Preparing to Restore Files and File Systems

The ufsrestore command copies files to disk, relative to the current working directory, from backups that were created by using the ufsdump command. You can use the ufsrestore command to reload an entire file system hierarchy from a level 0 dump and incremental dumps that follow it or to restore one or more single files from any backup tape. If the ufsrestore command is run as superuser, files are restored with their original owner, last modification time, and mode (permissions).

Before you start to restore files or file systems, you need to know the following:

• The tapes (or diskettes) you need

• The raw device name on which you want to restore the file system

• The type of tape device you will use

• The device name (local or remote) for the tape drive

Determining the File System Name

If you have properly labeled your backup tapes, you should be able to use the file system name (/dev/rdsk/device-name) from the tape label. For more information, see How to Find File System Names.

Determining the Type of Tape Device You Need

You must use a tape device that is compatible with the backup media to restore the files. The format of the backup media determines which drive you must use to restore files. For example, if your backup media is 8-mm tape, you must use an 8-mm tape drive to restore the files.

Determining the Tape Device Name

You might have specified the tape device name (/dev/rmt/n) as part of the backup tape label information. If you are using the same drive to restore a backup tape, you can use the device name from the label. For more information on media devices and device names, see Chapter 52, Managing Tape Drives (Tasks).