| Posted by Majid, 12-23-2009, 01:05 PM | | Hi,
I have a Unix dedi server with Cpanel and would like to upgrade the hard disk. The host can not provide master/slave service, in other words, they can just swap the hard disk with a new one containing a fresh OS. They asked me to make backups of the existing hard disk and restore them after hard disk replacement.
Can anyone advise the most reliable method of creating a full backup of the hard disk and restoring it, please? (the total volume is less than 10GB.)
Thanks in advance
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| Posted by larry2148, 12-23-2009, 01:12 PM | | You'll need to take full cPanel backups of all the accounts and then transfer them somewhere else via SCP or FTP. After they reinstall the server you will download those backups and restore them through the WHM.
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| Posted by Majid, 12-23-2009, 01:15 PM | | Thanks for the reply.
My server admin says this is not a reliable method!
Any idea?
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| Posted by larry2148, 12-23-2009, 01:26 PM | | Well tell your server admin this is about the only option
You can sign up for a service like CDP/R1-soft and that will basically rsync all your files over there, and then you can restore back - or even just ask the datacenter if they can image your old drive to your new drive and expand the partitions. It's technically possible but they probably won't want to do it because of the time required.
Or, another option would be to get a temporary VPS and move all the accounts there, reinstall the server and move all the accounts back through the cpanel move function. This would work well if you only have a couple sites as you'll have to change IP addresses for all the accounts.
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| Posted by ramnet, 12-23-2009, 02:33 PM | | What I would suggest is to see if they'll let you keep 2 hard drives installed for a short time - then you can mount the old one into the new os and cp the stuff over.
Or even better, you could just have your host copy the partition table over (or do it yourself over KVMoIP with the server booted from a livecd), resize the partitions bigger, and you're all set.
might be a bit above your level of technical knowledge though....
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| Posted by Majid, 12-23-2009, 02:43 PM | | The problem is that they can not keep 2 hard drives installed even for a short time, nor do they provide any other services like making images, copies,... as the server is not a managed one by the host!
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| Posted by existsite, 12-23-2009, 02:53 PM | | cPanel backups should be all you need as a backup. They are usually pretty complete and work very well.
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| Posted by ishan, 12-23-2009, 03:08 PM | | Ask them to plug a 16 GB USB drive or a small hdd via usb and transfer data to it. Then swap the hdds & recopy the data.
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| Posted by Santema, 12-23-2009, 04:10 PM | | Seems like a provider with top service... Every provider with some service can offer you 2 hdd's for a small period.
By the way, why do you want a bigger harddisk if the volume is only 10 GB?i cannot imagine you have a 10 Gb hdd .
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| Posted by BA-Corey, 12-23-2009, 04:26 PM | | If you are buying from them, they should not be reluctant to help you by simply having one of the disks in there for a while longer. Unless they are trying to a) hide something b) get more money by charging you for labor
They have to do more work taking out the old hard disk, than just slapping in a new one and leaving the old one in.
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| Posted by Jync, 12-23-2009, 04:37 PM | | They should be the ones helping you with this
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| Posted by ramnet, 12-23-2009, 04:43 PM | | Even many of the so-called "cheap" providers will do that - not much of any good reason for them to forbid it (esp. if you're willing to pay ).
Really old server?
I think he means he's using 10 GB, not that he actually has a 10 GB disk now
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| Posted by Santema, 12-23-2009, 06:55 PM | | I know, but why does he need to upgrade then .
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| Posted by brentsaner, 12-24-2009, 01:39 AM | | first off, your host refuses to do an rsync or dd/resize for you?
secondly, i'd have to go with larry2148 and suggest a full cpanel backup, wait for the OS install get cpanel on there, and then restore the cpanel backup.
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| Posted by net, 12-24-2009, 02:02 AM | | Moved > Hosting Security and Technology.
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| Posted by Majid, 12-24-2009, 08:34 AM | | My host just replace the hard drive with a fresh OS on it, that's it ! The host is a very UK reputable one and everything has been fine with them so far, and I am quite happy with them.
My server admin believes that CPanel backup is not reliable; if it is true, so what is good with such backups at all ?!
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| Posted by barry[CoffeeSprout], 12-24-2009, 09:10 AM | | Did your admin give you any reasons why CPanel backups are not reliable?
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| Posted by Majid, 12-24-2009, 09:15 AM | | I think it is on his total belief, not only on my case. (the admin in also very reputable in webhostingtalk.) He believes only in master/slave as the only reliable method of transferring.
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| Posted by barry[CoffeeSprout], 12-24-2009, 09:21 AM | | Well, having both disks and dd'ing the data over will be close to perfect yes. It also gives you the chance to fix issues (for example if something didn't copy over properly)
Seriously, if your host can't work with you on something this simple it might be worth exploring other options (in which case you can copy the data over from the old server to the new one)
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