On 12/1/05, <b class="gmail_sendername">Jeff Nelson</b> <<a href="mailto:stutterstutt@comcast.net">stutterstutt@comcast.net</a>> wrote:<div><span class="gmail_quote"></span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
I'm considering swapping out SuSE 9.2 for Ubuntu (Breezy). What's<br>stopping me is that I have a multi-disk logical volume group. I've<br>looked at the LVG HOWTO at <a href="http://tldp.org">tldp.org</a> and it seems that I should first
<br>export the LVG and then import it when the new distribution is up and<br>running.<br><br>The data are not backed up and I'm nervous about making a mistake. I'd<br>back it up if I knew of a reasonably-priced archive option that worked
<br>on Linux that could handle 500GB of data (it could easily double in the<br>next year). That rules out popping over to the local store to pick up a<br>dual-layer DVD-RW. The data are already compressed so I do not expect to
<br>achieve much by compressing while writing to tape, either.<br><br>Now's your chance to offer advice. If you were me what would you do?<br>Should I just trust the LVG export/import capabilities? I plan to keep<br>the SuSE distribution available while I switch to Ubuntu, so hopefully I
<br>could revert back if things go wrong.<br><br>Personal replies will be summarized back to the list if you'd rather<br>send to me directly rather than the whole list.<br></blockquote></div><br>
<br>
You have 500GB of data that you're concerned about, and it's not backed up? Something wrong with that picture...<br>
<br>
Honestly, the whole process should be relatively painless if the data
resides on disks/partitions and volume groups outside of your OS.<br>
<br>
-print out your /etc/fstab<br>
-run a vgcfgbackup /de/vgXX (VG you are backing up) and store it to a safe place such as a floppy, cdrom or network share<br>
-Install your OS<br>
-Modify your /etc/fstab to add in the VG/LV info from the other data<br>
-vgscan<br>
-mount -a<br>
<br>
There are a couple of caveats:<br>
<br>
1) LVM2 is backwards compatible with LVM1, however LVM1 does not work with LVM2<br>
<br>
2) Backups are critical. I'd suggest a disk to disk copy backup at least and a tape drive if you can.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
I have yet to really need to run a vgcfgrestore when swapping disks to
another system if they are the only parts of the VG. Or, when
reinstalling an OS. vgscan and the fstab modifications typically
work.<br>
<br>
<br>-- <br>-Shawn<br><br>-Nemo me impune lacessit. Ne Obliviscaris.. <br>