difference between mount point and physical drive?

[Stephen Lewis]

> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 22:31:04 -0400
> To: yellowdog-general@lists.terrasoftsolutions.com
> From: Stefan Jeglinski <jeglin@4pi.com>
> Subject: Re: difference between mount point and physical drive?
> Reply-To: yellowdog-general@lists.terrasoftsolutions.com
> 
...
> 
> Out of more than just curiosity, how would I back up the "raw 
> devices" without mounting them?
> 
> 
> Stefan Jeglinski
> 

If you use 'dd' you can make a clone of a disk
without caring if it even has a filesystem on it.
This would allow you to backup a disk with
some unknown structure on it (non-ext2).
Sometimes it is faster than reading the
filesystem, but because it copies empty
blocks also it might be slower too. If your
partitions all have 'ext2' filesystems on them
it is probably easier for you to mount the
devices before makeing backups, when you
restore to a new blank disk drive you will
have to partition it and then 'mke2fs' filesystem
before restoring,

Stephen Lewis