creating filesystem images

[David Kelly]

On Wed, Aug 24, 2005 at 11:00:52AM -0400, Lowell Gilbert wrote:
> jdyke <jdyke at azimainc.com> writes:
> 
> > I have an OS running on a 128Mg CF and i want to tranfsfer this
> > image to a another, actually 5 or more, 512Mg CF cards, each with
> > two partitions one 128 and one 392.  dump and restore seem to be
> > able to accomplish this.  Is that a good method, is dd better?
> 
> Dump and restore is the obvious way to do it.  
> dd can do it too, but will be slower, as well 
> as easier to shoot yourself in the foot with.

The advantage of dump/restore is that only the necessary data is
written. With dd all the unused blocks on the media are also written,
including the filesystem, which will probably work on the larger card.

I've always found it best to newfs a CF rather than bulk copy with dd.
Had about 20 256MB CF cards purchased in one lot and found several years
ago that not all were exactly the same block count in size. Running
newfs separately on each solved that problem. Previously dd was used as
a bulk duplicator.

Tar or pax are not bad choices in addition to dump/restore.

-- 
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly at HiWAAY.net
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Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.