[PLUG] Backup RPi SD card

Thomas Groman tgrom.automail at nuegia.net
Wed Apr 12 05:17:04 UTC 2017


Can you maybe setup something yourself with some ubiquity radios? You
might get lucky and have a friend or something in Line OF Sight that has
good internet that is willing to put a dish up to share it.

It's a long shot but it it Hughesnet we are talking about here.


On 04/11/2017 07:29 PM, Chuck Hast wrote:
> Yes, it is truly a sad solution, but where I live it is the only one. I
> often tell people
> that it is a good thing that the agriculture people who feed us do not
> treat us
> like Hughesnet treats them, we would all starve.
>
> If I get the job I am trying for, I will be moving, Indeed may spend part
> of my
> time in Costa Rica, wife is down there dealing with family things father in
> law
> wants us to move in his place, he is now by himself.  I would get fibre at
> his
> home if I do so. All depends on the job I get here. I am working on a field
> service job that allows me to live anywhere near a airport on this side of
> the
> planet.
>
> On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 7:19 PM, Thomas Groman <tgrom.automail at nuegia.net>
> wrote:
>
>> oh gawd *Hughesnet*
>>
>>
>> On 04/11/2017 07:05 PM, Chuck Hast wrote:
>>> Oh, ok. Yes, I am looking at getting a WX proof modem, something that
>> uses
>>> PoE, and directional antennas, put a shack up on the ridge and use solar
>> or
>>> wind to keep it powered and run the link down to the house using some
>> fibre.
>>> Actually put up some sort of tower and mount the whole thing in a WX
>> proof
>>> box, put the radio and antenna up on top of the tower, and hang the box
>> at
>>> the bottom. The power and media converter will be in that box, perhaps
>> an-
>>> other box for the batteries below it. Keep the out gas out of the
>> equipment
>>> box.
>>>
>>> If I can get the AT&T offer of 250GB for $60/mo I will be very happy as
>> I am
>>> getting taken to the cleaners with Hughesnet.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 5:06 PM, wes <plug at the-wes.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I was referring to your idea of putting an LTE gateway up on a ridge.
>> Just
>>>> thinking of water and sun protection, nothing extraordinary.
>>>>
>>>> -wes
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Apr 10, 2017 at 8:36 AM, Chuck Hast <wchast at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Are you talking about ESD or physically protecting the device? The
>> remote
>>>>> sensors are wireless so a lightning strike would take them out but
>>>> probably
>>>>> not do much to the rest of it unless it comes through the 110v line, or
>>>> the
>>>>> EMP
>>>>> was too high, in that case there just is not much you can do about the
>>>> EMP,
>>>>> it is cheaper to replace the RPi and console that block for the EMP. I
>>>> used
>>>>> to
>>>>> live in lightning prone areas, Costa Rica and Tampa, FL. I have seen my
>>>>> fair
>>>>> share of lightning damage, one thing I learned was to run all long
>>>> network
>>>>> runs as fiber rather than Cat5/6. No issues with EMP with the fiber.
