I just installed Fedora Core 4 successfully, and I'm working on configuring it the way I want, including updates, installing extra apps, disabling services, etc.

When all this is done, I'll have an identical machine, that I'd like to be a clone of the fully configured one.

Is there an easy way to do this cloning?

The easiest way i can think of is to tar the root directory, then copy the archive and extract it. the only problem that might arise is with the /dev directory you might have to add some devices by hand on the clone.

Another way is the dd command. Just install both hd in the running system and do something like
dd bs=1024 if=/dev/hda of=/dev/hdb

check out the man page of dd for clearance. This way would save you the hassle with the /dev directory (i hope )

Thank you, I'll give your suggestions a try.

if you have norton ghost you should also be able to run that from a windows system. IIRC ghost will make an image of linux systems and can put that image on a seperate system. you will need a NIC that ghost knows how to boot to and the ability to make a boot floppy but things should work rather well for you if you can do that.

If you use the tar method, you still gotta copy over the boot block and re-partition the drive identical to the first?

I think the 'dd' method is the easiest.

-twantrd

what exactly does the dd do? will it also partition and duplicate exactly the system like ghost does?

twantrd, you raised a good point about partitioning. This is something I've been wondering about too.

Here's what I intend to do:

Install linux on the second machine, with identical partitions as the first.
If I then go ahead and do a

tar -zcvpf /

of the first machine, then

tar -zxvpf

on the destination machine, would that work?

The dd method may not work for me, since I have several hard drives configured as a raid array.

I guess the only way to find out is to actually test it when I'm ready.

I remembered one forum where it was mandatory that you searched on your subject before you were allowed to post a new thread. Was that this forum?

Why should more experienced users waste their time answering the same questions over and over instead of helping people with new and real problems?

Search for "learn the dd command" on this forum, and you'll find every conceivable use of dd, including 17 alternative ways to clone a drive.

jlinkels

As correct as you are, attitudes like that are one thing that prevent new users from trying linux for any real amount of time.

that is just as bad as RTFM replies. some people may of read the man pages and just not understood what was said. others may be to new to even know about the search function here to use it.

as for my question about dd, it was simple, this thread is talking about that subject so to keep the thread on track and to learn something i asked a very simple question. if you know the answere, then please provide useful information. if you do not know the answere move on and stop with the pissy attitude towards newbies.

hmm linux is based on SHARING of information, not on flaming the new people for asking questions. if a question is asked a million times, then wow maybe it is important for new people to KNOW HOWTO do those things.

All flames aside, there's a tool called SystemImager that handles creating a cloning images. I'm planning to try it out on my next large scale machine deployment at work.

jlinkels, you might want to think before you post.

What if he never heard of the "dd command"...DF!

Your missing the name of the tar-archive you wanna create. It should be like

tar -zcvpf filename.tar directory_to_tar

the option f stands for file(name).

Also when you extract put the name of the tar after -f

You might consider to skip some dirs like /tmp maybe /home and /var/log. Check man page for optionname.

The dd command might still be an option because its working on the hardware level not on filesystem level and i think it does not care if you got a raid going. The only thing that might araise if the clone machine has bigger or smaller hd, but i think it only effects the partition table.

If any more question i´m happy to answer. got enough free time

lleb,

If there would be a prize for not understanding man pages, I would probable eligible for it. I mean: I agree with you that man pages are utterly terse and incomprehensible, and that it is useful to have a HOWTO aside.

Then my statement still holds. Force the user to search, make search easier etc.

I gave a pointer, didn't I? "Learn the dd command" is the title of a thread on this forum, not a statement.

That is why another member (his name is AwesomeMachine, we are not related in any way) wrote an elaborate howto on the dd command. He not only explained the dd command, but also gave numerous examples about how to clone a disk. Where I could, I added my knowledge to that thread.

It also sad to see that due to the huge amount of repeated, basic questions about how to clone a disk, it becomes more difficult to find this or other relevant threads.


Mithrilhall:
The "dd" commmand was mentioned in the first reply in this thread. Who should think here before posting?

Just for my knowledge: DF = Da Fuck?

jlinkels

Linux System Imager?

No, In Unix/Linux, every tool is designed to do one job and do it good, thats one of the philosophies of UNIX and that you should know. Therefore "dd"'s job will not be to partition your drive since theres another great tool that does that, its called "fdisk" and if you want to format your drive there's another tool called "mkfs"
obviously you seem to have come from windowz world