[kwlug-disc] Partimage on a mounted partition.

[unsolicited]

I presume, if you're reading (locking a file) when something tries to 
write (and fails), the results are unpredictable. e.g. Log files are an 
easy example, but so would things under /proc, etc.

If there is an option to just skip such files, you may have enough / can 
hope that on the need to restore that either that file doesn't matter 
(e.g. written on the fly), or you can at least get the system back up 
far enough to get to a command line to deal with that one file(s) 
individually. Such as taking a copy from another running / working system.

Worth squirrelling away a copy of the log along with the backup itself, 
so you can check for such, should you have to restore.

On 4/24/2012 9:48 AM, Joe Wennechuk wrote:
>
> I am scripting some system backups, and have been using dd to make the images.
> I am liking the partimage, but I can not unmount the partitions because they are on running systems.
> I am seeing this when I google....
> Command-line option: Code:-m,  --allowmnt      don't fail if the partition is mounted. Dangerous !
> Can anyone explain what pitfalls might occur if I use this switch?