New to Unix, need to copy disc using DD

Applications Filesystems, Disks and Memory
1

Hello,

I'm new to Unix :confused: , but very comfortable with computers, we have a old ScoUnix system at work and we have no IT person, although we have limited basic knowledge of commands we are by far not experts. We have called around to have someone work on this but to date have not found anyone.

The hard drive we have now is about 10 years old and we would like to copy everything, a complete image, over to a new(used) drive of the same size 1.79 gig.

I have seen the DD command and wonder if this would be a correct one to use to make a copy.

Time for copy is not an issue I have read DD is slow but that is no problem.

Can someone walk me thru the commands to make a disk copy using DD or another command. I have looked at some of the examples on this forum, but need it spelled out a little better.

Please understand that I am a complete novice to Unix, so make it as simple as possible :slight_smile:

Thank You,

Bill

2

# dd if=/path_to_input_file_or_device of=/paht_to_outpup_file_or_device
for expample
# dd if=/dev/hda1 off=/usr/backup/old_disk

of couse /usr must be mounted on disk different from hda1 (in that sample)

3

Hi:

Take a look at a more comprehensive answer posted on this same forum.

Where are you going to get a 1.79 G drive today??? It is ok to use a larger drive for your destination, as long as it's the same type drive, but the rest of it will likely be unuseable after the operation. It will be reduced to a 1.79 GB drive. :confused:

4

I'm successfully running FreeBSD 6 off a 2.2Gb CF microdrive, with around 1Gb free space. It's all I really need and it includes all my Perl stuff too.. great fun!