Easiest method to install a DVD writer

[Roland Smith]

On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 09:40:46AM -0700, dave at transducertech.com wrote:
>  Hi, 
>  I have a desktop Compaq computer running the latest stable version of 
>  FreeBSD. I want to install a DVD writer to use for backups (either internal 
>  or USB). Can someone recommend the easiest method to do this by? Is there a 
>  list of supported DVD writers for the latest stable version of
>  FreeBSD?

An ATAPI DVD writer should Just Work. I don't know about USB ones.

>  I don't want to spend a lot of time configuring it. I just want to
>  install something I know will work, with minimal need for
>  configuration. Also, will I need special software to do the actual
>  writing? 

I've configured my system to use the DVD via SCSI subsystem with the
atapicam driver. See http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsmith/freebsd/index.html#cdrom

But that was mainly because cdrecord(1) only works well with SCSI
devices. I haven't tried burning DVDs with the atapicd driver.

> If so, what free software works well and is easy to use?
>  Suggestions? Success stories?

For DVDs you'll need growisofs(1) from the
/usr/ports/sysutils/dvd+rw-tools port.

I find it easy to use in scripts or from the command line, but there are
graphical front ends.

Normally, growisofs writes ISO9660 filesystems, but growisofs will burn
anything you tell it to.

My DVD backup script makes several tar archives of my data, which are
then compressed with bzip2 and encrpyted with ccrypt(1). Those tarfiles
are burnt directly to DVD, without an ISO9660 filesystem.

But I think that DVD's aren't optimal for backups. My advice would be to
buy an external USB harddrive. They're not that expensive anymore and
store a lot more data. I use one of those (with GELI encryption) to
store compressed filesystem dumps. A dump is the best way to save all
the filesystem metadata. Most backup strategies can save user- and
group-ids and permissions, but they can't cope well with flags, acls or
links.

Roland
-- 
R.F.Smith                                   http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsmith/
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