How to copy changes in /etc/pve from another Proxmox installation SSD ? (minipc dead)

Vittorio · Wednesday at 08:49

Hi all

My minipc where Proxmox was installed is dead
I had two SSDs, one for boot and some data, and another one just for data

Is there a way to mount the main SSD to copy the /etc/pve change I've made during old minipc life and get into a new Proxmox installation?

I already have VM and LXC backup in a NAS, so I don't need to recover them from the SSD

Thanks

fabian · Wednesday at 09:28

you can boot from a livecd, mount your root file system and chroot into it. then you can run pmxcfs -l to mount /etc/pve and copy the contents.

Vittorio · Wednesday at 09:38

Thanks @fabian

The "old" ssd is like this

Code:

/dev/sdc                                          8:32   0 238.5G  0 disk
├─/dev/sdc1                                       8:33   0  1007K  0 part
├─/dev/sdc2                                       8:34   0   512M  0 part
└─/dev/sdc3                                       8:35   0   238G  0 part

So I have to boot from a Proxmox livecd, without installing it
From a normal Proxmox installation I've tried to mount sdc1 and sdc3 but I get this error

Code:

root@newpve:~# mount /dev/sdc3 /mnt/usb/backup
mount: /mnt/usb/backup: unknown filesystem type 'LVM2_member'.
       dmesg(1) may have more information after failed mount system call.

sdc2 is the EFI partition

Using a livecd, which one should I mount as root partition?

Thanks

fabian · Wednesday at 09:48

https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Recover_From_Grub_Failure has some instructions (just skip the "update grub adn install it" part

)

gfngfn256 · Wednesday at 10:15

Vittorio said:
Using a livecd, which one should I mount as root partition?

Assuming your old installation was a regular (non zfs) install, try the following:

1. Boot from a regular Linux live cd, preferably on a machine that does not have Proxmox currently installed, with the old disk connected.
2. sudo vgscan (will show Volume Groups found).
3. sudo vgchange -ay pve (will activate the pve VG).
4. sudo mkdir /media/old_pve (will make local directly for mountpoint).
5. sudo mount /dev/pve/root /media/old_pve/ (will mount the old pve root to the mountpoint).
6. Copy the necessary files from the old installation to some permanent medium.

Vittorio · Wednesday at 11:33

Thanks @gfngfn256

I will try with an Ubuntu live CD

Do you think I can use the other disk, just with proxmox data, mounting it directly?
thanks again

Vittorio · Wednesday at 12:01

@fabian
@gfngfn256

Strangely the /etc/pve folder in the old disk is empty

fabian · Wednesday at 12:03

it's a mountpoint. like a I said, you need to chroot into the root disk and then run pmxcfs -l to populate it..

Vittorio · Wednesday at 12:53

@fabian

last command give me this error

Code:

ubuntu@ubuntu:/media/old_pve$ sudo chroot /media/old_pve
root@ubuntu:/# pmxcfs -l
[main] crit: Unable to resolve node name 'ubuntu' to a non-loopback IP address - missing entry in '/etc/hosts' or DNS?

and this is the /etc/hosts that seems to be the one from the old server

Code:

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
192.168.1.113 pve.beelink pve

# The following lines are desirable for IPv6 capable hosts

::1     ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
ff02::3 ip6-allhosts

Vittorio · Wednesday at 13:11

BTW
my previous installation was not in cluster and I'm not going to go to cluster with the new one

fabian · Wednesday at 14:05

you need to set the hostname to pve, or add an entry for "ubuntu"

Vittorio · Wednesday at 14:10

You mean something like this?

Code:

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
192.168.1.113 pve.beelink pve

192.168.1.91 pve.ubuntu ubuntu

# The following lines are desirable for IPv6 capable hosts

::1     ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
ff02::3 ip6-allhosts

now I get this error

Code:

root@ubuntu:/# pmxcfs -l
[main] notice: resolved node name 'ubuntu' to '192.168.1.91' for default node IP address
fuse: device not found, try 'modprobe fuse' first
[main] crit: fuse_mount error: No such file or directory
[main] notice: exit proxmox configuration filesystem (-1)

and if I try modprobe fuse I get an error that Module fuse is not found in directory

sorry for all these question, but I'm not very familiar with this

fabian · Wednesday at 14:18

you need to modprobe fuse outside of the chroot

Vittorio · Wednesday at 14:22

Done
I've exited from chroot, executed command modprobe fuse and reenter to chroot

but I get same error

Code:

root@ubuntu:/# pmxcfs -l
[main] notice: resolved node name 'ubuntu' to '192.168.1.91' for default node IP address
fuse: device not found, try 'modprobe fuse' first
[main] crit: fuse_mount error: No such file or directory
[main] notice: exit proxmox configuration filesystem (-1)

