From FIXIT: (was:Re: System down, won't come up

[Gary Kline]

On Sun, Sep 03, 2006 at 09:19:10AM +0100, Matthew Seaman wrote:
> Gary Kline wrote:
> 
> > 	fixit mode.   What I really want is to get the data files off
> > 	and over to another servr.  Havng /etc/* and maybe /var/db/pkg/*
> > 	would be a big help.  Then I could reinstall 5.3  ->5.5 and
> > 	finally over to 6.1.
> 
> Why go via 5.5 if you're upgrading by installing a new system on the
> machine?  Just go straight to 6.1.


	Good point.

> 
> Stuff you should backup before doing that:
> 
>     /etc             --- absolutely vital

	Yep; and I do have a Tao.tbz; but it is sitting right in 
	/usr/tmp, on tao.  (....)


>     /usr/local/etc   --- ditto: most people have put hours of work into
>                          port configuration files which would be painful
>                          to have to recreate.
>     /var             --- lots of programs keep their state in files in
>                          /var, not to mention stuff like MYSQL DB files.
>     /home or /usr/home - depending on how your disk is laid out.
>     /root
> 
> Other stuff you might need to backup:
> 
>     /usr/local/www   --- if you run web sites of this machine
>     /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/{xdm,app-defaults,...}
>                      --- if you've customised stuff under there
> 
>     /boot/loader.conf
>     /usr/src/sys/i386/conf/HOSTNAME
>                      --- these two should be mostly for reference as
>                          their contents have changed significantly with
>                          changes to the system.
>      /usr/local/share/snmp/{snmp.conf,snmpd.conf}
>                      ---  only if you run net-snmpd: for some reason it
>                           keeps its config files here instead of under
>                           /usr/local/etc
> 
> That covers all of the locations I know of where hand customised files
> can generally be found (on machines I admin, at least).  Everything else
> should be replacable by running a 'make world' cycle or by using the ports.
> No doubt other people do things differently, so will have a slightly different
> list...
> 


	Every night I tar -y my website files up and sent them remote.
	--Whenever-I-remember, I tar up the /etc directories and ship
	them to local servers.  (I *really* do gotta get a plan.  Never
	expect 5.4 to [ct]rap out!  What a wakeup call....)

	Oh: /boot/loader.conf is something to consider too.  Thanks
	much.

	gary

> 
> 	Cheers,
> 
> 	Matthew
> 
> -- 
> Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                       7 Priory Courtyard
>                                                       Flat 3
> PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey         Ramsgate
>                                                       Kent, CT11 9PW
> 



-- 
   Gary Kline     kline at thought.org   www.thought.org     Public service Unix