How to backup SD card

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Robgus
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How to backup SD card

Unread post by Robgus »

I feel a bit silly for asking this, but here goes…

To backup my sd card, is just simply copy all folders and files to my computer? Or do I need to clone it - let’s say I want to put the same content on another card?

Thanks!
cursedverses
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by cursedverses »

You have a couple of ways, pick the one that suits your use case.

If you wanted to clone the SD card, I believe Balena's Etcher can now make full disk images of SD cards. You'd probably only want to do this to the same size SD card though as I'm unsure if partition resizing tools are on the Linux install.

Otherwise, you could copy the contents of the filesystem somewhere else, but you would have to flash the MiSTer system to your fresh SD card before copying the files back - there are a few partitions that will be hidden from you.

I think that should cover you. I'd personally go for the second option as I'm likely to go for a larger SD card in the future (for example, if/when PSX hits the scene)
Robgus
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by Robgus »

Cheers! Option two sounds good.

I have copied all folders and files to my computer already so I guess I’m somewhat covered if anything happens.

All the best
Blitzwing
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by Blitzwing »

Robgus wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:38 am I feel a bit silly for asking this, but here goes…

To backup my sd card, is just simply copy all folders and files to my computer? Or do I need to clone it - let’s say I want to put the same content on another card?

Thanks!
If you're running Linux on your PC you can use Rsync, that's how I've started to do mine as it'll only update changes and it just goes straight to my NAS. Set up a cronjob and as long as the MiSTer is on then you won't even need to think about backups.

Not overly necessary I guess with MiSTer if you don't change too much from one day to the next, but it's another option.
zorrobandito
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by zorrobandito »

Blitzwing wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 5:24 pm
If you're running Linux on your PC you can use Rsync, that's how I've started to do mine as it'll only update changes and it just goes straight to my NAS. Set up a cronjob and as long as the MiSTer is on then you won't even need to think about backups.
This is a great idea! Since MISTer runs Linux, is this something that could be configured directly on it, instead of proxying the task to a desktop Linux (which I don't have)?
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darksakul
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by darksakul »

The Linux on the MiSTer SD card is really stripped down. You have to do it from the command shell.
And I never tried to see if that worked.
It is my great regret that we live in an age that is proud of machines that think and suspicious of people who try to.
Blitzwing
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by Blitzwing »

zorrobandito wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:19 pm
Blitzwing wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 5:24 pm
If you're running Linux on your PC you can use Rsync, that's how I've started to do mine as it'll only update changes and it just goes straight to my NAS. Set up a cronjob and as long as the MiSTer is on then you won't even need to think about backups.
This is a great idea! Since MISTer runs Linux, is this something that could be configured directly on it, instead of proxying the task to a desktop Linux (which I don't have)?
I said in my previous post that it be could set as a cronjob, which is the Linux utility that automates commands at specified dates and times. However I was getting a little ahead of myself there as whilst I've sorted the commands for Rsync that I needed for both the SD card and USB storage I haven't actually looked to see if Cron is even in MiSTer Linux, as dark said Sorg strips out a lot of stuff to keep Linux as light as possible.

If not then it'd have to be ran when wanted, you can do that from Windows using a program like Putty.

I'll report back when I get a chance to test.
Pepeart
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Re: How to backup SD card

Unread post by Pepeart »

I have a backup image that I created using win32 diskimager.
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