Just use rsync if you are copying files once. rdiff-backup is nice if you want to maintain copies of changed files, but for one offs, the overhead and extra complexity gains you nothing.
For these kinds of copies I use the following rsync -avP /source/directory /destination/directory With those flags, if something goes wrong and you want to pick up where you left off, the -P (equivalent to both --partial and --progress) lets you do exactly this. Also, I would format the external drive as ext3, there can be performance issues with NTFS. I would not use FATx for the external drive (most HDs come formatted as NTFS these days, but not always). Hth, On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 1:59 PM, Richard Carter <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Shawn, > > Thanks again for the tips. I am doing a fresh install on the empty drive in > the new PC. I'll use rdiff-backup to back up /home on the old drive to an > external HD. Then I'll just copy everything from the external HD to the > newly created /home on the new PC. This way the HD in the old PC will > remain intact, as you suggest. > > Robin > > On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 1:15 PM, Shawn <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> When I'm upgrading my boxes, I like to just buy a new drive and do a fresh >> install there. Then hook up the old drive (I have an external USB adapter >> for this) and copy over the data I need. This approach *is* a bit more >> expensive, but it buys me a large safety margin in that if the new install >> borks on me, I still have my old environment as a backup. I'll reuse drives >> after a reasonable amount of time, and having a couple of spare drives >> around for whatever purpose is always handy. But this isn't the "right" >> choice for everyone, I know... >> >> Good luck with the upgrade/migration. >> >> Shawn >> >> On 10-09-20 11:50 AM, Richard Carter wrote: >>> >>> Shawn, >>> >>> Thanks for your reply. Judging from what you wrote I believe I have >>> just a "typical desktop/workstation" with no special features of the >>> type you mention. So I guess I'll copy over just /home. >>> >>> Robin >>> >>> On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 11:43 AM, Shawn <[email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>> >>> You haven't given us enough information. If this is a typical >>> desktop/workstation, then copying /home may be all you need to do. >>> >>> But, if you have a special setup, there may be more. For instance, >>> if you have setup Apache on the old box for development purposes, >>> you may want to move over your customizations (if any) for Apache. >>> If you have set up revision control, you would need to explore how >>> to migrate your repositories, etc. >>> >>> In my case, I *do* have those sort of specialized setups. But when >>> I upgrade or install a new box, I just recreate them as needed - it >>> only takes a few minutes, and helps keep me in practice and the >>> knowledge fresh. :) >>> >>> HTH. >>> >>> Shawn >>> >>> >>> >>> On 10-09-20 11:31 AM, Richard Carter wrote: >>> >>> Hi Folks, >>> >>> I have 2 desk top PCs both with AMD64 processors: "new" with AMD >>> Athlon >>> II X4 635 and no OS, "old" with AMD Athlon 64 2800+ and debian >>> 5. I'm >>> going to install debian 5 for AMD on "new" and I'm usure about >>> which >>> files from "old" I should copy over to "new". I'll certainly >>> copy /home >>> but what about /etc, /var and /usr? >>> >>> Robin >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> clug-talk mailing list >>> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >>> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >>> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >>> **Please remove these lines when replying >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> clug-talk mailing list >>> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >>> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >>> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >>> **Please remove these lines when replying >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> clug-talk mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >>> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >>> **Please remove these lines when replying >> >> _______________________________________________ >> clug-talk mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >> **Please remove these lines when replying > > > _______________________________________________ > clug-talk mailing list > [email protected] > http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca > Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) > **Please remove these lines when replying > _______________________________________________ clug-talk mailing list [email protected] http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) **Please remove these lines when replying
