RFE: Support cloning an existing Ubuntu installation onto another disk in a bootable form

[Henri Sivonen]

Binary package hint: usb-creator

In order to be able to make backups that can be taken to use without a time-consuming restore step, it would be useful to have a tool for cloning an existing Ubuntu installation onto another disk (USB or (S)ATA). On Mac, I use SuperDuper! for this, but I haven't found a similar tool for Ubuntu.

That is, I suggest making it possible to use a partition with a bootable Ubuntu installation as the source (not just an .iso) and letting the target be another ext4 partition on another disk. The cloning process should copy all files, directories and file system attributes and should update UUIDs in relevant places (by default to point to swap on the same physical disk as the target partition) and install a suitable configured copy of GRUB2 onto the target disk.

It seems to me that the Startup Disk Creator is would be the most natural place for functionality like this.

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

I've used SuperDrive before and other similar tools.

We actually do have dd & tar which do the job =) it's not all-so pretty and you do need to use command line. Personally I think it's out of scope for usb-creator and plans made for maverick at UDS take a different direction see https://blueprints.edge.launchpad.net/usb-creator/+spec/foundations-m-usb-cretor-improvements

I'm not sure if it's appropriate to redirect your request to http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com or not.

A quick search gave me this: http://www.geekconnection.org/remastersys/

Have you tried using it?

[kurt belgrave (trinikrono)]

Hey guys, I have to agree with Dimitrijs here on this one.
The solution can possibly be a Blueprint that proposes that Remastersys be a core package, modified to be used by new users to easily backup the entire system.
I have put the bug to Incomplete until I hear your thoughts.
Cheers

[Henri Sivonen (hsivonen)]

Sorry about the slow response.

I haven't tried Remastersys. According to documentation, it creates a bootable DVD. I don't have an optical drive, and I'm not seeking to create a read-only DVD. I am also not seeking to create a DVD master and image it onto an USB device with an abnormal filesystem setup. I'm seeking to create a fully operational clone with a normal (ext4) filesystem and swap on a read/write USB disk.

As for redirecting my request to Brainstorm, I am under the impression that Brainstorm is a place where enhancement requests go to die. I really have no interest in using my time to file Brainstorm items without evidence of Brainstorms actually having an effect on Ubuntu releases. See http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/06/many-hands-make-light-work-few-make-it.html

[kurt belgrave (trinikrono)]

Dmitrijs
Is this small enough to be wishlist or should be converted to a question?
Cheers

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

Neither =) it's completely out of scope for usb-creator and should be instead marked "invalid" I don't have magic power to do that =)

[kurt belgrave (trinikrono)]

This bug report is being closed due to Dmitrijs comment that the developers are not currently interested in adding that functionality to usb-creator.You are still welcome to open a idea at brainstorm.ubuntu.com.
Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.