The backup system supplied with the PR4100 (RSync?) only seems to allow for backing up non-system parts of the system. i.e. Public and User shares. I can’t see anywhere that it allows for backup of system files. e.g. config, application config, application data etc. I’m particularly interested in backup up the Plex system and its associated database. Can abyone advise how I might do this?
Hi,
WD softwares do not perform system level backup. Try to find a system level backup program on the internet, or let’s see if someone in this forum has tried something that has worked for them.
Bump…
Provided with the PR4100 are a number of Apps one of which is Acronis True Image. I installed it but it didn’t provide any functionality except to take me to the Acronis web site to buy their software. Which I did in the expectation that it would unlock the software on the PR4100. At my age I really shouldn’t be so naive. I now have some software, superfluous, to backup my PC but nothing to backup the system portion of my NAS. Does anyone know of some software that I can install, easily, on the PR4100 that will allow backup of system files etc…
Doesn’t plex allow you to export your settings?
Feel free to try the following:
- create a share SystemBackup
- SSH in the box with putty
Type this to copy your backup
rsync -a --progress --exclude="_docker" /shares/Volume_1/Nas_Prog/ /shares/SystemBackup/
Enjoy your backups.
Hi philipW99 ,
Unfortunately no WD Software performs system level backup. However, you can have a look to article below for more information about the applications:
Thanks. I’ll give that a go. It’s not just Plex I want to backup but the PR4100 op sys itself. I’m amazed that WD don’t provide the facility.
P.S. No, I don’t think Plex provides facility to export settings/configuration. But it should!
Hi philipW99 ,
We appreciate the feedback.
Thank You!
The PR4100 has several mechanisms in place to prevent a corrupt base system:
- the OS is a squashfs readonly system, so it’s clean reboot
- each reboot the image is CRC32 checked before loading it
- if that squashfs image would get corrupted, there is a backup image as well that will get mounted automatically
- if that fails too, you can use the USB_RESCUE boot described here in the forum.
The user settings are stored in a separate partition. Each reboot, the system checks if its model corresponds to the actual system state and it will notify you of any important changes.
Your apps are installed on Volume_1, most likely protected from a disk failure if it is a RAID volume.
A backup mechanism for app settings is the responsibility of the application creator as there are plenty of ways to configure an application. I don’t use plex but an easy google search (“backup plex”) leads you here:
TLDR: the NAS has plenty of protections against corruption, there is little need for the user to make system backups. Just call support if you manage to break it anyway.
As for application backups, that’s much easier. You need to enable SSH and copy that flex media dir at /shares/Volume_1/Nas_Prog/plex/....
If you need a graphical interface, I suggest to use Cyberduck with SFTP (and your SSH credentials).
The rsync command I gave above will backup all your apps to a BackupShare.
Many thanks for taking the time to look at this. I’m well covered for backing up my data, Plex and other stuff including a 2TB photo collection, to USB attached drives. Its the system type stuff I was worried about. The Op Sys, application code, configuration settings etc. From what you say it looks as if the Op Sys itself is well covered but I’ll have a look at Cyberduck as you suggest. Thanks again.
