I have been present when our HP CE did this type of procedure, but it wasn't a
boot from a Unix CD, it was a utility at ISL (sorry don't remember the
command).   But it did not copy to the new drive, it copied a image to tape,
then the drive was replaced and the tape was used to copy the image back to the
new drive.

It was a bit faster than a reload, but I still have done a backup on the volume
set before doing the procedure.

There is a portion of DefragX from Lund which will do disk to disk copy, but of
course, you have to own DefragX to use this approach.   I am sure there are
other solutions available but this is only one I have personal experience with.


bArtoque wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> I'm just wonderin'... I just heard from HP that it could be possible to copy
> a failed (not yet completely crashed) disc by using "dd" after booting from
> a hp-unix cd-rom even on mpe system. Just copy old to new, swap the old disk
> with the new one, (re)boot, done! Has someone ever done this/experienced it?
> I have to do it next saturday... Is there also some reconfiguring to do
> within sysgen/volutil or is just swapping the same kinda disc good enough?
>
> If this would work than it would be a fast action compared to the full
> restore on the freshly installed new disc. Talking 'bout full restore...
> what is the right option for the
> restore command; using the "keep" option so that existing files aren't
> overwritten, only the files which aren't (completely) on the system? I don't
> have a clue, haven't done a full restore, ever...
>
> restore *t ; @[log in to unmask]@; keep ; show ;  progress ; olddate ???
>
> Does this preserve what is already there (on the other discs, after putting
> in a new disc)? Do I also have to add the ";tree" option for (possible) HFS
> files? I could keep on asking, but it's it's just that I wanna be prepared
> (as much as it can be in one day).
>
> Th@nx,
>
> bArtoque

--
Jim Alexander   Longs Drug Stores
Sr. Systems Programmer  925-210-6901
The opinions expressed are Mine and not Longs Drugs