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Backup System

Backup via Script​

danger

The backup script does not guarantee support for all unofficial systems. Please backup important data before use.

We provide a script to backup your operating system into an img format image.

tip

This script has been thoroughly tested only on the official RuiShan systems.

This script does not support Android systems.

The backup script allows you to back up the running operating system as well as perform offline backups.

Installation​

Run the following command on your development board:

curl -sL https://rock.sh/rockpi-backup -o rockpi-backup.sh
chmod +x rockpi-backup.sh

Help​

sudo ./rockpi-backup.sh -h
Usage:
  sudo ./rockpi-backup.sh [-o path|-e pattern|-u|-m path]
    -o Specify output position, default is $PWD.
    -e Exclude files matching pattern for rsync.
    -u Unattended, no need to confirm in the backup process.
    -m Back up the root mount point, and support backups from other disks as well.

Backup​

tip

If you need to rename files or backup to a specific directory, please refer to: Backup to Specified Path

Run the following command on your development board and follow the prompts.

sudo ./rockpi-backup.sh
info
This command will roughly perform the following operations:
  1. Check root permission
  2. Check and install dependencies
  3. Read the running system kernel name and set the file name based on the kernel name.
  4. Check partition details
  5. Set the root path mount point to /
  6. Find other partitions on the same disk as the root path
  7. Install auto-expand script to the root partition
  8. Create a disk file based on the file name
  9. Clone non-root partitions
  10. Synchronize root partition contents using rsync and exclude files currently output
  11. Cleanup and finish
You may need to install dependencies. Enter y to install dependencies automatically.
Welcome to rockpi-backup.sh, part of the ROCK Pi toolkit.

  Enter rockpi-backup.sh -h to view help.
  For a description and example usage, see the README.md at:
    https://rock.sh/rockpi-toolbox

--------------------
Command not found: rsync,      package required: rsync

Do you want to apt-get install the packages? [y/N]
After installing dependencies, you will see the following content. Enter y to start the backup.
--------------------
Checking disk...
The backup file will be saved at /home/radxa/xxx.img
After this operation, 4560 MB of additional disk space will be

 used.

Do you want to continue? [y/N]
If the backup is successful, you will see the following content.
Checking disk...
The backup file will be saved at /home/radxaxxx.img
After this operation, 4560 MB of additional disk space will be used.

Do you want to continue? [y/N] y
Create service...
Generate the base images. This might take some time.
0+0 records in
0+0 records out
0 bytes copied, 0.000508975 s, 0.0 kB/s
Copy other partition
31565312 bytes (32 MB, 30 MiB) copied, 1 s, 31.6 MB/s
65535+0 records in
65535+0 records out
33553920 bytes (34 MB, 32 MiB) copied, 1.064 s, 31.5 MB/s
Rebuild root partition...
Delete inappropriate partition and fix
Create new root partition...
Change part GUID
Change part Label
Change part type
Change attribute_flag
Mount loop device...
Format root partition...
Mounting...
Start rsync...

Number of files: 137,155 (reg: 112,451, dir: 10,850, link: 13,853, special: 1)
Number of created files: 137,154 (reg: 112,451, dir: 10,849, link: 13,853, special: 1)
Number of deleted files: 0
Number of regular files transferred: 112,406
Total file size: 4,588,642,152 bytes
Total transferred file size: 3,869,510,742 bytes
Literal data: 3,869,510,742 bytes
Matched data: 0 bytes
File list size: 4,718,099
File list generation time: 0.003 seconds
File list transfer time: 0.000 seconds
Total bytes sent: 3,879,593,182
Total bytes received: 2,241,928

sent 3,879,593,182 bytes  received 2,241,928 bytes  11,962,511.90 bytes/sec
total size is 4,588,642,152  speedup is 1.18

Backup done, the file is /home/radxa/xxx.img

Backup to Specified Path​

The backup script allows changing the location where the files are output. Simply add the -o parameter.

Command reference:

sudo ./rockpi-backup.sh -o xxx.img # Rename without changing the output location

sudo ./rockpi-backup.sh -o /mnt/sda1/ # Do not rename, change the output location

sudo ./rockpi-backup.sh -o /mnt/sda1/xxx.img # Rename and change the output location
tip

You can backup to external storage

Simply mount the external storage to a certain path, for example: mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1

Exclude Files​

You can use one or more -e parameters to exclude files or directories. Please use absolute paths.

The generated image files are automatically excluded.

The script does not back up across file systems, i.e., it does not back up to the device you mounted, so you do not need to manually exclude mounted point folders.

tip

The exclusion syntax of -e is the same as rsync --exclude.

Supported File Systems​

If you are using an officially provided system, this script is usually supported.

If you modify the partitions, you need to meet the following conditions:

tip

If you meet the following conditions, unofficial systems can also be supported, including but not limited to x86, arm.

If you do not meet the following conditions, you can perform a full disk backup using dd.

caution

The size of the files you exclude is still counted towards your total image size. However, they will not be copied to the generated image. This would make calculating file sizes very complex.

  1. Hard disk format must be GPT

  2. The system root partition should be at the end of the disk. (Sector 0 is the beginning)

  3. Root partition file system should be ext4

  4. Non-disk encryption

  5. Non-RAID

  6. Non-LVM

  7. System services managed by systemd

Full Disk Backup using dd​

caution

This method only allows for offline backups.

If your system to be backed up is installed on removable media.

info
  1. Off-board eMMC

    Please use eMMC reader to convert to USB

  2. SD card

    Please use an SD card reader to convert to USB

  3. NVME

    Please use an adapter to convert to USB

  4. Others

Connect your installation media to your computer via USB or other means, and perform the following steps.

dd if=/dev/sdx of=xxx.img bs=4M status=progress # Replace /dev/sdx with the actual device path, and replace xxx.img with the output file name

Restore System​

The file generated by the above method is a normal flashable image, and can be installed using conventional system installation methods.