Backups, Reimages, and Drive Fitness Tests

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Backups, Reimages, and Drive Fitness Tests

• (or how to kill an entire afternoon/evening)

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Backup Server

• Used only when Windows is not bootable
• Last resort backup method
• RPI Helpdesk maintained
• Any one is welcome to help with administering the
  server

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Backup Specifications

• Server name backup.arc.rpi.edu
• Services provided ssh, scp, sftp
• Accessible on campus or via VPN
• Pentium III 1 GHz, 256 MB RAM, 20 GB system
  drive, 80 GB RAID-1 array for user data, CD-RW
  driver, 100 Mbit ethernet

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Backing up a T30 or Older

• Make sure user reads the Conditions of Use Form
• Boot the LNX-BBC CD. If T20 or T30, choose 4
  from the boot menu, for T22 choose 5
• Login as root. There is no password on the CD.
• Run trivial-net-setup (Type trivial and press
  TAB)
• Press ENTER at all prompts
• Run ssh youruserid_at_backup.arc.rpi.edu
• Enter yes to the security question, then enter
  your password

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T30 and Older, Continued

• Read the welcome screen and press ENTER
• Choose 1 off the menu and press Enter
• Enter your password at the security prompt
• Have the user enter his RCS userid and his real
  name. If the user does not have an RCS userid,
  have them enter their email address on the same
  line as their name
• The user needs to accept the conditions of user
• The user will be prompted for a password.
  Nothing will echo on the screen. The password
  complains about, but accepts most passwords
• Log out from the backup server (Q)

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T30 and older, continued

• Run cd /mnt/rw/discs/disc0/part1
• You are now in C\ on the users disc
• Use cd to change directories, ls to list files,
  and du h to see the contents of the folder
• Spaces need to be escaped with a backslash
  /Documents\ and\ Settings
• Unix uses / to separate directories
• To backup a folder, run scp r folder
  client_at_backup.arc.rpi.edu The colon at the end
  is important.
• To back up files, run scp file
  client_at_backup.arc.rpi.edu
• When done, enter reboot at the prompt

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T40 and T42

• Boot the knoppix CD
• At the boot prompt, type knoppix langus
  screen1400x1050 and press Enter
• After the CD fully loads, click the icon that
  looks like a terminal with a shell super imposed
  on it.
• Run ssh youruserid_at_backup.arc.rpi.edu
• Enter yes at the security warning
• Enter your password to log in

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T40 and T42 Continued

• Read the welcome screen and press ENTER
• Choose 1 off the menu and press Enter
• Enter your password at the security prompt
• Have the user enter his RCS userid and his real
  name. If the user does not have an RCS userid,
  have them enter their email address on the same
  line as their name
• The user needs to accept the conditions of user
• The user will be prompted for a password.
  Nothing will echo on the screen. The password
  complains about, but accepts most passwords
• Log out from the backup server (Q)

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T40 and T42 Continued

• Run mount /mnt/hda1
• You are now in C\ on the users disc
• Use cd to change directories, ls to list files,
  and du h to see the contents of the folder
• Spaces need to be escaped with a backslash
  /Documents\ and\ Settings
• Unix uses / to separate directories
• To backup a folder, run scp r folder
  client_at_backup.arc.rpi.edu The colon at the end
  is important.
• To back up files, run scp file
  client_at_backup.arc.rpi.edu
• When finished, click on the K icon and select Log
  out.
• Choose Turn off Computer

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Drive Fitness Tests

• Materials Required
• 1 laptop
• 1 floppy drive (parallel port to T30 and older,
  USB for T40/T42)
• 1 Drive Fitness Floppy
• 1-2 hours
• Full backup of all critical data

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Drive Fitness Tests, Continued

• Boot the laptop off the floppy drive.
• At the menu, select ATA only (it boots faster and
  doesnt give any errors)
• Agree to the license. The trackpoint/touchpads
  do work in the program, or you can use the
  keyboard
• Go to the Utilities Menu and select Erase Disk
• Have the user click through the confirmation
  dialogs and click start. Do NOT do this yourself.

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Drive Fitness Test, Continued

• If the end result is a red screen, fill out a
  drive fitness test report.
• If you did not run a test on the report, fill in
  N/A. For Text Error, you do not need to fill
  in Defective Device, just whatever comes after
  it.
• Have the user fill out the serial number
  themselves
• Although there is no blank for it, the TRC code
  needs to be on the report.
• If the DFT does not find a hard disk, note that
  on the report.
• RCR will not replace a failed hard drive without
  a properly filled out Drive Fitness Test report

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Reimages T22 and newer

• Make sure the user has filled out the self
  service reimage agreement
• Have them plug into a BLUE Ethernet switch.
• Boot the Reimage CD. Have the user enter all
  prompts. There are 4 prompts on the CD.
• The first prompt is a confirmation the user wants
  to continue.
• The second asks for what model laptop the user
  has.
• The third asks whether to use the full or base
  image.
• At the time of this writing, only the full image
  exists, and the base images will be availible in
  the future
• The fourth prompt is a final confirmation
• As soon as the progress bars appear, the CD can
  be used on the next client

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Reimages T20 and older

• We are currently transitioning to a new server.
  At the moment, we are using an older server.
  Please ask a senior consultant who is familiar
  with the procedure to help a user with a T20 or
  older.
• Once the transition is complete, details will be
  announced on hd-l_at_lists.rpi.edu

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General Notes

• The user MUST remain with the laptop at all
  times. We can not be responsible for laptops.
• These procedures can and will destroy all data on
  a users disk. Make sure the user is aware of
  this before the laptop is powered on
• Paperwork is your friend. It covers your butt,
  if and only if you follow it. Pat will back you
  up 100 if you have followed the proper
  procedures.

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More Notes

• Make sure the user is aware of the time a
  procedure will take
• Make sure you are aware of the current time. Do
  not begin a procedure if it wont finish before
  closing

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Estimated Times
T20 T22 T30 T40 T42
Backup Can copy at rate of 45 MB/min Can copy at rate of 45 MB/min Can copy at rate of 45 MB/min Can copy at rate of 45 MB/min Can copy at rate of 45 MB/min
Drive Fitness 30-90 minutes 1-2 hours 1-2 hours 1-3 hours 1-3 hours
Reimage 20 min 2 hours 1 hour 1 hour 2 hours 2 hours
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Applications Windows XP

• Tell user to connect to the blue hub
• Start a web browser
• Go to http//foo.bar/apps.exe
• Run the file
• Have user put in their name and rcsid in the top
  two boxes.
• Put your RCS ID in the bottom box and use a
  password of foobar
• Click Install Software
• Click the application you want. Everything will
  proceed automatically.

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Applications - Campuswide

• Solidworks, Matlab, Labview, Symantec Antivirus
  installed online. We have CDs if sambasrv isnt
  working right
• Mac and Linux versions of Matlab and Labview are
  available.
• Solidworks and Matlab use license servers user
  either needs to be on campus, dialed into the
  modem pool or connected to the external VPN

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Applications Laptop Software Older Windows

• Use CDs in binder
• Put borrowers ID in spot in binder
• Microsoft Products require patches after
  installing.
• Microsoft Products require product CD to patch.

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Questions

• Questions?
• Comments?
• Suggestions?
• If you have any questions or are interested in
  helping to run backup or any of the servers in
  the back office, contact hd-sysadmin-l_at_lists.rpi.e
  du