Backup SD Card by copying out files?

[pjft]

@TMNTturtlguy It certainly should. Also, for reference, I was successful in using an 8GB card as well, if you want to go as small as possible.

Would I be correct in assuming that you actually installed rpi-clone from

https://github.com/billw2/rpi-clone

?

The instructions I have in my own cheatsheet are:

sudo ./rpi-clone sda -f -v

where "sda" is the device of the destination disk (i.e. may be sdb, for instance).

Also, MAKE SURE TO BOOT THIS WITHOUT THE ROMS USB DRIVE PLUGGED IN, OTHERWISE THIS WILL NOT WORK AS INTENDED.

I wrote them for myself. You can find out which logical device the destination card is via dfand seeing which sd<something> matches the external SD card via USB.

What happens right now if you unplug and re-plug the USB drive, though? You should at least be able to see it mounting as an external drive, even if it doesn't mount as the ROM destination folder.

I'm not fully familiar with the automated mount thingie, but shouldn't be rocket science. What I expect to happen would either be:

• Things work as expected;
• USB drive is recognized, but isn't mounting in the right place for some reason.

If none are happening, that should be a different thing. Definitely unplug it and plug it to see if it's properly recognized.

You can list all devices via dfas mentioned.

Let us know how it goes.

[TMNTturtlguy]

@pjft Yes, i installed from the location you have listed above. I also used the sudo code above exactly as stated and i did not have the USB Roms drive plugged in. I actually did this process twice with the same results both times.

If i unplug the roms usb and plug it back in, nothing happens, light on the usb blinks a few times, but it is not read. If i use df it does not show the Roms USB and it also does not show up in WinSCP. Here is a shot of the df:

also assuming you would help troubleshoot, i took these shots of the rpi-clone process.

Here were my steps. Shutdown pi, take out Roms USB. Start up pi and quit emulationstation. Using putty i ran the rpi-clone. It asked if i wanted to unmount /media/usb0

At this point the only thing plugged into the pi is the usb card reader with the new smaller SD card in it. I chose no and it cancels the clone. I have to choose yes to proceed. Again, the Roms USB was not installed.

Next i get this screen, the first attempt i named the drive, the second attempt shown here, i did not name the drive, thinking that maybe the name of the drive was causing the error.

Ran this through, finished, no luck with the roms usb. Nothing even shows up in my WinSCP media, it is empty. I tried to go in an reenable the USB Automated mount, no luck. Tried to mount a new usb, wont do mount a new usb either. I hope this is enough info to trouble shoot? I have not yet slept and i have to work in 4 hours, so i am going to shut down for the night, but hope to continue this tomorrow. Thanks!

[pjft]

@TMNTturtlguy Definitely go to sleep, we'll sort things out one way or the other :)

I'm confused as to why the USB drive doesn't even show up. You do confirm it shows up using your other card, correct?

What does dfshow on the other scenario? What does lsusbshow when you plug the USB drive in? What about dmesg | tail? And what about cat /etc/fstab, in both your SD cards?

I am not an expert in Raspbian, nor in the auto-mount mechanism from recent RetroPie, but I'm happy to chime in and attempt to help you out. Also, this thread might help if nothing funny is going on at the moment.

[ibiza7]

merci beaucoup !!:D ca va mieux

[TMNTturtlguy]

@pjft Thanks for all the help as usual!

Yes, confirmed I am running off of the USB on the original card. Here is the info for the original card running off of the USB:
Working card with working USB - all commands shown

rpi-clone card non working usb - all commands shown

[pjft]

@TMNTturtlguy Is your USB drive a Kingston drive?

In the "bad" card, you mention the USB drive blinks, then stops. Can you unplug it, run those commands (dmesg | tail, lsusband df), and then replug it and run the commands again?

Also, does cat /var/log/syslogoutput anything for you? If so, what does it state for both cards?

I'm somewhat stumped, but we'll make it work.

Alternatively, if this thread doesn't help (just noticed I forgot to paste the link earlier), I'd love to read up on both boot logs (dmesg) - for the good and bad cards.

But a few things first to try. As I said, I have this working though I am not using the automated mount from RetroPie, but rather the old method via fstab. I am confused as to why you would have such differences between cards, though.

[TMNTturtlguy]

@pjft The usb drive is a computer stores brand - they offer lifetime warranties on them, so if they go bad, they just give you a new one. So i can't be positive, but I assume it is the one that shows up.

No USB inserted

USB inserted

Cat /var/log/syslog for non working Card

cat /var/log/syslog for working card

[pjft]

@TMNTturtlguy Thanks.

A few questions, if possible - and thanks for putting up with all of this.

So, the USB drive seems to be detected - as you can tell by the Kingston device showing up in both versions. However, it's not being mounted for some reason.

1. What does ls /dev/sd*show in your bad card?
2. What does cat /etc/usbmount/mount.dshow in both?

I'm also wondering if that's your entire syslog for the working card? Seems awfully short.

Also, on the one that doesn't work, there seems to be an awfully long (4-min?) gap between a device being apparently disconnected, and a new one connecting? See device disconnect 4, and new number 5. Does that happen at all boots?

I'm happy to help you set it up as mounted via the old process, though I'm more keen on exploring why the difference in behavior here.

[Sano]

I think a "sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda" could provide some useful information too.

[pjft]

@Sano If you have the expertise here, would love your inputs as I'm certainly out of my league here :)

By the way, love your avatar!

[TMNTturtlguy]

@pjft The syslog for both cards is very very long, i just cut out the parts i saw about the usb drive. is there a way i can output the entire log? I went into the folder, but the log is not a typical file type that i could open and read.

1. ls /dev/sd* shows: /dev/sda /dev/sda1
2. cat /etc/usbmount/mount.d in the bad card = cat: /etc/usbmount/mount.d: Is a directory

Sano: sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda on bad card

i will do the same for good card and post back momentarily
Thanks!

[pjft]

@TMNTturtlguy So, the drive is there, and it's in the right mount point (sda1) - for whatever reason, it fails to be mounted.

Can you do ls /etc/usbmount/mount.dand then cat /etc/usbmount/mount.d/<filenames>one by one, for both cards?

[TMNTturtlguy]

@pjft not sure i am doing the cat /etc/ correct, i am guessing i am supposed to be putting something else in instead of <filenames>? but here is what i get

good card

Bad card

[Sano]

@pjft Thanks :) Had it for many years now.

@TMNTturtlguy could you please do a ls -l /media and post the result ?

[pjft]

@TMNTturtlguy Definitely - replace <filenames> with 10_retropie_mount

:)

And follow @Sano 's advice, as he definitely seems more knowledgeable about this :)

[TMNTturtlguy]

@Sano ls -l/media on bad card gives me this: total 0

Do you want that for the good card?

[Sano]

Nope, just do a "sudo mkdir /media/usb0" and retry :)

Here is what /media should be like :
pi@retropie:~ $ ls -l /media
total 68
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4 nov. 5 22:35 usb -> usb0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb1
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb2
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb3
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb5
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb6
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3488 nov. 5 22:35 usb7

[TMNTturtlguy]

@pjft bad card

[TMNTturtlguy]

@Sano

[Sano]

Ok, try to plug your USB thumbstick now. This should work.
It seems that the content of the folder /media was not copied.
It is used by usbmount as mountpoints.
Fortunately, you could just recreate the folders with mkdir, and eventually the symlink witn ln -s.
Alternatively you can reinstall the usbmount package.