Timeshift 1.4.1
 

Timeshift 1.4.1

Postby gael33 on Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:51 pm
I heard that Timeshift for Linux is the ideal software for taking a snapshot of the HDD, so I downloaded it and installed it.
Well, it looks really good but unfortunately I don't have enough space on my HDD. However, I do have a 500GB USB external HDD
and that's where it failed. It doesn't read the USB drive. On the Timeshift GUI there is a flip-down box for (I assume) to change drives.
Is there any way that I could get this program to copy a snapshot of my HDD on to the external USB drive?
Otherwise I will have to look for an alternative :)
Thanks,
gael.

I've not used TimeShift but my first questions would be, what filesystem is the external drive using? and also does your OS see the drive but Timeshift does not, or is nothing seeing the drive?

Lastly, what does `dmesg | tail` say after you plug the external drive in? and also, what does `mount` show?

I too have never used (even heard of) this. However, here's a quote from the developerLooks pretty good option for those not using a snap aware filesystem/infrastructure (btrfs or LVM or zfs)

gael33@gael33 ~ $ dmesg | tail
[22272.992702] sd 9:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
[22272.997977] sd 9:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page found
[22272.997983] sd 9:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
[22273.043274] sde: sde1
[22273.053754] sd 9:0:0:0: [sde] No Caching mode page found
[22273.053761] sd 9:0:0:0: [sde] Assuming drive cache: write through
[22273.053768] sd 9:0:0:0: [sde] Attached SCSI disk
[22273.063789] ses 9:0:0:1: Attached Enclosure device
[22274.336920] [UFW BLOCK] IN=wlan0 OUT= MAC=01:00:5e:00:00:01:7c:4c:a5:3b:15:94:08:00 SRC=192.168.0.1 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=36 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2
[22399.448125] [UFW BLOCK] IN=wlan0 OUT= MAC=01:00:5e:00:00:01:7c:4c:a5:3b:15:94:08:00 SRC=192.168.0.1 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=36 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2

I usually get a message saying that the drive cannot be mounted, but the drive automatically opens when the USB is engaged.

The external drive is a 'My Passport' drive and I do believe it has a VFAT F/S on it. Normally VFAT is the recommended F/S as both Linux and Windows can use it interchangeably.
I learned about Timeshift in the latest Linux Format Magazine so I guess it is a bonafide piece of software.

VFAT has several limitations - I'd recommend you use NTFS; Mint 16 will mount it automagically (probably) when you plug it in (you can manually mount that VFAT). NTFS is quite well supported on Linux these days.
Looks like a variation on rsnapshot, should work ok as it uses rsync a "standard" tool.

Do you require this drive to be used both on Windows and Linux? If it's going to be your TImeShift backup drive, it sounds like it really will only be used for Linux, in which case, frankly, I'd go straight to EXT4, being a native, open, and very well-supported filesystem for Linux.

If you will be using the drive for Windows, then as syg00 says, NTFS would definitely be a better choice than FAT. I have also used exFAT with OK results. I do believe both NTFS and exFAT might require extra software to be installed (just look around your repo for ntfs and/or exfat related libraries and drivers and install them).

TimeShift sounds interesting, let us know how it works out for you!

Excellent point. And as it's specifically a "system" (as distinct fron "user") backup, you'll need to be able to ensure that after the restore permissions are correct.
I change my vote to ext4 .... ;)

I do have a considerable amount of info on the drive, so I'm going to have to go through it carefully before I reformat the drive with the ext4 file system. It might be a few of days before I complete the process so please don't think that I have ignored your advice. I will post on here when all is completed. Hopefully TimeShift will recognise the drive and I can give a review.
Till later :)

gael.

Shouldn't be necessary to reformat the entire drive - shrink the VFAT (using gparted on Linux) and add a separate partition for the backup. Wouldn't need to be too large IMO. That way your data can stay where it is.

Good idea, will try that as it sounds like less aggravation.

gael.

Okay, the answer to the TimeShift problem is solved. SYG00 had the answer, I shrank the NTFS drive partition with Gparted and left enough space for what was required for backups. I then formatted the free space creating a ext4 partition and then used TimeShift (which now recognised the Linux drive) and created a drive snapshot. According to the information on TimeShift, the first snapshot takes the longest as the automatic updates are incremental. Updates can be every hour, day, week or month and once setup can be forgotten as it does what it says on the packet, so to speak.

Thanks for all the support guys.

gael.

PS. I always thought that my external HDD was VFAT, in fact it was NTFS. The chances are that if the HDD had been VFAT TimeShift may have been able to read it ... too late now!

I wouldn't commit my data to a VFAT volume if I could help it, anyway. Not that I've had problems with it, necessarily, but the limitations are just a bit too severe for me.

Glad to hear it's sorted!