupPC 3.x data directory (called __TOPDIR__ by the > documentation), size 1.8 TB, that has not been used in three years. It > should contain the backup data of about 8 clients if memory serves me right. > > - BackupPC 4.x installation on Debian 11 that I started using 3 years ago. > It is currently using some 1.x TB on a 4 TB RAID. Also has about 8 clients, > 6 of which are the same hosts as on the old HDD, 2 are new hosts. > > - The old HDD has backup data of 2 hosts that don't exist anymore. > > Goals: > > - Originally, I was thinking it would be real nice if I just could merge the > two data directories, so I would end up with: > -- 6 clients that are the same in both installations and where backups from > the old HDD would complement the backup history. > -- 2 clients that have only been in the new installation. > -- 2 clients that have only been in the old installation, so the backup > history up to three years ago would be imported. > > Obviously, the above goal is not achievable with reasonable efforts. So now > I am thinking that the one thing that I really care about is this: > - Extract the three year old data of the two clients that are not known to > the new installation. > > Right now I am thinking that it would probably be easiest if I set up a > Debian 10 VM, which comes with BackupPC 3.3.2, point that at the old data > directory and use it to extract the data I want. Then I store that on one of > my backed up clients so that it goes to the BackupPC installation that I > actually use. > > BR, > Fabian > > > > Dave Sherohman via BackupPC-users > > hat am 04.08.2022 10:01 EEST geschrieben: > > > > > > On 8/4/22 07:44, backu...@kosowsky.org wrote: > > > > > On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:31 PM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users < > > > backuppc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > > >> I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was > > >> broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my > > >> current > > >> V4 installation. > > > - What are you trying to accomplish? > > > - Do you only have the pool files or do you also have the pc backup > > >directories? > > > > > > Really hard to answer the "how" if you don't explain the "what" and > > > "why" that you are seeking to accomplish... > > > > I have to
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
On Thu, Aug 4, 2022 at 7:32 AM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users wrote: > > Right now I am thinking that it would probably be easiest if I set up a > Debian 10 VM, which comes with BackupPC 3.3.2, point that at the old data > directory and use it to extract the data I want. Then I store that on one of > my backed up clients so that it goes to the BackupPC installation that I > actually use. > That would work, but unless you really expect to regularly extract files from the old backups, why not just leave it at having the VM set up with a version of backuppc that works with the old drive mounted? Then on the odd chance that you need something from it, just fire up that VM again. -- Les Mikesell lesmikes...@gmail.com ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
Hi, Thanks everyone for asking for clarifications. I clearly haven't been thinking enough about what I want to achieve ultimately. Current situation: - HDD with a complete BackupPC 3.x data directory (called __TOPDIR__ by the documentation), size 1.8 TB, that has not been used in three years. It should contain the backup data of about 8 clients if memory serves me right. - BackupPC 4.x installation on Debian 11 that I started using 3 years ago. It is currently using some 1.x TB on a 4 TB RAID. Also has about 8 clients, 6 of which are the same hosts as on the old HDD, 2 are new hosts. - The old HDD has backup data of 2 hosts that don't exist anymore. Goals: - Originally, I was thinking it would be real nice if I just could merge the two data directories, so I would end up with: -- 6 clients that are the same in both installations and where backups from the old HDD would complement the backup history. -- 2 clients that have only been in the new installation. -- 2 clients that have only been in the old installation, so the backup history up to three years ago would be imported. Obviously, the above goal is not achievable with reasonable efforts. So now I am thinking that the one thing that I really care about is this: - Extract the three year old data of the two clients that are not known to the new installation. Right now I am thinking that it would probably be easiest if I set up a Debian 10 VM, which comes with BackupPC 3.3.2, point that at the old data directory and use it to extract the data I want. Then I store that on one of my backed up clients so that it goes to the BackupPC installation that I actually use. BR, Fabian > Dave Sherohman via BackupPC-users hat > am 04.08.2022 10:01 EEST geschrieben: > > > On 8/4/22 07:44, backu...@kosowsky.org wrote: > > > On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:31 PM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users < > > backuppc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > >> I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was > >> broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my current > >> V4 installation. > > - What are you trying to accomplish? > > - Do you only have the pool files or do you also have the pc backup > >directories? > > > > Really hard to answer the "how" if you don't explain the "what" and > > "why" that you are seeking to accomplish... > > I have to agree here. You didn't mention the age of the backups on this > "old" disk, but importing it into your current pool strikes me as > something which would be carry a very high risk, while providing very > little reward. > > If the backups on the "old" disk are from three days ago and taking new > backups of that data would take over a week to complete, then importing > them (or at least making them temporarily available to restore in some > fashion) seems reasonable; if they're from three years ago, then there's > considerably less potential benefit. ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
