Using tar to prepare for an emergency

LIFE BOAT

Article from Issue 70/2006
Author(s):

Use a tarball to restore your system in next to no time – without a complete re-install.

Linux has no end of options for backing up data, however, a one-to-one copy will always use the same amount of space as the hard disk partition. You can save space by bundling the backup data into a compressed archive. Swiss Army Knife tar is a die-hard tool from the early days of Unix, and a GNU variant of tar is included with any Linux distribution. The program, which was originally developed as a “tape archiver,” has been continually extended over the years. Its original task of storing data on tape is just one of many tasks tar handles today.

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Perl: Network Backup

    Armed with just a rescue CD and a Perl script, you can back up a client’s hard disk across the wire.

  • Gentoo Linux

    Gentoo is a powerful and flexible Linux system that you can customize to fit perfectly into your environment. Our workshop describes how to set up Gentoo. We’ll also show you how to install and manage software on your Gentoo system with the popular Portage software management system.

  • Ask Klaus!

    New fdisk behavior, booting Knoppix from USB, and using PHP mail() in Apache.

  • Data Rescue

    Armed with just standard Linux tools, users can recover files, resurrect partitions, and rescue damaged media.

  • ASK KLAUS!

    Klaus Knopper is the creator of Knoppix and co-founder of the LinuxTag expo. He currently works as a teacher, programmer, and consultant. If you have a configuration problem, or if you just want to learn more about how Linux works, send your questions to: klaus@linux-magazine. com

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News