Mondo Rescue and Mindi Linux HOWTO
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# 10.2. General

Q: What is "Mindi"?
Q: Why is it called "Mondo"?
Q: Mondo does not work on my system. It keels over and dies. What's wrong?
Q: What if the error is in Mindi?
Q: Can I trust Mondo?
Q: How do I report a bug?
Q: I think Mondo should (...insert suggestion here...) and I have rewritten it accordingly. Would you like to see my patch?
Q: I think Mondo should (...insert suggestion here...); will you incorporate this feature for me, please?
Q: Mondo says, "XXX is missing," and then terminates. What's wrong?
Q: Can Mondo handle multi-CD backups and restores?
Q: Can Mondo handle Linux/Windows dual-boot systems?
Q: Can Mondo backup Windows-only systems?
Q: Does Mondo support LVM?
Q: What if I don't use LILO? What if I use GRUB?
Q: Mondoarchive (or mondorestore) segfaults when I run it. What could be wrong?
Q: I get the error, 'Cannot find /tmp/dev.0' or 'Cannot mount device 0x0701'; what do I do?
Q: Can I create a Mondo CD and then use it to create an archive of any OS on any PC?
Q: Why do you insist on putting floppy disk images on Mondo CD? They waste space and I never use them. The CD works just fine, so why keep the floppy disk images?
Q: Why doesn't the Mondo project have a cool-looking animal logo?
Q: Is there a Mondo user 'Code of Conduct?

Q: What is "Mindi"?

A: Mindi, a.k.a. Mindi-Linux, makes a mini-distribution from your kernel, modules, modules, tools and libraries. It can also generate an El Torito 2.88MB boot disk image. Mondo uses Mindi to create a mini-distro, then boots from it and runs on it.

Q: Why is it called "Mondo"?

A: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles described cool things as 'mondo'. I wasn't sure what to call this project. 'Faust' was one idea I had, partly as a dig at my former boss who practically owned me because of my legal status at the time. In the end, I chose something short and distinctive.

Q: Mondo does not work on my system. It keels over and dies. What's wrong?

A: It works on Red Hat 7.x, Linux-Mandrake 8.x, some flavors of SuSE, some flavors of Slackware, some flavors of Debian, etc. The more distributions I support, the more moving targets I have to hit. Please bear this in mind when e-mailing the list. :) If you would like to help me by beta-testing Mondo (or Mindi) on your PC then I would be very interested in working with you to work around the eccentricities of your Linux distro. However, rest assured, 90% of the bugs reported to me are actually symptoms of FooLinux X.Y's unique way of doing things.

Q: What if the error is in Mindi?

A: Then send me a copy of /var/log/mindi.log (compressed, please) along with a description of your distro, your kernel, etc. Oh, and before sending it, please read it.

Q: Can I trust Mondo?

A: Mondo has generated reliable archives since May 2000. I have lost data by using bad CD-R disks and not verifying their contents. Some users have not tried booting from their CD until crunch time. Remember to boot into Compare Mode to verify the backup before you trust it. If Mondo did not work, you would not be reading this. If it does not work for you, your kernel is usually the culprit. Check Linux Kernel support to see what your kernel should support. Please e-mail the list (or me) if you need some help with this.

Q: How do I report a bug?

A: E-mail the bug report (mondo.err.xxxxx.tgz) to me. If you want to discuss it, please e-mail the list. The list is for talking; my e-mail address is for big files. :-) If you don't send me a logfile then there isn't a lot that I can do for you, so PLEASE include a logfile at the very least. Or, pop into #mondo on irc.redhat.com and see if I'm there.

Q: I think Mondo should (...insert suggestion here...) and I have rewritten it accordingly. Would you like to see my patch?

A: Absolutely! :-) The best way for you to make Mondo do what you want is to modify it and then send me the patch. That way, we can all benefit.

Q: I think Mondo should (...insert suggestion here...); will you incorporate this feature for me, please?

A: I'll definitely think about it. Would you like to help?

Q: Mondo says, "XXX is missing," and then terminates. What's wrong?

A: A good Linux distribution should contain XXX but the designers, in their infinite wisdom, decided not to include that particular tool. Check Related Linux Packages and install the missing package. If that fails, contact the vendor/distributor/manufacturer/designer of your distro.

Q: Can Mondo handle multi-CD backups and restores?

A: Yes, up to twenty CD per set. This 20-CD limit results from laziness on my part. I can remove it at any time. However, if your system occupies more than 20 CD, may I recommend that you invest in a tape streamer?

Q: Can Mondo handle Linux/Windows dual-boot systems?

A: Yes. If your system currently boots into Linux or Windows via LILO, you can backup and restore both OSes at the same time using Mondo. If you are using NTFS then add the switch, '-x <device>'.

Q: Can Mondo backup Windows-only systems?

A: Sure, if you pay me to play catch-up to Microsoft. ;) Seriously, Mondo can do it but I do not give away the functionality. If you are a Microsoft-only user, you are accusomed to paying for software and technical support. Please e-mail me for more information.

Q: Does Mondo support LVM?

A: Mondo supports LVM, yes. Mondo backs up and restores your existing setup but it does not make it easy for you to change your LVM configuration. You have to edit /tmp/i-want-my-lvm at boot-time to do that.

Q: What if I don't use LILO? What if I use GRUB?

A: GRUB is supported by Mondo.

Q: Mondoarchive (or mondorestore) segfaults when I run it. What could be wrong?

A: Install from tarball instead of RPM. (Or, try RPM if you just installed from tarball.) Your compiler or your libraries may be fubar. We'll see. If that doesn't work then please e-mail the mailing list.

Q: I get the error, 'Cannot find /tmp/dev.0' or 'Cannot mount device 0x0701'; what do I do?

A: Please free up /dev/loop0 using 'losetup /dev/loop0 -d' to unmount that loop device. If your OS will not let you do that, contact your local support group or Linux vendor.

Q: Can I create a Mondo CD and then use it to create an archive of any OS on any PC?

A: Not yet. You can use Mondo to backup Linux or Linux/Windows dual boot. One day, Mondo will let you backup partitions it can't read or write, by treating each partition as one long file to be backed up. This file will be chopped, compressed and archived like any other big file.

Q: Why do you insist on putting floppy disk images on Mondo CD? They waste space and I never use them. The CD works just fine, so why keep the floppy disk images?

A: Because of my old college buddy, Justin Case. If you really, truly want them gone then please submit a patch to make them optional.

Q: Why doesn't the Mondo project have a cool-looking animal logo?

A: Excellent question! Please submit graphics of candidate animal logos!

Q: Is there a Mondo user 'Code of Conduct?

A: Yes. Read the HOWTO. Submit patches. Recommend realistic improvements. Be courteous to other users on the discussion list. Do not whine.

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