>>>>>
>>>>> The console and RPi are inside the home so they are protected.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Apr 9, 2017 at 10:58 PM, wes <plug at the-wes.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> What do you plan to use for weather protection?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -wes
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 9, 2017 at 9:54 PM, Chuck Hast <wchast at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tomás
>>>>>>> Sorry I should have got  back on and told you I found it, but the
>>>>> charge
>>>>>>> rate
>>>>>>> is only 1.5 amp, the other unit is 2.0 amp. The RPi doing the WeeWx
>>>>> stuff
>>>>>>> pulls data every 60 seconds, writes to the DB and then sends it out
>>>> to
>>>>>> WU,
>>>>>>> CWOP and Findu.com. When it does that it pulls a wee bit more current
>>>>>>> that usual. So I am going to give the other unit a try as I have the
>>>>> PSU
>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>> it. I will also power the Acurite console off of it.  If this works I
>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> a whole
>>>>>>> boat load of places I am going to do that trick. Indeed if we do not
>>>>> move
>>>>>>> out
>>>>>>> of this place, I am going to put an RPi up on the  ridge above the
>>>>> house
>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>> a AT&T LTE modem on it, AT&T has an offer of 250GB/mo @ $60/mo or 500
>>>>>>> GB/mo @ $100/mo. They just came out with the offer last month, it is
>>>>>>> directed
>>>>>>> at some states back east, but people are calling and getting the
>>>>> offering
>>>>>>> every-
>>>>>>> where they have put in LTE. At this time I have 50GB @ $110/mo with
>>>>>> Hughes
>>>>>>> net, and they suck royally. So I can put an RPi up on the ridge and
>>>> run
>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>> 500ft of fibre down to the house let the RPi handle the cell modem
>>>> and
>>>>>> get
>>>>>>> rid of Hughesnet. Whattavampire they are. That one I will power with
>>>>> the
>>>>>>> "kludge" as it will be a much better option there. May even try some
>>>>>> solar
>>>>>>> to see how much the batteries will keep up that way. Use an RPi to
>>>>>> monitor
>>>>>>> that too.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If I get the job I am angling for I will not need to worry about it,
>>>>> but
>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> can
>>>>>>> always find something for an RPi to do.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 9, 2017 at 8:21 PM, Tom <tomas.kuchta.lists at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Follow the second link, scroll down to product description about
>>>> half
>>>>>>>> way through the page, and check the Duo-Charge Section:
>>>>>>>>                      Product description
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>              Offer Type:19200mAH
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>                                 TeckNet PowerTitan T2 19200mAH
>>>>> External
>>>>>>>> Battery:
>>>>>>>> Save time when charging!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> .
>>>>>>>> .
>>>>>>>> .
>>>>>>>> Duo-Charge:
>>>>>>>> The Duo-Charge function enables charging of the PowerTitan while it
>>>>>>>> recharges a connected device such as an iPhone or iPad.
>>>>>>>>  .......
>>>>>>>> Besides the battery capacity, there does not seem to be functional
>>>>>>>> difference between the chargers. Either of them should keep mostly
>>>>> idle
>>>>>>>> RPi running for at close to a day. I have 6500mAh USB charger
>>>> running
>>>>>>>> RPi + PWM hat + WiFi dongle + a few sensors on a robot cart for
>>>>> about 8
>>>>>>>> -9-hours straight. The Pi lasts much longer than the other battery
>>>>> pack
>>>>>>>> feeding the motors.
>>>>>>>> I should have mentioned it in my original post, I thought that it
>>>> is
>>>>>>>> obvious:
>>>>>>>> If your RPi consumes close to or more than the charging current max
>>>>> 2A
>>>>>>>> (depending on your actual power supply) - about 10% to power the
>>>>>>>> charger = ~1800mA --> your battery pack will not recharge after the
>>>>>>>> outage. In such case you would have to come up with different UPS
>>>>>>>> solution.
>>>>>>>> Best luck, Tomas
>>>>>>>> On Sun, 2017-04-09 at 19:23 -0700, Chuck Hast wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Tomas,
>>>>>>>>> The second selection looks more like what I am looking for but
>>>> the
>>>>>>>>> first one
>>>>>>>>> will certainly work. But I do not see mention of pass through
>>>>>>>>> charging or
>>>>>>>>> charge while charging.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Went ahead and bought the first selection.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 9, 2017 at 6:46 AM, Nat Taylor <bioborg at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> I use something like that second battery to power my pi, it's
>>>>> just
>>>>>>>>>> a cell
>>>>>>>>>> phone charger, I'm not sure what running it while plugged in
>>>> does
>>>>>>>>>> to it's
>>>>>>>>>> life.   One could put it on a timer so the power cuts, it
>>>> drains
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> battery for a while, then charges back up if that was
>>>>> advantageous
>>>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>> battery life...
