On 06/03/2019 07:52, R.Wieser wrote:
> TNP,
>
>> Mmm. I suspect you will be out of luck.
>
> Always a possibility.
>
>> The only way to make sectors that are not in use zero that I can think of,
>> is to do a complete write of a blank piece of something..
>> with zeros and copy only the valid data ontop it.
>
> Alas, I'm looking for a backup method of an in-use card (updated, installed
> programs - the works).  Would also be nice if I could backup a
> LibreElec/Kodi configured card with it.
>
>> That means working at the file copy level, not the DD level.
>
> I am not at all sure if I can copy /all/ files (to begin with), and if
> writing them back to a newly created SD card (using noobs) will result in,
> functionally, the same as the origional.

The PI seems to work thisaway - please correct me if you know better .

1/. It needs first partition as VFAT containing some boot level stuff.
2/. Everything else is just files in an EXT4 partion
3/. There is no 'boot sector' as such.
4/. The ext4 partiton is in use mounted as root
5/. the vfat partion is mounted as /boot.
6/. The ONLY info OUTSIDE of files that is on te SD card iare te
partition UUIDS which are used by fstab and mount to mount the
partitions. You can get roynd that anyway by editing fstab to use te raw
device types..e.g.
/dev/mmcblk0p2 on /
and
/dev/mmcblk0p1 on /boot

If you do that you have a bootable system irrespetive of partition UUID


>
> Which is why my thoughts went toward a "raw" copy - either the full SD card,
> or per partition (not sure about which one yet).
>
> And to be honest, I just now realized that clearing out unused sectors on a
> LibreElec/Kodi configured card might be a problem ... (no user accessible
> OS).
>
#
??? how come no users accessible OS?

You can allegedly ssh into LibreElec. It is a stripped down linux.

So most basic linux comnnads should be there somewhere.

Well in any case using - say - a live linux DVD to boot an intel class
machine, and an SD card reader, its no big deal to mount both partitions
on the SD card, and file copy their contents onto the host machines disk.

Then you have essentially all the file level info. Which you can zip up.

To create a bootable image in a new SD card, you use a live linux boot
system, to create a 40Mbyte vfat partition on a new SD card and format
the rest as ext4

Then unzip and copy the files to the partrtions, eject the card and put
it in a Pi and boot it..



> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser
>
>


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