Re: [aclug-L] BRAND SPANKIN' NEW HDD!!!!!!!!!

[Bob Deep <bobd@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

sohel wrote:
> 
> Hi Jeremy,
> 
> So is there a way to get around to this problem? What would you
> recommend?
> 

Uh.. Why make this so difficult?  Seems to me you could just add the
hard drive to the box, crank up linux, use fdisk to set up your new
drive with your desired partitions, make file systems and mount them.

Then, using tar, just copy the old partitions to the new ones.

The only problem you may face is how to copy the "/" partition w/o
getting all the systems you have mounted (but I beleive you can get tar
to behave properly somehow).  Worst case is that you umount everything
but the target and copy each directory in / seperatly...

Once you get things copied, you will have to adjust (on the "new" drive)
a few things so your new mount points are correctly set up for the new
/dev/hdb? one you fdisk'ed and copied. (This is in /etc/fstab on your
new "/" partition on your new drive..)  Also edit your /etc/lilo.conf
file on the new partition to point to the correct "/" partition
(boot=/dev/hda ==> boot=/dev/hdb).

Unless I missed something, you should have a fully functional system on
your new drive now, except for getting LILO to boot it for you.

Before you continue any further... Make sure you have a way to boot from
a floppy or CD, just incase you make a mistake with the new lilo
config.  (And test the recovery disks to be sure they work!).

Then modify your old lilo.conf (saving the old one, just in case) so it
points to the new drive as "/" and pointing to the kernel image on the
new drive (you do have the new "/" mounted right?).  Run lilo and reboot
(assuming no errors).

Once the system comes up again, verify that you are running on the new
drive, and that all your partitions are mounted correctly, then run lilo
again once you are sure things are OK to remove the old system from the
map.

You have just cloned your system onto the new drive...  Once you are
VERY sure you don't need the backup any more, feel free to run fdisk
again and remove all the linux from your old hard drive...

-= bob =-
---
This is the Air Capitol Linux Users Group discussion list.  If you
want to unsubscribe, send the word "unsubscribe" to
aclug-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx.  If you want to post to the list, send your
message to aclug-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx.