Series 200/300 Implementation

NAME

backup − backup or archive file system

SYNOPSIS

/etc/backup [−archive] [−fsck]

Remarks:

This manual page describes backup as it is implemented on Series 200 and 300 computers.  Refer to other backup(1M) manual pages for information valid for other implementations. 

DESCRIPTION

Backup uses find(1) and cpio(1) to save a cpio archive of all files which have been modified since the modification time of /etc/archivedate on the default tape drive (/dev/rct).  Backup should be periodically invoked to ensure adequate file backup. 

The −archive option causes backup to save all files, regardless of their modification date, and then update /etc/archivedate using touch(1). 

Backup prompts you to mount a new tape and continue if there is no more room on the current tape.  Note that this prompting does not occur if you are running backup from cron(1M). 

The −fsck option causes backup to start a file system consistency check (without correction) after the backup is complete.  For correct results, it is important that the system be effectively single-user while fsck is running, especially if −fsck is allowed to automatically fix whatever inconsistencies it finds.  Backup does not ensure that the system is single-user. 

You may edit /etc/backup to "customize" it for your system.  For example, backup uses tcio(1)  with cpio to backup your files on an HP Command Set 80 disc’s streaming tape.  You will need to modify backup to use cpio(1) if you want to access a standard HP Tape Drive. 

Several local values are used which can be customized:

backupdirs specifies which directories to recursively back up (usually /, meaning all directories);

backuplog file name where start and finish times, block counts, and error messages are logged;

archive file name whose date is the date of the last archive;

remind file name that is checked by /etc/profile to remind the next person who logs in to change the backup tape;

outdev specifies the output device for the backed-up files;

fscklog file name where start and finish times and fsck output is logged. 

You may want to make other changes, such as whether or not fsck does automatic correction (according to its arguments), where cpio output is directed, other information logging, etc. 

In all cases, the output from backup is a normal cpio archive file (or volume) which can be read using tcio and cpio with the c option. 

FILES

/etc/archivedate
parameterized file names

SEE ALSO

cpio(1), find(1), touch(1), cron(1M), fsck(1M). 

BUGS

Refer to BUGS in cpio(1). 

When cpio runs out of tape, it sends an error to stderr and demands a new special file name from /dev/tty. 

To continue, rewind the tape, mount the new tape, type the name of the new special file at the system console, and press RETURN. 

If backup is left running overnight and the tape runs out, backup terminates, leaving the find process still waiting.  You need to kill this process when you return. 

Hewlett-Packard Company  —  May 11, 2021