Cloning Linux Systems With CloneZilla Server Edition

(CloneZilla SE)
Version 1.0
Author: Falko Timme <ft [at] falkotimme [dot] com>
Last edited 01/1/!00"
This tutorial sho#s ho# $ou can clone Linu% s$stems #ith &lone'illa (). This is useful for
co*$in+ one Linu% installation to multi*le com*uters #ithout losin+ much time, e.+. in a classroom,
or also for creatin+ an ima+e-.ased .acku* of a s$stem. / #ill install &lone'illa () on a 0e.ian
)tch ser1er in this tutorial. The s$stems that $ou #ant to clone can use #hate1er Linu% distri.ution
$ou *refer.
/ do not issue an$ +uarantee that this #ill #ork for $ou2

1 Preliminary Note
The 0e.ian ser1er on #hich / #ant to install &lone'illa () is in the local net#ork 1"!.134.0.0
5netmask !66.!66.!66.07 and has the /8 address 1"!.134.0.100.
To clone a s$stem, the tar+et s$stems should use the same or at least similar hard#are, other#ise
clonin+ mi+ht not #ork2

2 Installing CloneZilla SE
First #e im*ort the 989 ke$ of the 0:;L 50iskless :emote ;oot in Linu%, needed to .oot the
client s$stems from the net#ork 58<)7 later on7 and &lone'illa re*ositor$:
#+et -= htt*://dr.l.sourcefor+e.net/989->)?-0:;L -@- A a*t-ke$ add -
Then #e o*en /etc/a*t/sources.list...
1i /etc/a*t/sources.list
... and add the 0:;L/&lone'illa 0e.ian re*ositor$ to it:
[...]
deb http://drbl.sourceforge.net/drbl-core drbl stable
[...]
:un
a*t-+et u*date
after#ards.
Bo# #e can install 0:;L and &lone'illa like this:
a*t-+et install dr.l
Then #e run
/o*t/dr.l/s.in/dr.lim*
to confi+ure 0:;L and &lone'illa #ith default 1alues 5should #ork in most en1ironments7:
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
This scri*t is for those im*atient, it #ill setu* the 0:;L ser1er .$ the default 1alue #hich mi+ht
not fit $our en1ironment. Are $ou im*atient D
[?/n] <-- )BT):
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
@k, LaEiness is a 1irtue2 Let us setu* 0:;L ser1er #ith the default 1alues222
8ress F)nterF to continue... <-- )BT):
[...]
(tartin+ the BAT ser1ices for 0:;L clients... done2
i*Gfor#ard is alread$ on.
The 90H or >0H confi+ file is B@T found2 (ki* settin+ the 0H2 Ha$.e $ou #ill not .e a.le to
make this 0:;L ser1er as thin client ser1er2
&lean all the *re1ious sa1ed confi+ file if the$ e%ist...done2
Turn on the .oot *rom*t for 8<) client...done2
Turn off the thin client o*tion in 8<) .oot menu...done2
Hodif$in+ /tft*.oot/n.iGim+/*%elinu%.cf+/default to let 0:;L client use +ra*hical 8<) .oot
menu... done2
Full 0:;L mode. :emo1e clientdir o*t for la.el dr.l in *%elinu% confi+...
(ettin+ dr.lGmodeIFfullGdr.lGmodeF in /etc/dr.l/dr.lGde*lo$.conf and /etc/dr.l/dr.l*ush.conf...
done2
Full cloneEilla mode. :emo1e clientdir o*t for la.el cloneEilla in *%elinu% confi+...
(ettin+ cloneEillaGmodeIFfullGcloneEillaGmodeF in /etc/dr.l/dr.lGde*lo$.conf and
/etc/dr.l/dr.l*ush.conf... done2
?ou ha1e to use F/o*t/dr.l/s.in/dcsF -> cloneEilla-start to start cloneEilla seri1ce, so that there #ill
.e a cloneEilla menu #hen client .oots
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
Addin+ normal users to +rou* Faudio cdrom *lu+de1 flo**$ 1ideoF........ done2
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
J*datin+ the ?8/B/( for +rou*...
