RE: Re: OT Copying Linux hard disk

["Robert Welsh" <bob-ukha@xxxxxxx>]

> > > I need to copy the contents of a Hard drive on my SME server
> > > to a new disk of smaller capacity, does anybody know of any
> > > utilities I can download off the web there that will do
this?
> >
> > Why not just mount the old disk in the PC with the new disk
> installed
> > and copy the files from one to the other ??
> >
>
> Hi Rob,
>
> Thanks for your response, my problem is that SME server is a modified
> Linux distribution that doesn't have a GUI or anything and I don't
> have two clues as to the necessary commands to type even if they were
> included.
>

Ah..well...iroinically (well, at least I think this is irony...no,
thinking about it, it's just coincidence...anyway) I'm about to do the
same myself as I move my SME server over to a 2x160Gb RAID configuration
>from

Sounds like you've little *nix experience at all ??? Not a problem -
there's loads of tutorial type material out there - that's one of the
good things about Linux.

Ideally you'd go through a process where you take your old HD out and
install SME on to your new HD.
One that is complete, take down your server and add the old HD back into
the system, alongside your new HD - connect it either on a 2nd channel
or as a slave on the master channel - depends on what other gubbins you
got inside there.

No reboot your box. Once it's up and running, get onto console for the
box - I'm assuming here that you're not running this  box headless or
anything. Login as 'root'. Once you've logged into you'll be 'dumped'
into the 'horrifying world' of command line Linux !!! <cue phantom
screaming>

Now go through the following steps:
1. Create mount point
2. Mount your old disk at this mount point
3. Copy files from old disk to new disk

A simple Google search will help you out no end in getting started in
this 'wilderness' - and for command-line basics there's a fairly good
site http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/cli.html

I've just noticed Ian Lowe's suggestion of Partition Magic - there's no
doubt many ways to skin a cat - however, getting to know your linux box
a little more intimately won't do you any harm !!

Let me know if you run into trouble - as the RAC would say, "we're
here
to help !"...(or is it the AA ??)

Cheers,
Rob