restore(1) dumpfile to directory rather than filesystem -- possible? -- SOLVED

[Alex Zbyslaw]

Mel wrote:

>man restore:
>-r      Restore (rebuild a file system).
>
>This will recreate the filesystem, meaning, the files extracted will have 
>identical inode numbers as on the original filesystem. Thus, you will very 
>likely run into problems when using this mode.
>
>You're looking for -x, which extracts a dump file, similar to a tar, restoring 
>ownership, file times and so on, but leaving the inode numbers up to the OS.
>
>restore -x is essentially what OP did interactively.
>  
>
Err, no.  Not unless it changed recently and this text is still 
apparently present in 8-CURRENT (according to the Web interface).

 From the man page BUGS section (though it's been there so long it's a 
feature, in my book and belongs better with the -r option to prevent 
exactly the confusion you've experienced).

     A level zero dump must be done after a full restore.  Because restore
     runs in user code, it has no control over inode allocation; thus a full
     dump must be done to get a new set of directories reflecting the new
     inode numbering, even though the contents of the files is unchanged.

<spod>(The only bug here is that "is unchanged" should be "are 
unchanged" since "contents" is plural.  Or you could singularise to 
"content").</spod>

In addition, if all you are doing is *testing* the dump then -rN in any 
directory you please will work as well, since nothing gets extracted.  
Useful if you're just concerned about tape errors and the like.

--Alex