Hello.

Just installed a basic arch linux system and i want to ask if there is any way to create a snapshot of that system, save it in a CD and to be able to clone that image every time that i have to make format to that machine.

By meaning basic install i mean that it has only root account , TRIM service for the SSD, LUKS encryption in the whole system, network and DNS setup. There is no GUI or other user.

Years ago i remember using norton ghost for windows machine at the PC lab to make all machines same. Should i search something similar for linux ?

Thank you.

Maybe you can use this to make a backup copy of the Arch partition. I use Fsarchiver for mine but it include others, such as Partimage. I have an external hdd to copy the backups to.

http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage

There may be other/better solutions also.

Arch may have some program that you may like. There are so many choices it is difficult to say really.

There are bit by bit copies using dd with compression to a file. It would be a bit by bit copy of entire hard drive to include non-used space.

There are file by file methods but you'd have to include boot. Might look at clonezilla/redobackup as they tend to be rather easy.

You can try clonezilla @ http://www.clonezilla.org/

It's a specialty live linux distro. I suggest watching some youtube videos on using clonezilla.