Re: [gentoo-user] Install Migration

[Richard Cox]

On Mon, Jun 04, 2007 at 04:52:26PM -0500, Randy Barlow wrote:
> I've set up my desktop machine using LVM over software raid, and
> although I like it I'm getting weary of the complication of the setup
> for a simple desktop system.  What I would like to do is get the same
> install (packages, config files, etc) as are currently used, but have it
> all on one file system for simplicity.  I know I can use DD to copy a
> filesystem, but I don't think that will work in this case.  I was
> thinking of doing a fresh install and then using my backup of /etc to
> try and get the same setup.  If I copy the world file from the previous
> system and emerge -e world, will that get all the packages I currently
> have?  Afterwards I would just copy the rest of /etc into place and go
> about on my merry way.  Are there any problems with this approach?
>
> R
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> gentoo-user@g.o mailing list


Normally I just use the dump and restore utilites for this.
Forgive me if the syntax is a bit off, I haven't had to do this for a little while.

I usually do this from a seperate machine on the network:
On the machine you don't want to reformat do:
ssh root@oldmachine dump 0fz9 - /dev/device_to_backup > backup.image

That will do a full dump of the filesystem to your other machine that you will restore later.  When you restore that, it won't care about partitions or filesystem so you can change them however you want.

Wipe / format you old machine how you want it, and boot a gentoo install cd or some other live cd (unless the gentoo cd has changed recently it won't have restore on it tho).  Then on that old machine that you just wiped mount the new fresh filesystem (should be completely empty, no stage install or anything).  cd to that directory you just mounted and do:

ssh user@machine_with_backup cat /path_to/backup.image | restore -xf -

That'll cat the file back to restore on the old machine and should do a restore into the current directory.

>From there chroot in and reinstall your bootloader / edit fstab if you need, etc etc.  :)

-Rick
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