871a57947d
- Add 3 backup modes: LV→LV, LV→Raw, VG→Raw - Simple GUI with mode selection and dynamic target lists - Command-line version with clear mode support - Enhanced drive listing with mode-specific options - Minimal logic: just snapshot → copy → cleanup - No complex migration features that cause system issues - Supports refreshing existing backups and creating fresh ones
119 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown
119 lines
2.9 KiB
Markdown
# Simple LVM Backup System
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**A much simpler, safer approach to LVM backups.**
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After issues with complex backup systems, this is a return to basics:
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- Simple LVM snapshot creation
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- Direct block-level copy with dd/pv
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- Minimal logic, maximum reliability
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## What This Does
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1. **Creates an LVM snapshot** of your source volume
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2. **Copies it block-for-block** to your target drive
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3. **Cleans up the snapshot** when done
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That's it. No complex migration logic, no fancy features that can break.
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## Quick Start
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### 1. See what's available
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```bash
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sudo ./list_drives.sh
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```
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### 2. Run a simple backup
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```bash
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sudo ./simple_backup.sh /dev/your-vg/your-lv /dev/your-target-drive
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```
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### 3. Or use the GUI
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```bash
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sudo python3 simple_backup_gui.py
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```
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## Examples
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**Backup your root volume to an external SSD:**
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```bash
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sudo ./simple_backup.sh /dev/internal-vg/root /dev/sdb
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```
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**Backup your home volume:**
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```bash
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sudo ./simple_backup.sh /dev/internal-vg/home /dev/nvme1n1
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```
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## Important Notes
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⚠️ **WARNING: The target drive will be completely overwritten!**
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- Always run as root (`sudo`)
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- Target device will lose ALL existing data
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- Make sure target device is unmounted before backup
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- The backup is a complete block-level clone
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- You need at least 1GB free space in your volume group for the snapshot
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## How It Works
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This is exactly what happens, no hidden complexity:
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1. `lvcreate -L1G -s -n backup_snap /dev/vg/lv` - Create snapshot
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2. `pv /dev/vg/backup_snap | dd of=/dev/target bs=4M` - Copy data
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3. `lvremove -f /dev/vg/backup_snap` - Remove snapshot
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## Files
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- `simple_backup.sh` - Command-line backup script
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- `simple_backup_gui.py` - Simple GUI version
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- `list_drives.sh` - Helper to show available drives
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## Why This Approach?
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The previous complex scripts had too much logic and caused system issues. This approach:
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- ✅ Uses standard LVM commands
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- ✅ Minimal chance of errors
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- ✅ Easy to understand and debug
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- ✅ Does exactly what you expect
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- ✅ No hidden "smart" features
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## Recovery
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To boot from your backup:
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1. Connect the external drive
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2. Boot from it directly, or
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3. Use it as a recovery drive to restore your system
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## Requirements
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- LVM-enabled system
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- Root access
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- Python 3 + tkinter (for GUI)
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- `pv` command (optional, for progress display)
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## If Something Goes Wrong
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The script will try to clean up snapshots automatically. If it fails:
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```bash
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# List any remaining snapshots
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sudo lvs | grep snap
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# Remove manually if needed
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sudo lvremove /dev/vg/snapshot_name
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```
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## No More Complex Features
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This system intentionally does NOT include:
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- Automatic drive detection with complex logic
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- Migration between different LVM setups
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- Boot repair or GRUB handling
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- Multiple backup formats
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- Configuration files
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- Complex error handling
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If you need those features, use dedicated tools like CloneZilla or Borg Backup.
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This is for simple, reliable block-level LVM backups. Nothing more, nothing less. |