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 9, 2017 at 2:39 AM Tom <
>>>> tomas.kuchta.lists at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> There are probably other USB power banks which can be charged
>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>> discharged together. Here are two examples:
>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.amazon.com/TeckNet-Universal-16750mAh-
>>>>>> Output-PowerZen
>>>>>>>>>>> /dp/B0
>>>>>>>>>>> 0FAU7ZB2/ref=pd_cp_107_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=
>>>>>> B00FAU7ZB2&pd_rd_
>>>>>>>>>>> r=0JMM
>>>>>>>>>>> HXMXK7RYWY9K361K&pd_rd_w=712hM&pd_rd_wg=6mOCV&psc=1&
>>>>>> refRID=0JMMHX
>>>>>>>>>>> MXK7RY
>>>>>>>>>>> WY9K361K
>>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.amazon.com/TeckNet-Universal-16750mAh-
>>>>>>>>>> Output-PowerZen/dp/B00FAU7ZB2/ref=pd_cp_107_1?_encoding=
>>>>>>>>>> UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00FAU7ZB2&pd_rd_r=0JMMHXMXK7RYWY9K361K&pd_rd_
>>>>>>>>>> w=712hM&pd_rd_wg=6mOCV&psc=1&refRID=0JMMHXMXK7RYWY9K361K>
>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.amazon.com/PowerTitan-19200mAh3-Port-
>>>>>> Portable-Externa
>>>>>>>>>>> l-Tech
>>>>>>>>>>> nology/dp/B01B534D4Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&srs=5713662011
>>>>>> &ie=UTF8
>>>>>>>>>>> &qid=1
>>>>>>>>>>> 491729627&sr=1-1
>>>>>>>>>>> <https://www.amazon.com/PowerTitan-19200mAh3-Port-
>>>>>>>>>> Portable-External-Technology/dp/B01B534D4Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=
>>>>>>>>>> wireless&srs=5713662011&ie=UTF8&qid=1491729627&sr=1-1>
>>>>>>>>>>> Based on recommendation from this guy:
>>>>>>>>>>> http://raspi-ups.appspot.com/en/index.jsp He used older
>>>> model
>>>>>>>>>>> which is
>>>>>>>>>>> no longer available.
>>>>>>>>>>> I wonder how smart is the circuit in avoiding the
>>>>>>>>>>> charge/discharge
>>>>>>>>>>> battery cycles when the power is on - it relates to the
>>>> battery
>>>>>>>>>>> life.
>>>>>>>>>>> Tomas
>>>>>>>>>>> On Sat, 2017-04-08 at 18:57 -0700, Chuck Hast wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Sat, Apr 8, 2017 at 3:42 PM, Tom <
>>>>>>>>>>>> tomas.kuchta.lists at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> dd nor rsync alone will not be able to do full backup of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> running
>>>>>>>>>>>>> computer (RPi).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> That was what I figured, just wanted to make sure.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> The best course of action is to separate the OS from your
>>>>>>>>>>>>> data -
>>>>>>>>>>>>> whatever your RPi is normally writing - then backup each
>>>>>>>>>>>>> separately.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>   * When you separate the data, you could even store it
>>>> off
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the RPi
>>>>>>>>>>>>> avoiding need for local data backups on RPi altogether.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> The drive has two partitions on it /boot and /.  /boot is a
>>>>>>>>>>>> vfat, the
>>>>>>>>>>>> rest
>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>> it is ext4. I supposed that I could stop the service
>>>> (weather
>>>>>>>>>>>> data
>>>>>>>>>>>> capture)
>>>>>>>>>>>> back up the files that are critical to the weather
>>>>>>>>>>>> station.After the
>>>>>>>>>>>> back up
>>>>>>>>>>>> is done start the service again. Maybe store them on a jump
>>>>>>>>>>>> drive and
>>>>>>>>>>>> after the station service is back up and running ship them
>>>>> off
>>>>>>>>>>>> to the
>>>>>>>>>>>> location
>>>>>>>>>>>> I will keep the back ups in. I figure that I could do the
>>>>> back
>>>>>>>>>>>> up in
>>>>>>>>>>>> the wee
>>>>>>>>>>>> hours of the morning.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>   * If you want to keep the data on RPi, you could back
>>>> it
>>>>> up
>>>>>>>>>>>>> by
>>>>>>>>>>>>> rsync
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to separate media (USB) or a network storage
>>>>>>>>>>>>>   * You cannot back up the OS while you are using it -
>>>> that
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is why
>>>>>>>>>>>>> this
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is normally done on a separate computer. It is easier and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> faster
>>>>>>>>>>>>> than
>>>>>>>>>>>>> booting your RPi from USB or network and then doing the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> backup.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>   * Perhaps the OS does not need to be backed up often or
>>>>> not
>>>>>>>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>>>>>>>> all as
>>>>>>>>>>>>> you could simply create separate OS image, even on
>>>> another
>>>>> SD
>>>>>>>>>>>>> card
>>>>>>>>>>>>> attached to your Pi.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> All I really need for recovery is the WeeWx db file, WeeWx
>>>>>>>>>>>> config
>>>>>>>>>>>> file,
>>>>>>>>>>>> skins
>>>>>>>>>>>> file and the nginx configuration. I could actually keep a
>>>>>>>>>>>> separate
>>>>>>>>>>>> image and
>>>>>>>>>>>> just insert the latest files and quickly swap out the bad
>>>> SD
>>>>>>>>>>>> card.