Vittorio · Wednesday at 14:25

I've added a debug to the pmxcfs command

Code:

root@ubuntu:/# pmxcfs -l
[main] notice: resolved node name 'ubuntu' to '192.168.1.91' for default node IP address
fuse: device not found, try 'modprobe fuse' first
[main] crit: fuse_mount error: No such file or directory
[main] notice: exit proxmox configuration filesystem (-1)
root@ubuntu:/# pmxcfs -ld
[main] notice: resolved node name 'ubuntu' to '192.168.1.91' for default node IP address (pmxcfs.c:859:main)
[database] debug: name __version__ (inode = 0000000000000000, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name virtual-guest (inode = 0000000000000008, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name priv (inode = 0000000000000009, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name nodes (inode = 000000000000000B, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve (inode = 000000000000000C, parent = 000000000000000B) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name lxc (inode = 000000000000000D, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name qemu-server (inode = 000000000000000E, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name openvz (inode = 000000000000000F, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name priv (inode = 0000000000000010, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name lock (inode = 0000000000000011, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-www.key (inode = 0000000000000018, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-ssl.key (inode = 000000000000001A, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-root-ca.key (inode = 000000000000001C, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-root-ca.pem (inode = 000000000000001E, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-root-ca.srl (inode = 0000000000000020, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-ssl.pem (inode = 0000000000000023, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name ha (inode = 0000000000000031, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name acme (inode = 0000000000000032, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name sdn (inode = 0000000000000033, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name domotica-new (inode = 0000000000017541, parent = 000000000000000B) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name qemu-server (inode = 0000000000017542, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name lxc (inode = 0000000000017543, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name openvz (inode = 0000000000017544, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name priv (inode = 0000000000017545, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-ssl.key (inode = 0000000000017546, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name pve-ssl.pem (inode = 0000000000017548, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name lrm_status (inode = 000000000001760B, parent = 0000000000017541) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name firewall (inode = 0000000000085A9B, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name token.cfg (inode = 000000000015F51D, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name datacenter.cfg (inode = 0000000000365B7C, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name shadow.cfg (inode = 000000000076948C, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name lrm_status.tmp.1196 (inode = 0000000000ACDE7B, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name lrm_status (inode = 0000000000B44B97, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name storage (inode = 0000000000BDEF72, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name trova.txt (inode = 0000000000C3367B, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name user.cfg (inode = 0000000000C7327A, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name mapping (inode = 0000000000C84570, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 102.conf.save (inode = 0000000000C998DD, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 100.conf (inode = 0000000000CAEEBE, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 108.conf (inode = 0000000000CAEEC4, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 109.conf (inode = 0000000000CAEECA, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 113.conf (inode = 0000000000CAEED4, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 116.conf (inode = 0000000000CAEF32, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name config (inode = 0000000000CE5510, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name known_hosts (inode = 0000000000CFADE1, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name usb.cfg (inode = 0000000000D0DC34, parent = 0000000000C84570) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name storage.cfg (inode = 0000000000D1FD0D, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name notifications.cfg (inode = 0000000000D2974E, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name notifications.cfg (inode = 0000000000D29751, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 107.conf (inode = 0000000000E09EE6, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 103.conf (inode = 0000000000E0B64D, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name replication.cfg (inode = 0000000000E0B65A, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name jobs.cfg (inode = 0000000000E0B65E, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name vzdump.cron (inode = 0000000000E0B663, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 104.conf (inode = 0000000000E19745, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 110.conf (inode = 0000000000E1976B, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 118.conf (inode = 0000000000E19775, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 101.conf (inode = 0000000000E197E7, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 111.conf (inode = 0000000000E19859, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 112.conf (inode = 0000000000E198EB, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 114.conf (inode = 0000000000E19965, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 117.conf (inode = 0000000000E19B06, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 115.conf (inode = 0000000000E19C4C, parent = 000000000000000E) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 105.conf (inode = 0000000000E19C69, parent = 000000000000000D) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name 106.conf (inode = 0000000000E19CBB, parent = 000000000000000E) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name authkey.pub.old (inode = 0000000000E1A6EF, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name authkey.pub (inode = 0000000000E1A6F2, parent = 0000000000000000) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name authkey.key (inode = 0000000000E1A6F5, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name authorized_keys (inode = 0000000000E1A745, parent = 0000000000000009) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[database] debug: name ssh_known_hosts (inode = 0000000000E1A748, parent = 000000000000000C) (database.c:370:bdb_backend_load_index)
[main] debug: memdb open '/var/lib/pve-cluster/config.db' successful (version = 0000000000E1A74A) (memdb.c:536:memdb_open)
[main] debug: using local mode (corosync.conf does not exist) (pmxcfs.c:931:main)
fuse: device not found, try 'modprobe fuse' first
[main] crit: fuse_mount error: No such file or directory (pmxcfs.c:955:main)
[main] notice: exit proxmox configuration filesystem (-1) (pmxcfs.c:1110:main)

fabian · Wednesday at 14:35

did you follow the instructions I linked? you need to bind mount certain virtual file systems from the host into the chroot..

Vittorio · Wednesday at 14:51

Thanks for you time!

Now I've done all the others, I didn't before because I saw same subfolders already in place

The only one it fails is this one

Code:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sdc1 /media/old_pve/boot
mount: /media/old_pve/boot: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sdc1, missing codepage or helper program, or other error.
       dmesg(1) may have more information after failed mount system call.

Even with this it seems that now I can see /etc/pve

Now I will install a brand new Proxmox onto the new minipc

What is the best "practice" to have a Proxmox installation as a clone of the previous one ?

I've already tried to boot from old ssd disk into new minipc, different brand and cpu, but it does not work

Thanks

Vittorio · Wednesday at 14:55

And also, with previous installation i had also a second disk named "DATI" as local-lvm, where most of VMs and LXCs where located
Can I just mount it?

To get back all VMs and LXCs without restoring them from backup, is there a way copying some folders/files from what I have in my old disk?

Thanks again

fabian · 2024-10-31T10:20:17+0100

yes, if our LVM disk is still around, you can add it as storage again and all the disks should become visible in PVE.

How to copy changes in /etc/pve from another Proxmox installation SSD ? (minipc dead)

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