Backup and restore (flash and/or images)

  • Thread starter Thread starter pacut
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pacut

I've carefully read this post:
http://www.vuplus-community.net/board/threads/how-to-make-a-backup-on-using-open-multibot.25159/

I have not completely understood if following that guide I can:

1) backup and restore OBH
2) backup and restore any other image already installed in Multiboot

I'd say "yes" to both questions, but would like to have confirmation.

That said, I would like to place an additional question:

3) would it be possible to duplicate (backup and restore) an image already working (i.e. BH 2.1.x) into OBH Multiboot ? Suppose you want to update an existing image and suppose you get an instable new system: you want to get back, prior the update. If you have a backup...maybe you can get back.

Too coomplicated ? ;)
Thanks
 
pacut said:
I've carefully read this post:
http://www.vuplus-community.net/board/threads/how-to-make-a-backup-on-using-open-multibot.25159/

I have not completely understood if following that guide I can:

1) backup and restore OBH
2) backup and restore any other image already installed in Multiboot

I'd say "yes" to both questions, but would like to have confirmation.

That said, I would like to place an additional question:

3) would it be possible to duplicate (backup and restore) an image already working (i.e. BH 2.1.x) into OBH Multiboot ? Suppose you want to update an existing image and suppose you get an instable new system: you want to get back, prior the update. If you have a backup...maybe you can get back.

Too coomplicated ? ;)
Thanks
Click to expand...

1) - You can backup and restore all images in Open Multiboot, although, you have to make it, afaik, one by one.

2) - Yes, the same way as in 1) - One by one.

3) - Yes you can ... By renaming it.


best regards
nunigaia
 
Last edited:
Ok, finally I made the jump ;) I am on OBH (flash) and under Multiboot there is one image (BH 2.1.6). Everything works charmly.

That said, I am going to investigate more the backup (and restore!) process. Lets' give items proper names: lest call OBH "host" (since it is the host) and any system under Multiboot (in my configuration it's the BH 2.1.6) let's call it "guest" (since it the a guest, under OBH Multiboot, the host)
I strongly believe these things:

1) backup from guest: it will produce a backup related only to the guest itself (guest can't "see" the host above it)
2) backup from host: you stated it will NOT include any guests (if I have correctly understood). I do suspect (and will make some test) that in reality guest would be included too, since the host sees the guest (it is located under the path /media/usb....)
3) flashing guest backup (via USB memory, FAT): dangerous ! Everything (OBH) will be replaced by the guest's firmware.
4) flashing from host (via USB memory, FAT): less dangerous, but the result is unpredictable at this time (from my poin of view), since I still don't know the result of item n.2)
5) no way to duplicate any guest, to my knowledge
6) no way to recover only one guest, to my knowledge

Will further investigate and let you know
Thanks
Paolo
 
pacut said:
Ok, finally I made the jump ;) I am on OBH (flash) and under Multiboot there is one image (BH 2.1.6). Everything works charmly.

That said, I am going to investigate more the backup (and restore!) process. Lets' give items proper names: lest call OBH "host" (since it is the host) and any system under Multiboot (in my configuration it's the BH 2.1.6) let's call it "guest" (since it the a guest, under OBH Multiboot, the host)
I strongly believe these things:

1) backup from guest: it will produce a backup related only to the guest itself (guest can't "see" the host above it)
2) backup from host: you stated it will NOT include any guests (if I have correctly understood). I do suspect (and will make some test) that in reality guest would be included too, since the host sees the guest (it is located under the path /media/usb....)
3) flashing guest backup (via USB memory, FAT): dangerous ! Everything (OBH) will be replaced by the guest's firmware.
4) flashing from host (via USB memory, FAT): less dangerous, but the result is unpredictable at this time (from my poin of view), since I still don't know the result of item n.2)
5) no way to duplicate any guest, to my knowledge
6) no way to recover only one guest, to my knowledge

Will further investigate and let you know
Thanks
Paolo
Click to expand...

1) Yes
2) No ... It will backup the image in flash. But if your image is correctly running on OMB ( Open MultiBoot ), when you reflash or restore -> just connect after the reflash the Usb pen drive that contains Multibooted images ( in your particular case BH 2.1.6 ). A restore can be made on a HDD ... in this case you don´t need to disconnect your USB Pen Drive.
3) Yes ... You must unpack via Open Multiboot using install, or if the image is booted and running .. restore it.
4) Remember allways one thing ... If you flash, everything is lost ... is like initializing an HDD or USB ( +/- ) ;)
5) You can have the same image ... on OMB ( don´t see any advantage on that ), imagine that you have installed on OMB ... The name for that image is Blackhole_2.1.6 ... You can rename it to Blackhole_Test and install another image with the same data ( like clones ) with the name Blackhole_2.1.6. rename another time Blackhole_Room... doing the same steps. So, you can have severall images with different names ... but the same images.
6) If you have a backup of its data ... no problem. You only can recover " guest " by " guest ", i.e. one by one.

Note: For Backups ... you have to make ( Image flash (OBH) or ( Other Images ... includind an image copy of Open BlackHole installed in flash ( in this particular no need to rename it ... cause the image in flash, the name is " flash "))), you have to make isolated backups for each copy.

best regards
nunigaia
 
Speaking about host backup and restore, everything is easy and clear (it is the standard procedure of backup and flashing)

Speaking about gust backup and restore, something is not fully clear to me.
How do I create the ZIP file ? At the end of backup process I get a directory "Vuplus" with some files inside.
And once i have the ZIP file, I don't see any menu for restoring it within Multiboot.

Misterious guests !!
 
pacut said:
Speaking about host backup and restore, everything is easy and clear (it is the standard procedure of backup and flashing)

Speaking about gust backup and restore, something is not fully clear to me.
How do I create the ZIP file ? At the end of backup process I get a directory "Vuplus" with some files inside.
And once i have the ZIP file, I don't see any menu for restoring it within Multiboot.

Misterious guests !!
Click to expand...

For the named "guest " pack the entire created folder <vuplus> using a zip tool ...

1) If you copy this entire <vuplus> folder and subfolder to the root of an USB pen drive ... you can flash your STB ...

2) For the named "guest " pack the entire created folder <vuplus> using a zip tool ... like: winzip, 7zip, winrar, peazip, etc and zip it to file name that identifies your image ...

for example: Blackhole_217, Blackhole_216, OpenBlackHole_01, OpenBlackhole_Jul2015 ...

This will give you a file named Blackhole_217.zip; Blackhole_216.zip

You can use this zip files to install in Multiboot using Open Multiboot plugin.


see the screenshot:

SS_1.jpg

Best regards
nunigaia
 
wow…I already tried doing that, but didn’t work. Will try once again.

For the time being I did something else for backup my guest(s): I turned off my STB, then pulled out the USB pen, then connected such USB pen to a linux PC, then made a copy of the entire USB pen (command: dd if=/dev/sdxx of=mycopyguests bs=1024). I did an experiment: I took another USB pen, I initialized it in EXT4 file system, then I made the opposite command: dd if=mycopyguests of=/dev/sdxx bs=1024 I then pulled out the USB from Linux, I reinserted it into the StB and….voila’…IT WORKS !!

At the end, with my method, I can save in une file all of my gusts and have them back all together in one shot.

This is different than creating a new exact copy of an existing guest. This could be achieved by the method you mentioned, that I am gonna trying very soon.

Thanks
Paolo
 
UATOOOOOO !!!! It works !!!

I was using compression tool from my iMac, and that didn’t work. I then tired with my Linux machine and…IT WORKS !!! Now I can create/duplicate/restore all of my guests machine

THANKS !!!
 
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