>>>>>>>>>>>> That
>>>>>>>>>>>> should
>>>>>>>>>>>> take care of it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I should be able to automate the OS configuration, so that
>>>> I
>>>>>>>>>>>> just run
>>>>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> script
>>>>>>>>>>>> it looks for the SD card, installs the OS makes sure that
>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> parameters
>>>>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>>>>> I set manually on installation are set correctly, probably
>>>>> can
>>>>>>>>>>>> automate the
>>>>>>>>>>>> whole process.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>   * Your backup target/media could be another SD card
>>>>> connected
>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> RPi
>>>>>>>>>>>>> in a SD card reader, that way you could just swap the
>>>> cards
>>>>>>>>>>>>> ....
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thinking outside of a box - perhaps you need little UPS
>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>>>>> your Pi
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>>> avoid regular data corruption altogether. There are some
>>>>> USB
>>>>>>>>>>>>> charging
>>>>>>>>>>>>> batteries which can be charged and used both at the same
>>>>> time
>>>>>>>>>>>>> (most
>>>>>>>>>>>>> can
>>>>>>>>>>>>> be either charged or used, not both).  Modest battery
>>>> could
>>>>>>>>>>>>> keep
>>>>>>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pi running for hours.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I have been looking for a battery pack that will allow me
>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>> let it
>>>>>>>>>>>> float
>>>>>>>>>>>> on the
>>>>>>>>>>>> powersupply until power goes away, then it takes over. So
>>>> far
>>>>>>>>>>>> all of
>>>>>>>>>>>> them
>>>>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>>>>> I have looked at will not switch between
>>>>>>>>>>>> charge/float/discharge. I
>>>>>>>>>>>> have seen
>>>>>>>>>>>> a couple that plug into the pin field on the RPi, but I am
>>>>>>>>>>>> trying to
>>>>>>>>>>>> keep
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> case clean. I have built up a power supply with a battery
>>>> on
>>>>>>>>>>>> it, and
>>>>>>>>>>>> a heavy
>>>>>>>>>>>> duty USB dual port power cartridge that supplies the power
>>>> I
>>>>>>>>>>>> need for
>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> RPi and the WX station console. It is kind of big, I am
>>>>>>>>>>>> certainly
>>>>>>>>>>>> looking
>>>>>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>>>> one of the power pack batteries that does not care if it is
>>>>>>>>>>>> being
>>>>>>>>>>>> charged or
>>>>>>>>>>>> not.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I hope that this is pointing you in the right direction
>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>>>>>>> particular circumstances.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes it confirmed most of what I was already suspecting. Now
>>>>> if
>>>>>>>>>>>> I can
>>>>>>>>>>>> just
>>>>>>>>>>>> find a nice clean battery pack that meets the above
>>>>>>>>>>>> requirement.
>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>> PLUG mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>> PLUG at lists.pdxlinux.org
>>>>>>>>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>> PLUG mailing list
>>>>>>>>>> PLUG at lists.pdxlinux.org
>>>>>>>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> PLUG mailing list
>>>>>>>> PLUG at lists.pdxlinux.org
>>>>>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Chuck Hast  -- KP4DJT --
>>>>>>> Glass, five thousand years of history and getting better.
>>>>>>> The only container material that the USDA gives blanket approval on.
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> PLUG mailing list
>>>>>>> PLUG at lists.pdxlinux.org
>>>>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> PLUG mailing list
>>>>>> PLUG at lists.pdxlinux.org
>>>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>>
>>>>> Chuck Hast  -- KP4DJT --
>>>>> Glass, five thousand years of history and getting better.
>>>>> The only container material that the USDA gives blanket approval on.
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> PLUG mailing list
>>>>> PLUG at lists.pdxlinux.org
>>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> PLUG mailing list
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>>>> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
>>>>
>>>
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>
>




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