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backing_up_the_sd_card_using_all_formats [2013/07/02 16:37] (current) – created wl7lp
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 +
 +Since this has been needed from time to time, and we finally had K9DC and Doug as well as myself KF7QLH compile a list of instructions for 3 different platforms, I thought I would put them into one "easy to search for" message.
 +
 +This is how you make a BACKUP OF YOUR PiRLP node. Yes, A BACKUP. It is required. Just like cars, they need gas AND OIL. You need a running version of your SD card, and a BACKUP!!!!
 +
 +
 + ***Linux***
 +
 + -Show the SD Card-
 +
 + # dmesg
 + [690179.497173] sdb: sdb1 sdb2
 + [690180.134547] EXT4-fs (sdb2): recovery complete
 + [690180.134555] EXT4-fs (sdb2): mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)
 +
 + -Un-Mount The Card (both partitions)-
 +
 + # umount /dev/sdb1
 + # umount /dev/sdb2
 +
 + -Make an IMAGE backup of the entire card-
 +
 + # dd if=/dev/sdb of=/home/user/Backups/pirlp.img bs=1M
 +
 +This will take a while, because it's not just copying the files, it's actually taking an image of the entire SD card, which is 4 gigs of data... So be patient.
 +
 +Then, to reverse the operation to copy the image back onto your SD card...
 + # umount /dev/sdb1
 + # umount /dev/sdb2
 +
 + # dd if=/home/user/Backups/pirlp.img of=/dev/sdb bs=1M
 +
 +Be VERY VERY VERY careful you use the right command when doing a "dd" command, as you can easily over-write anything that is on the card, or over-write the .img file.
 +
 + If= The "READ"
 + Of=The "WRITE"
 + ----
 + ***Windows***
 + Using a windows system and card reader this is even easier -
 +
 + Shutdown the Pi system - 'shutdown -h now' or however you do it.
 +
 + Take the card out of the Pi and insert it in the windows system reader/writer
 +
 + Read the card and save the image. I use 'win32diskimager'.
 +
 + The image is then stored on the hard drive of the windows system. To copy it off
 + to another SD card just insert the card, select the image to write and write it.
 +
 + No formating, partitioning etc. is needed. The card can be in any state,. It is
 + totally overwritten. An image is an exact copy of what as on the original card.
 + However it was setup including all system settings is the way the new card will be.
 +
 + Also if you need to create a new install or reinstall from scratch you need to
 + download the OS - Raspbien from the Raspbien download site. Make a few
 + config settings, download the install IRLP script and execute it. This is a
 + simplified description but it is not much more complicated. There is a paper
 + on how to do this.
 +
 + The downside of doing your own install is that you have to download and install
 + the extra stuff yourself - like the echo bridge and other scripts.
 +
 + Once you have a Pi system setup though you can clone it and hopefully never have
 + to do all that again.
 +
 +
 + ----
 + ***Macintosh***
 +
 +It is also very easy on a Macintosh. Basically the same procedure as making a copy on Linux, although the commands, device names and directory structures are different. You will need to use the terminal program in the Applications/Utilities folder. You also will need to become root, or precede all the commands below with a `sudo' (the root account is disabled by default on Macs, but it can be activated)
 +
 +Insert the SD card into the memory slot (all recent Macs have an SD slot).
 +
 + To determine what the SD card is called, use the command below...
 + [If you only have a single drive in your Mac, it will probably be disk1.
 + If the SD card is something else, use that number in all the examples below]
 +
 + diskutil list
 +
 + dave@DGingrich-MBPr:~$ diskutil list
 + /dev/disk0
 + #: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
 + 0: GUID_partition_scheme *751.3 GB disk0
 + 1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1
 + 2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 749.1 GB disk0s2
 + 3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 1.8 GB disk0s3
 + /dev/disk1
 + #: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
 + 0: FDisk_partition_scheme *4.0 GB disk1
 + 1: Windows_FAT_32 58.7 MB disk1s1
 + 2: Linux 3.8 GB disk1s2
 +
 +Obviously, the SD card is called "disk1" on my Macintosh.
 +
 +
 +The partitions must be unmounted. Use the command...
 +
 + diskutil unmountDisk disk1
 +
 + To make a copy of the SD card to your local drive...
 + [replace <user_dir> with whatever your home directory is called, usually your short user name]
 +
 + dd if=/dev/disk1 of=/Users/<user_dir>/pirlp.img
 +
 +Replace the SD card with a new one. The command to copy the file to a new SD...
 +
 + diskutil unmountDisk disk1
 +
 + dd if=/Users/<user_dir>/pirlp.img of=/dev/disk1
 +
 +As with Linux, it can take some time for the copy to complete, like 60-80 minutes. The speed is on the order of 1 MB/sec. You do the math.
 +
 +Pop the backup SD in your Pi, and power it up. Plus, you now also have a copy in your Mac home directory should you need it again.
  
backing_up_the_sd_card_using_all_formats.txt · Last modified: 2013/07/02 16:37 by wl7lp