mintbackup and backup policy

[MikeNavy]

Hi,

1. Mintbackup is a simple backup but suffers of a great defect: it is not a differential backup; it is well adapted to users with a small size home, but not adapted to users with a large size home; as an example, my home has a size of 260 GB; a backup of my home with mintbackup would take hours.
   Suggestion: change mintbackup to a differential backup (1st use: all the files are backed; next uses: only the files that have changed are backed). See an example of such a program with FreeFileSync, https://freefilesync.org/.
2. Backup policy is not clearly defined and explained in Linux Mint:

• Timeshift can make system snapshots, is a differential tool; it could also make user home files snapshots. It can be used to recover system crashes in most of cases, but not in all cases.
• Mintbackup is presented as a user home backup; it could also make system files backup, though it does not backup hidden or empty directories (cache and config directories are not copied).
• There is no system backup tool such as Foxclone or Clonezilla.
• The default installation of Linux Mint creates one partition only for '/' and '/home', hampering system backup (as an example, my '/' + '/home' has a size of 272 GB; I can make system backup because '/' and '/home' are in two separate partitions, and the backup of my 12 GB'/' takes a few minutes only).
  Suggestion:
• Change the default installation to separate '/' and '/home' partitions.
• Add a system backup tool, such as Foxclone, https://www.foxclone.com/, available when running LinuxMint as a live session from DVD or USB key.
• Make changes to mintbackup (differential backup, backup of all files and directories in user home) or replace it with a tool such as FreeFileSync.
• Explain the backup policy:
  a) make a periodic global system backup ('/' partition) on an external disk, using the DVD or USB key in live session, making the backup on an external disk; periodicity: few (2 to 4) weeks.
  b) make a periodic differential system snapshot with Timeshift, from an installed session, making the snapshot on an external disk; periodicity: 2 or 3 days, or at each major change (kernel...); user keeps the two latest snapshots.
  c) make a periodic differential user home backup, from an installed session, making the backup on an external disk: periodicity: 2 or 3 days, or after each new important document / video / photos sets etc.
• Explain the restore policy:
  a) after a system problem, attempt to restore system with Timeshift, if it can be launched; if it works: OK stop; if not, see below.
  b) after a system crash, or if Timeshift does not succeed in restoring system, boot on live DVD or live USB key and restore the system with the backup / restore tool (Foxclone, Clonezilla...). Then update the system with Timeshift using the latest working system snapshot.
  c) restore user home with the differential tool or with the file manager

NB: Why backups on an external disk? in case of physical crash of system HDD or SSD backup will still be available.

3. Latest suggestion: add some repair tools on Mint Live session (partition making / repair / resizing; GRUB repair; boot sector repair...). The Mint install DVD or USB key would so become also a backup and repair tool.
   Regards,
   MN

[mexsudo]

On 10/6/21 6:13 AM, MikeNavy wrote: Hi, 1. Mintbackup is a simple backup but suffers of a great defect: it is not a differential backup; it is well adapted to users with a small size home, but not adapted to users with a large size home; as an example, my home has a size of 260 GB; a backup of my home with mintbackup would take hours. *Suggestion:* change mintbackup to a differential backup (1st use: all the files are backed; next uses: only the files that have changed are backed). See an example of such a program with FreeFileSync, https://freefilesync.org/ <https://freefilesync.org/>. 2. Backup policy is not clearly defined and explained in Linux Mint: * Timeshift can make system snapshots, is a differential tool; it could also make user home files snapshots. It can be used to recover system crashes in most of cases, but not in all cases. * Mintbackup is presented as a user home backup; it could also make system files backup, though it does not backup hidden or empty directories (cache and config directories are not copied). * There is no system backup tool such as Foxclone or Clonezilla. * The default installation of Linux Mint creates one partition only for '/' and '/home', hampering system backup (as an example, my '/' + '/home' has a size of 272 GB; I can make system backup because '/' and '/home' are in two separate partitions, and the backup of my 12 GB'/' takes a few minutes only). *Suggestion:* * Change the default installation to separate '/' and '/home' partitions. * Add a system backup tool, such as Foxclone, https://www.foxclone.com/ <https://www.foxclone.com/>, available when running LinuxMint as a live session from DVD or USB key. * Make changes to mintbackup (differential backup, backup of all files and directories in user home) or replace it with a tool such as FreeFileSync. * Explain the backup policy: a) make a periodic global system backup ('/' partition) on an external disk, using the DVD or USB key in live session, making the backup on an external disk; periodicity: few (2 to 4) weeks. b) make a periodic differential system snapshot with Timeshift, from an installed session, making the snapshot on an external disk; periodicity: 2 or 3 days, or at each major change (kernel...); user keeps the two latest snapshots. c) make a periodic differential user home backup, from an installed session, making the backup on an external disk: periodicity: 2 or 3 days, or after each new important document / video / photos sets etc. * Explain the restore policy: a) after a system problem, attempt to restore system with Timeshift, if it can be launched; if it works: OK stop; if not, see below. b) after a system crash, or if Timeshift does not succeed in restoring system, boot on live DVD or live USB key and restore the system with the backup / restore tool (Foxclone, Clonezilla...). Then update the system with Timeshift using the latest working system snapshot. c) restore user home with the differential tool or with the file manager *NB:* Why backups on an external disk? in case of physical crash of system HDD or SSD backup will still be available. 3. Latest suggestion: add some repair tools on Mint Live session (partition making / repair / resizing; GRUB repair; boot sector repair...). *The Mint install DVD or USB key would so become also a backup and repair tool*. Regards, MN

I do appreciate your ideas and concern. to me Mintbackup is crapware in it's current state. I don't expect your ideas will be appreciated or acted on if "*xenopeek <https://forums.linuxmint.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=62313>*" is more than just another user and admin of the forum. https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=354173 Best of luck

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