Backing up transportable issues like SD cards and USB flash drives on Linux is simpler than it sounds, and it may occur proper from the terminal, utilizing the DD copy and convert device. DD is really versatile, and with it, customers can copy massive quantities of information from one place to a different. Suffice it to say; the DD device has many makes use of. One among it’s finest makes use of is backing up information storage. On Addictivetips up to now, we’ve used this methodology to make copies of exhausting drives. It can be used to again up SD cards and flash drives. Right here’s the way it works.
SPOILER ALERT: Scroll down and watch the video tutorial on the finish of this text.
Back Up SD cards And Flash Drives
To begin off, open up a terminal window and plug within the SD card/USB you’re attempting to backup. Use the lsblk command to print, all obtainable gadgets on the system.
Take into account that SD cards is not going to comply with the generic /dev/sdX construction, particularly if you happen to’re utilizing a built-in reminiscence card reader. As a substitute, it is best to see /dev/mmcblk, adopted by partition data.
Notice: Backing up a USB ought to comply with the normal /dev/sdX naming scheme.
Your SD card could not present up as /dev/mmcblk (or comparable) if you’re utilizing a USB adapter. The machine label identify all depends upon how the SD card adapter works with Linux. It’s best to learn your adapter’s guide.
When you’ve discovered the label, you’ll want to determine precisely the way you’re attempting to backup. Select the strategy beneath that matches your use-case.
Backing Up Picture File
The primary methodology of backup with DD is utilizing it to save lots of the whole lot to a easy picture file. To do that, you’ll must enter the next command. Take into account that the imaging course of will take a very long time, particularly in case you have a big SD card or USB stick.
USB Flash Drives
sudo dd if=/dev/sdX of=~/image-of-usb.img
Working this command will take an entire copy of the USB drive and reserve it to a file named image-of-usb.img. Take this picture file and again it up someplace protected. If you happen to’d like elevated safety, comply with the steps beneath to encrypt it with GnuPG.
gpg -c image-of-usb.img
The output of GnuPG must be image-of-usb.img.gpg.
As soon as the encryption course of completes, delete the unique file and hold the encrypted one.
rm image-of-usb.img
Extract the picture from the encrypted file at any time with:
gpg image-of-usb.img.gpg
SD Cards
Notice: 0 means SD 1.
sudo dd if=/dev/mmcblk0 of=~/image-of-sd-card.img
Working this DD command will take a snapshot of your SD card, and reserve it to a file in your file system labeled image-of-sd-card.img. You’ll be capable to transfer this archive picture, add it to Dropbox, Google Drive, a house server, and so on. Take into account that this archive shouldn’t be safe and delicate information can simply be accessed if somebody will get their palms on it. That’s why we suggest you additionally encrypt your SD backup with GnuPG.
To encrypt, run this command:
gpg -c image-of-sd-card.img
Encrypting ought to output a file with the label of image-of-sd-card.img.gpg
You need to take away the unique, supply file when the encryption finishes.
rm image-of-sd-card.img
To extract the encrypted archive, rerun gpg, with out -c.
gpg image-of-sd-card.img.gpg
Duplicate USB And SD Cards
If you happen to’d moderately create a replica of the SD card, moderately than again the whole lot as much as a picture, comply with these directions. Step one is to plug in each the SD/USB you wish to again up, in addition to the second SD/USB you’ll use because the receiver of the duplication. Then, use the lsblk command to checklist the gadgets. Discover all of the machine labels and make a remark of them.
For instance, to duplicate SD card 1 to SD card 2, I would want to make use of /dev/mmcblk0 and /dev/mmcblk1. As soon as once more, confer with lsblk –assist if wanted.
Once you’ve discovered the proper labels, comply with the directions beneath.
USB Flash Drives
The command we used earlier to save lots of a USB to a picture can work on this scenario. The one factor that modifications is the “of=” facet of the command. Slightly than having it output to of=~/image-of-usb.img, we’ll have it output to the second USB flash drive.
On this instance, USB flash drive #1 is /dev/sdc and USB flash drive #2 is /dev/sdd. Yours could differ.
sudo dd if=/dev/sdc of=/dev/sdd
When DD completes, all the information from drive #1 must be current on drive #2!
SD Cards
Just like the USB part, DD will take the information from SD card #1, duplicate it and place it on SD card #2. Write out this command within the terminal to begin the duplication course of. On this instance, SD card #1 might be /dev/mmcblk0 and #2 might be /dev/mmcblk1.
sudo dd if=/dev/mmcblk0 of=/dev/mmcblk1
You’ll know the method is full when the terminal can settle for textual content from the keyboard once more.
Restoring Backups
The quickest approach to restore a DD backup picture to an SD card or USB flash drive is to flash it with the Etcher device merely. Utilizing this device for restoring information may sound a bit bizarre, as Etcher is especially for burning OS photos, however it works very effectively!
Begin off by downloading the most recent model of the Etcher flash tool for Linux, open it up and insert your USB flash drive or SD card.
Contained in the Etcher program, click on “Select image” to deliver up the picture choice window. On this window, browse for image-of-sd-card.img or image-of-usb.img and choose it. When the picture is loaded up, click on “Flash” and let the restoring start!
When Etcher reveals the end-screen window, your information must be on the machine.
