backup and restore user data

[gsprague]

Anyone using Bombich’s backup_user_data.sh pre-action and the
restore_user_data.sh post-action with an instaDMG build? I am getting
the problem where the users get restored but then I cannot login to
their accounts. I essentially have to enable root through single user
mode, login as root, and then recreate the accounts in System Prefs
(which prompts me if I want to use the User’s folder that was
restored).

If someone is doing this a better way or knows a way around this
please let me know! 😉

Thanks!

[knowmad]

you COULD use createuser to specifically create the users in questions after the restore of the data is done and just point it at the folder that was restored…..

[gsprague]

That wouldn’t work because I’m gearing up for a 200+ machine deployment and I would have to change the script for each user account. Maybe I just won’t do the restore script and I’ll have to recreate the accounts manually and manually restore the user’s files.

I’m essentially having the infamous Leopard login issue which is all over the Apple forums, where if you do an upgrade you then cannot login to the accounts then you need to login as root and recreate the accounts. But I am doing a clean install with Bombich’s backup and restore scripts and having the same problem.

Is no one backing up and restoring user data in turn with an instaDMG image?

Thanks!

[knowmad]

Well…..
try instead a different option….
create an image of each machine, then re-image it with your new instadmg update and use migration assistant to migrate the user form the old image to the newly created one.
Something tells me you are using InstaDMG for slightly different uses than the rest of us do.
another option. do a little scripting…. make a list of the login name/uid/computer name of all your people, then use a script to automate the creation of 200 createuser packages complete with username/password/uid etc…. you could even go so far as to use your list to create a script that names the machines for you on first boot….. This might be very useful, hell you could even share it afterword and earn eternal gratitude from those of us who might also need this script….
It will take you some time but far less time than doing 200 migrations and creatuser-script setups by hand.

knowmad

[gsprague]

Wow…that is a good idea, but I think creating 200 packages would get a little confusing and then I would only be able to NetInstall Restore one machine at a time unless I am missing something. I guess if I scripted the Hardware Address with it then that would work. I’m basically going to be doing a clean Leopard deployment to 200+ desktop machines. So I need to backup and restore all user data. The Bombich backup and restore scripts work if I create a PPC and an Intel machine build created with Disk Utility. However, they do not work with an instaDMG image created from a Leopard shrink wrapped DVD.

Thank you very much!

[Greg Neagle]

Looking through those scripts – they backup and restore the user DATA only. No attempt is made to preserve account information. This _is_ entirely possible, but the Bombich scripts make no attempt to do so.

-Greg

[knowmad]

which actually makes this a wonderful way to create a new user but keep old data…. you would need to do some scripting of your own but with the bombich scripts to work from (and the createuser) it should be easy….. no wait…… I have more ideas….. how complicated would you like this to get?
Steps
1) Run backup script
2) have it store the data somewhere network accessible
3) put the new image onto the machine having created your image to have a script (see step five) that looks for basic data from a text file
4) create and place the text file into the correct spot. This is assuming that you put the image onto the machine manually and while it is in target mode. The text file contains the username, comp name, password of the user, as well as the unique location of the data stored by the backup script
5) reboot allowing your wonderful new script to run. Said script will take the data out of the text file, populate the CreateUser script with it (password in clear text because you will clean up after yourself) then it will\
6) run create user which has been modified to kick off the
7) restore data script pointing at the unique location on the network which has been modified to kick off
8) the clean up script to remove traces of the clear text password…. (or you could use the hash and kill this portion but whatever)

or some variation thereof

this (if I had time and more skill) could be fun to do.

[gsprague]

On another note, since I am going to be binding the machine to my OD server. I can just have the users login with a generic password creating a mobile account that will point to their restored folder. I have already created a shell script to run after rebooting to bind the machine and move all local accounts to mobile. But I need to figure out how to bind to the OD as a post script during the imaging process rather than logging in as an admin and running my shell script.

[pteeter]

I’m liking this topic as it applies to my current machine deployment scenario – mobile accounts with local home dirs.

But doesn’t the whole discussion beg this question…

Why the heck not just use Portable Home Directories?

I’m not using them yet either but…PHD’s almost eliminate the need for the whole discussion depending on how one might deploy filters on the PHD.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to testing those backup & restore scripts at some point.

[Greg Neagle]

Using Portable Home Directories doesn’t actually help much, unless you sync _everything_ in the user’s home to the network. And even then, what happens if the user puts something in /Users/Shared?

In most environments, the network home quota is less than the available local space, so certain directories are not synchronized. If your users are OK with not having this data on new/replacement machines, then they are more forgiving than mine.

-Greg

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: pteeter[/u][p]I’m liking this topic as it applies to my current machine deployment scenario – mobile accounts with local home dirs.

But doesn’t the whole discussion beg this question…

Why the heck not just use Portable Home Directories?

I’m not using them yet either but…PHD’s almost eliminate the need for the whole discussion depending on how one might deploy filters on the PHD.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to testing those backup & restore scripts at some point.

[/p][/QUOTE]

[knowmad]

true enough BUT…… what about using PHDs for a one time full backup and then after it is all back down on the new setup throtteling the space back to normal levels.
In the past I have had issues with users and network space, the upshot always was “save it in a folder that gets backed up, or face the consequences” we had over 5k users so broad all encompassing policies like that were normal.

[gsprague]

machome thank you very much!

This is exactly what I am looking for! However, I am a little hesitant to include the password in the script. I guess I could pass a hash password instead.

Thanks again!

[Author]

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