Bote2 /f $ou add ne# or remo1e accounts in the 0:;L ser1er in the future, remem.er to run the
follo#in+ command a+ain, so that some +rou* 5)<:*lu+de17 #ill .e u*dated:
tune-de.ian-de1-+rou*-*erm -+ Faudio cdrom *lu+de1 flo**$ 1ideoF -e
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
)nKo$ 0:;L222
htt*://dr.l.nchc.or+.t#L htt*://dr.l.name
B&M& Free (oft#are La.s, Tai#an. htt*://free.nchc.or+.t#
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
/f $ou like, $ou can re.oot the 0:;L ser1er no# to make sure e1er$thin+ is read$...5This is not
necessar$, Kust an o*tion.7.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
0:;L ser1er is read$2 Bo# set the client machines to .oot from 8<) or )ther.oot 5refer to
htt*://dr.l.sourcefor+e.net for more details7.
B@T)2 /f )ther.oot is used in client machine, 1ersion 6..0 or ne#er is re=uired2
8(. The confi+ file is sa1ed as /etc/dr.l/dr.l*ush.conf. Therefore if $ou #ant to run dr.l*ush #ith
the same confi+ a+ain, $ou ma$ run it as: /o*t/dr.l/s.in/dr.l*ush -c /etc/dr.l/dr.l*ush.conf
ser1er1:NO
ThatPs it for the installation.

Creating !n Image "# ! Linux System
To create an ima+e, #e first start &lone'illa on the 0e.ian s$stem and tell it to store an ima+e 5the
ser1er #ill then #ait until a client connects to store the ima+e7, and then #e .oot the client s$stem
of #hich #e #ant to create the ima+e from the net#ork - it should then .oot into a &lone'illa Linu%
s$stem that connects to the ser1er and creates the ima+e.
:un
/o*t/dr.l/s.in/dcs
on the 0e.ian ser1er and select All (elect all clients:
Be%t *ick cloneEilla-start (tartGcloneEillaGmode:
&hoose sa1e-disk (a1e client disk as an ima+e:
(elect LaterGinGclient Later in*ut ima+e and de1ice name in client 5$ou #ill then .e *rom*ted for
an ima+e name later on the client, instead of ha1in+ to *ro1ide an ima+e name no#7:
@n the ne%t t#o screens $ou can sim*l$ *ress )BT): to select the default 1alues:
(elect the action #hen the client finishes clonin+ 5/ #ant to shut do#n the client after the ima+e has
.een created, so / select -* *o#eroff7:
8ress )BT): a+ain on the ne%t t#o screens to acce*t the default 1alues:
8ress )BT): a+ain:
The ser1er is no# read$. Bo# start the client s$stem that $ou #ant to clone. /t is im*ortant that $ou
.oot it from the net#ork 51ia 8<)7 - $ou mi+ht ha1e to adKust the .oot order in the clientPs ;/@( so
that it .oots 1ia 8<):
After $ouP1e confi+ured the client to .oot from the net#ork, $ou should see a 0:;L .oot menu.
(elect &loneEilla: sa1e disk 5choose later7 as ima+e 5choose later7:
Be%t *ro1ide a name for the ima+e 5or acce*t the default 1alue7:
(elect the source hard dri1e:
After#ards, the ima+e is .ein+ created and transferred to the &lone'illa ser1er:
Then the &lone'illa ser1er is notified that the ima+e creation *rocess has finished...
... and the client s$stem is shut do#n 5or re.ooted - that de*ends on the action $ouP1e chosen on the
ser1er7:
ThatPs it, #e no# ha1e an ima+e of our Linu% s$stem that #e can clone to other s$stems.
$ Cloning%&estoring 'he Image
To clone or restore the ima+e to other s$stems, run
/o*t/dr.l/s.in/dcs
a+ain on the &lone'illa (er1er. (elect All (elect all clients:
&hoose cloneEilla-start (tartGcloneEillaGmode:
(elect restore-disk :estore an ima+e to client disk:
?ou can acce*t the default 1alues on the ne%t four screens .$ *ressin+ )BT)::
8ick the ima+e that $ou #ant to restore:
&hoose the tar+et hard dri1e:
(elect multicast multicast restore:
&hoose clientsQtime-to-#ait:
Fill in the num.er of s$stems on #hich $ou #ant to restore the ima+e 5/ #ant to restore Kust one
s$stem in this e%am*le7:
Fill in the ma%. time 5in seconds7 that the ser1er #ill #ait until all clients are *o#ered on 5i.e., if
$ou #ant to restore the ima+e on ten clients, $ou ha1e R00 seconds to *o#er on the other nine
com*uters after $ou ha1e *o#ered on the first one - if $ou are too slo#, &lone'illa #ill start to
restore the ima+e onl$ on the s$stems that ha1e .een *o#ered on in time7:
After#ards, *ress )BT): t#ice:
Bo# *o#er on the clients. Hake sure the$ are confi+ured to .oot from the net#ork 51ia 8<)7:
/n the .oot menu, select &loneEilla: multicast restore:
The clonin+ *rocess #ill then .e+in:
After#ards, the ser1er #ill .e notified that the *rocess has finished...