On 8/4/22 07:44, backu...@kosowsky.org wrote: On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:31 PM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users < backuppc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my current V4 installation. - What are you trying to accomplish? - Do you only have the pool files or do you also have the pc backup directories? Really hard to answer the "how" if you don't explain the "what" and "why" that you are seeking to accomplish... I have to agree here. You didn't mention the age of the backups on this "old" disk, but importing it into your current pool strikes me as something which would be carry a very high risk, while providing very little reward. If the backups on the "old" disk are from three days ago and taking new backups of that data would take over a week to complete, then importing them (or at least making them temporarily available to restore in some fashion) seems reasonable; if they're from three years ago, then there's considerably less potential benefit. ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:31 PM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users < backuppc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > Hi, > > I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was > broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my current > V4 installation. > > Merging or importing pools does not seem to be an option, so I am > wondering what could be done with the existing tools? I am thinking that I > could create a config.pl that would allow me to run at least > BackupPC_archiveHost/BackupPC_archiveStart so that I could extract backups > into an archive. But then there is no facility to import archives, or did I > overlook anything? Any other suggestions? > > Fabian > - What are you trying to accomplish? - Do you only have the pool files or do you also have the pc backup directories? Really hard to answer the "how" if you don't explain the "what" and "why" that you are seeking to accomplish... ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
Guillermo Rozas wrote: > > I think there is a V3_to_V4 conversion tool (look for it in the manual), but > it works on data that BacupPC already knows. I believe BackupPC 4.x can still read V3 pools? > Maybe you could try to create a V3 pool for a ficticious client, add the old > data by hand into the folder structure, and then convert it to V4, but it > could be risky to your current pool. Adding data is the part for which I have not found any guide so far. BR, Fabian > On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:31 PM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users > wrote: > > Hi, > > > > I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was > > broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my current > > V4 installation. > > > > Merging or importing pools does not seem to be an option, so I am > > wondering what could be done with the existing tools? I am thinking that I > > could create a config.pl (http://config.pl) that would allow me to run at > > least BackupPC_archiveHost/BackupPC_archiveStart so that I could extract > > backups into an archive. But then there is no facility to import archives, > > or did I overlook anything? Any other suggestions? > > > > Fabian ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
Re: [BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
I think there is a V3_to_V4 conversion tool (look for it in the manual), but it works on data that BacupPC already knows. Maybe you could try to create a V3 pool for a ficticious client, add the old data by hand into the folder structure, and then convert it to V4, but it could be risky to your current pool. Regards, Guillermo On Wed, Aug 3, 2022 at 2:31 PM backuppc--- via BackupPC-users < backuppc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > Hi, > > I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was > broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my current > V4 installation. > > Merging or importing pools does not seem to be an option, so I am > wondering what could be done with the existing tools? I am thinking that I > could create a config.pl that would allow me to run at least > BackupPC_archiveHost/BackupPC_archiveStart so that I could extract backups > into an archive. But then there is no facility to import archives, or did I > overlook anything? Any other suggestions? > > Fabian > > > ___ > BackupPC-users mailing list > BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net > List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users > Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki > Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/ > ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
[BackupPC-users] Import pool or clients
Hi, I pulled a V3 pool off an old hard disk that I had wrongly assumed was broken. Now I would like to import as much data as possible into my current V4 installation. Merging or importing pools does not seem to be an option, so I am wondering what could be done with the existing tools? I am thinking that I could create a config.pl that would allow me to run at least BackupPC_archiveHost/BackupPC_archiveStart so that I could extract backups into an archive. But then there is no facility to import archives, or did I overlook anything? Any other suggestions? Fabian ___ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net List:https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users Wiki:https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
