I have updated my hard drive and do not want to reinstall linux. I would like to make an exact copy onto the new HD. I would need to install lilo too hmmmm.

I have read that you should never need to reinstall linux unless you completely blow a hard drive. So is what I am asking possible?

Has anyone done this before?

Thanks,
AD

Yep, often, too :) Here's a quick description.

Just partition the new HDD to your liking. Boot of
a Knoppix or install-CD ... make mountpoints in
/tmp .... mount a partition of the old hdd. mkfs the
new hard drives partitions with your favourite
fs (you should use one that's built into the kernel ;})

Then mount the corresponding partition from the
new hdd into the other mountpoint in /tmp.

Then cp -Rp /tmp/<mountpoint1> /tmp/<mountpoint2>

Unmount both. Repeat with all partitions (not swap,
obviously ;}) ...

Power box down.

Rip old hdd out.

boot of CD again....

chroot to new hdd's / ... run lilo.


Cheers,
Tink

Hmm... Well I guess if you had the hdd in your computer and fired up your old install and partioned your new hdd, coppied your hdd over and then did a chroot and installed your boot loader yeah then I guess it should work just fine. In fact thats kinda how the gentoo install works

Cool thatnks guys. Couldn't imagine needing to reinstall everything again for the 3rd time this year. It takes forever getting thing just sooooo perfect

Thanks tink
Thanks light

I was hoping it was that easy

What about checking the files between the 2 hard drives after copying? Meaning is there anyway to compair the files between partion hda1 and hde1 making sure everything was copied? I could swear I have seen this function somewhere before.

Thanks,
AD

nevermind
diff -r --brief dir1 dir2

Just by curiosity, how do you manage to copy the device files, files in /dev? Can cp manage them or they were recreated? Can take quite some time to copy /dev/zero


iTux