... and the client s$stem #ill re.oot:
;efore the client s$stem .oots, enter its ;/@( a+ain and confi+ure it to .oot from the hard dri1e2
/f all +oes #ell, the com*uter should .oot into the cloned o*eratin+ s$stem.
( 'rou)leshooting
/t is *ossi.le that $ou see this messa+e durin+ the restore:
Failed to install +ru.
and that the s$stem #ill not .oot after#ards:
9ru.
error !
5/P1e had this #ith J.untu s$stems.7
The solution is to .oot into a rescue s$stem 5e.+. >no**i% or the J.untu Li1e-&07 and install
9:J; from the rescue s$stem.
@nce >no**i% or the J.untu Li1e s$stem has started, o*en a terminal and .ecome root:
>no**i%:
su
J.untu:
sudo su
:un
fdisk -l
to learn more a.out $our *artitionin+:
rootS>no**i%:NO fdisk -l
0isk /de1/sda: R!.! 9;, R!!1!!6T!0 .$tes
!66 heads, 3R sectors/track, R"13 c$linders
Jnits I c$linders of 13036 C 61! I 4!!6!40 .$tes
0e1ice ;oot (tart )nd ;locks /d ($stem
/de1/sda1 C 1 RT" R011R411 4R Linu%
/de1/sda! RT60 R"13 1R1!TQ 6 )%tended
/de1/sda6 RT60 R"13 1R1R"3 4! Linu% s#a*/(olaris
rootS>no**i%:NO
/n this e%am*le, / ha1e one .i+ *artition 5/de1/sda17 that also contains the /.oot director$ 5the ;oot
column is marked #ith a star7.
/ #ill no# mount that *artition to the /mnt director$:
mount /de1/sda1 /mnt
mount -o .ind /de1 /mnt/de1
mount -o .ind -t *roc /*roc /mnt/*roc
5/f $ou ha1e a se*arate /.oot *artition, e.+. /de1/sda!, $ouPd mount it to /mnt/.oot after $ou ha1e
mounted /de1/sda1 to /mnt.7
Bo# #e install 9:J; as follo#s:
chroot /mnt +ru.-install --no-flo**$ F5hd07F
This #ill +i1e $ou the follo#in+ error:
rootS>no**i%:NO chroot /mnt +ru.-install --no-flo**$ F5hd07F
?ou shouldnPt call /s.in/+ru.-install. 8lease call /usr/s.in/+ru.-install instead2
/de1/sda1 does not ha1e an$ corres*ondin+ ;/@( dri1e.
rootS>no**i%:NO
To o1ercome the error, run
chroot /mnt +ru.-install --no-flo**$ F5hd07F --root-director$I/ --recheck
rootS>no**i%:NO chroot /mnt +ru.-install --no-flo**$ F5hd07F --root-director$I/ --recheck
?ou shouldnPt call /s.in/+ru.-install. 8lease call /usr/s.in/+ru.-install instead2
8ro.in+ de1ices to +uess ;/@( dri1es. This ma$ take a lon+ time.
/nstallin+ 9:J; to 5hd07 as 5hd07...
/nstallation finished. Bo error re*orted.
This is the contents of the de1ice ma* //.oot/+ru./de1ice.ma*.
&heck if this is correct or not. /f an$ of the lines is incorrect,
fi% it and re-run the scri*t U+ru.-installP.
5hd07 /de1/sda
rootS>no**i%:NO
ThatPs it - no# re.oot...
re.oot
... and donPt for+et to remo1e the >no**i% or J.untu &0 from the &0 dri1e. /f e1er$thin+ +oes
#ell, the 9:J; error should .e +one, and the s$stem should .oot #ithout an$ *ro.lems.
* Lin+s
&lone'illa (): htt*://cloneEilla.or+/cloneEilla-ser1er-edition/
0e.ian: htt*://###.de.ian.or+/