Systemback

Make a Restore Point copy to an External Hard Drive

Asked by Mark Pereira

My System: Ubuntu 14.04 on a desktop with MATE desktop.
SystemBack version: Kendek GPLv3

I would like to make an "exact copy" of my Systemback restore point backup made which is currently stored in the default location at /home/Systemback and save it to an external HD. The reason I want to do this is that if /home/Systemback where ever lost/corrupted, etc., there would be no way to restore my computer using SystemBack.

I've tried making a copy using the terminal to launch the Caja file manager wtih "as superuser" permissions, but I keep getting the following message when I try to copy the Systemback folder at /home to my external HD :
The folder "cores" cannot be handled because you do not have permissions to read it.

On something so important, I'm not sure if I should be trying to change the "file access" permissions for that folder or not.

I've also tried making a copy using of the backup in /home/systemback using the terminal "sudo" permissions so copying would capture “hidden files,” but something is still not right with the instructions below, as some files are not copied:

These instructions “almost” worked:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/86822/how-can-i-copy-the-contents-of-a-folder-to-another-folder-in-a-different-directo

sudo cp -r '/home/Systemback/.' '/media/mark/External 120 GB/SystembackBackup'

But, instead of being 11.7GB, it was 11.6.GB. Apparently, it does not copy “hidden files” or some other files.

I've tried a number of different terminal commands to copy the files, but the copied files never match the original SystemBack copy in size or number of files.

Since making an exact copy of the SystemBack backup is such a problem, is there a way to make a SystemBack backup to an external HD? I've tried selecting that in the settings, but it won't allow me to select an external HD. I have sudo/superuser privileges.

Thanks in advance.

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Mark Pereira
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Kendek (nemh) said : 		#1

You can create a new restore point on the new place, but if you need to copy the old points, just use the:

sudo rsync -a /storage/directory/Systemback /new/storage/directory

command (or use the cp with -a option).

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Mark Pereira (markjna) said : 		#2

Thanks Kendek.

I am not able to create a new restore point on a new place. For some reason, Systemback will not allow me to select my external hard drive. After mounting the HD, it is listed in Systemback under media/mark/External 120 GB, but the "External 120 GB" is in red and it has a red X in front of it. That HD is formatted in NTFS.
Do you know why I can't select my External HD?

I made a copy of my backup (Source folder) using the terminal commands you suggested. There was some discrepancy in the number of files in the Copy Folder made - it has more files. My "guess" is that the discrepancy is due to the “unreadable” contents at the source folder, as you can see below. Can you confirm that?

Souce folder information:
543,601 items, totalling 11.7 GB
(some contents unreadable)

Copy folder information:
544,407 items, totalling 11.7 GB

Thanks again for your help.

Revision history for this message
Kendek (nemh) said : 		#3

The NTFS is not a Linux filesystem (this is why the red X) and not supported (because not possible). If you using a restore point from NTFS, then the restored/copied/installed system will not boot (because file permissions problem).

Revision history for this message
Mark Pereira (markjna) said : 		#4

I formatted an external HD partition to Ext4 and was then successful in creating a restore point on it using Systemback.
Thanks for helping me get this solved.