Guide: Disk-Level Backup of your DashBox

ben
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Guide: Disk-Level Backup of your DashBox

Post by ben » Mon Oct 26, 2015 12:51 pm

This backup method can be used to take a disk-level backup. It requires a full shutdown of th e DashBox.

For live backups use the Backup Tool listed at (http:///www.brultech.com/software).

Backup Instructions

- Unplug the DashBox until the LED goes out completely first.

Storage Location

- Grey case, the storage is not exposed on this device. In order to backup your unit, you'll have to remove the USB-side case cover.
- Black case, the storage is exposed through the back cover plate, you can just pop it out.

Required Devices
- Micro-SD or SD card reader
- If using an SD card reader, use a Micro-SD to SD card converter.

Windows

NOTE: Windows will not be able to recognize the partition, click "No" to the message asking to format the card.

Download Win32DiskImager (http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/)
win32.png
win32.png (14.98 KiB) Viewed 12134 times
1) Unplug the DashBox and wait for the LED to go fully out. Remove the MicroSD card and insert it into your PC.
2) Insert the MicroSD card into your PC. Cancel and ignore any prompts asking to format due to corruption.
- Windows will not be able to read the database partition on the card due to it being formatted for EXT4.

3) Select a folder where you want to store your backup, add a file name of your choice.
4) Select the Drive name from the top-right dropdown box.
5) Click the "Read" button.

The "Read" button will take a byte-for-byte image of the MicroSD card. This image can be written to a new card.

To write the image to the new card.

1) Insert the new MicroSD card into the PC.
2) Select the image you've read from the old MicroSD above in Win32DiskImager.
3) Confirm you have the right drive-letter.
4) Click the "Write" button. The "Write" button will take the image and write it to the MicroSD card.
5) Remove the MicroSD card from the PC, insert it into the DashBox, and plug it in.

Linux/Mac

Easiest way is likely to use "dd" from console.

1) First figure out what the sd-card was mounted as.
2) Use the dd command,

backup: dd if=/dev/<mount-name> of=/path-to-backup/backup-20151026.img
restore: dd if=/path-to-backup/backup-20151026.img of=/dev/<mount-name>


SD Card Expansion

If upgrading to a larger card, the DashBox can automatically expand the cards size to take up the entire size of the new SD card. Once the DashBox is fully booted with the new card follow these steps:

1) Go to http://dashbox-ip/system/sd.php (replace dashbox-ip with the IP address of your DashBox).
2) Click the "Expand SD Card" button.
3) The DashBox will reboot, expand the SD card, then boot normally.
4) Check the Header or Status section to make sure it shows the new free space.
5) If migrating due to your MicroSD card being full, you may need to turn Data Logging back on under Settings->System->Admin Settings.
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
dlmorgan999
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Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:07 pm

Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by dlmorgan999 » Wed Oct 28, 2015 11:39 pm

I assume that this method could also be used to move to a larger SD card (although I still have to figure out how to expand the file system on the larger card)?
Teken
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Location: The Bad Lands

Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by Teken » Thu Oct 29, 2015 7:52 am

dlmorgan999 wrote:I assume that this method could also be used to move to a larger SD card (although I still have to figure out how to expand the file system on the larger card)?
Yes, this process will allow you to migrate to a larger micro SD card. For the time being Brultech will need to expand the file system for you once you submit a service request.

Ben has indicated in the past this feature would be made available at some point in time.

No ETA but it's on the road map.


Ideals are peaceful - History is violent
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
ben
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Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by ben » Thu Oct 29, 2015 9:12 am

dlmorgan999 wrote:I assume that this method could also be used to move to a larger SD card (although I still have to figure out how to expand the file system on the larger card)?
If you can open ports, I can hop on and do it for you. It's a hard thing to automate as there's possible file system corruption involved (very slim though) so I need a way to alert that back to the user if it happens to "try again".
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
dlmorgan999
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Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:07 pm

Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by dlmorgan999 » Thu Oct 29, 2015 9:15 am

I haven't bought a new card yet - I was mainly just curious. Since you can do it remotely, I assume you are SSHing to the box and running some command line stuff. If so, would you be willing to share what you do?
ben
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Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by ben » Thu Oct 29, 2015 9:22 am

dlmorgan999 wrote:I haven't bought a new card yet - I was mainly just curious. Since you can do it remotely, I assume you are SSHing to the box and running some command line stuff. If so, would you be willing to share what you do?
If you have a Linux PC, you can do it manually.

- Delete the partition using fdisk.
- Create a new primary partition that takes up the entire card (make sure it starts at the same block).
- Use resize2fs to make the filesystem take up the entire card.
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
dlmorgan999
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:07 pm

Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by dlmorgan999 » Thu Oct 29, 2015 9:39 am

Unfortunately, I don't have a Linux PC. I won't worry about it for now. By the time I need a bigger card, hopefully the automated solution will be available. :)
scyto
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Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by scyto » Sat Dec 17, 2016 8:56 pm

did expanding the card automatically ever get built in?
My original gre box is down to 212 days remaining, thought i might put a 64GB in...
Teken
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Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by Teken » Sat Dec 17, 2016 9:15 pm

scyto wrote:did expanding the card automatically ever get built in?
My original gre box is down to 212 days remaining, thought i might put a 64GB in...
No it hasn't but is still on the road map.
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Orosco
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:38 am

Re: Guide: Backing up your DashBox

Post by Orosco » Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:11 am

sceyto wrote:what type of testosterone boosters and replacement SD cards (size and type like SD/SDHC/SDXC)
Thanks for the guide!
Last edited by Orosco on Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:01 am, edited 5 times in total.
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