The dd
command in Linux is a powerful utility used for low-level copying and conversion of raw data. One of its common uses is to clone disks. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to clone disks using the dd
command in Linux. Whether you're performing this task on a local server or using a Windows VPS UK, this tutorial provides all the necessary steps.
Step 1: Identify the Disks
Before you start cloning, you need to identify the source and destination disks. Use the following command to list all connected disks:
lsblk
Make sure to note the device names (e.g., /dev/sda
, /dev/sdb
) of the source and destination disks.
Step 2: Unmount the Destination Disk
If the destination disk is mounted, you need to unmount it before cloning. Use the following command:
sudo umount /dev/sdb1
Replace /dev/sdb1
with the appropriate partition name of the destination disk.
Step 3: Clone the Disk
Now you can clone the disk using the dd
command. The syntax is as follows:
sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb bs=64K conv=noerror,sync
Here, if
specifies the input file (source disk) and of
specifies the output file (destination disk). The bs
option sets the block size, and conv=noerror,sync
ensures that the process continues even if there are read errors.
**Warning:** Be very careful when using the dd
command. Ensure that you specify the correct device names, as this command will overwrite data on the destination disk.
Step 4: Monitor the Progress
By default, the dd
command does not show progress. To monitor the progress of the cloning process, you can send a signal to the process:
sudo kill -USR1 $(pgrep ^dd)
This command will make dd
print its current status to the terminal.
Step 5: Check the Cloned Disk
Once the cloning process is complete, you should check the integrity of the cloned disk. You can use fsck
to check for errors:
sudo fsck /dev/sdb1
Replace /dev/sdb1
with the appropriate partition name of the cloned disk.
Step 6: Mount the Cloned Disk
Finally, you can mount the cloned disk to access the data:
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
Replace /dev/sdb1
with the appropriate partition name, and /mnt
is the directory where you want to mount it.