[ale] linux harddrive upgrade utility (similar to MaxBlast, etc)?

[Robert L. Harris]

> On Tuesday 12 November 2002 07:42 am, Robert L. Harris wrote:
> > I do this all the time
> >
> > Instll the new HD in the system, say it's /dev/hdb.
> >
> > Partition hdb  (Pretend 2 partitions, repeat if more)
> > dd if=/vmlinuz of=/dev/fd0
> > mkswap /dev/hdb2
> > mkdir /tmp/mnt
> > mount /dev/hdb1 /tmp/mnt
> > cd /
> > find . -mount -print | cpio -pdmu /tmp/mnt
> >
> > disconnect drive hda
> > make drive hdb primary
> > make the original hdb secondary (nice scratch space)
> >
> > Boot off the floppy
> > execute lilo to install the boot block
> >
> > Works great on linux filesystems, usually windows also but I just
> > re-install windows, it's cleaner.
> 
> And if you can remember the magic incantation, you can skip the boot from 
> floppy part and just install the boot loader on hdb so that it will boot 
> as hda later.  I can never recall the exact command, so I spend more time 
> rtfming to remember how to do it.
> 
> I have a big desire to write a program that will automate this process.  At 
> ZapMedia we had a script that did this, but only for a particular 
> partitioning scheme.  I want to write a script that will duplicate the 
> partitioning scheme on another drive, copy over all the files, install the 
> boot loader.
> 
> I even have permisssion from my boss to make it an open source project--all 
> I need is the time.  Anyone want to help?

You can theoreically use some chroot/lilo magic to get around it but the
boot floppy is just faster than making sure you got root and boot
settings correct.  Safer also since it knows to look at /dev/hda1.

Robert



:wq!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert L. Harris                     | PGP Key ID: FC96D405
                               
DISCLAIMER:
      These are MY OPINIONS ALONE.  I speak for no-one else.
FYI:
 perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5,(41*2),sqrt(7056),(unpack(c,H)-2),oct(115),10);'


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