Restoring OMV-Backup: where to find fs-file

  • Hi.

    I am trying to restore a backup built with openmediavault-backup. I'm using the guide from auanasgheps.

    After the step  Then select the .fsa file in the backup folder to be used for the restore. i can't find the .fsa-file... shouldn't it be on the same drive where i have the backup-files? System I use: Raspberry 4, OMV 7.5.1-1


    • New
    • Official Post

    You used the dd method. The restore method is a little different and more difficult with an RPi. You want to write a new RPi image to the SD card then restore the backup-omv-2025-01-01_00-30-01.dd file over the OS partition.

    omv 7.6.0-1 sandworm | 64 bit | 6.11 proxmox kernel

    plugins :: omvextrasorg 7.0.1 | kvm 7.0.16 | compose 7.3.3 | cputemp 7.0.2 | mergerfs 7.0.5 | scripts 7.0.9


    omv-extras.org plugins source code and issue tracker - github - changelogs


    Please try ctrl-shift-R and read this before posting a question.

    Please put your OMV system details in your signature.
    Please don't PM for support... Too many PMs!

  • Easy answer:

    The the .fsa file belongs to "fsarchiver" . You configured your Backup using dd.

    This is why you can't find it.

    Raspi 4B, 4GB RAM, SSD-Boot, 2TB & 1TB SSD as data-disks in Sata/USB enclosure, IcyBox USB3-Hub

  • Ah, ok. Interesting. I am still a noob when it comes to Linux. What should I type at the CLI? Just dd the backup-omv-2025-01-01_00-30-01.dd to the drive will not be sufficient? I do have to write an image first as ryecoaaron wrote? What image? =O

    • New
    • Official Post

    What image?

    The RPi Image.


    Then use

    zstdcat backup.img.zst | sudo dd of=/dev/xxxx bs=1M status=progress


    to extract the compressed file and write it over your OS filesystem. You have to adjust "xxx" to the device name of the filesystem and the name of the image file.

  • root@mint:/mnt/backup# blkid

    /dev/mapper/ventoy: BLOCK_SIZE="2048" UUID="2022-12-17-22-50-00-00" LABEL="Linux Mint 21.1 Xfce 64-bit" TYPE="iso9660" PTUUID="4f11b734-c1fb-49e2-85d8-bf2ed72edbb3" PTTYPE="gpt"

    /dev/nvme0n1p2: LABEL_FATBOOT="SYSTEM" LABEL="SYSTEM" UUID="E8E8-5C23" BLOCK_SIZE="512" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="54c657cc-6cd7-4905-b615-1eb4dfbac9a7"

    /dev/nvme0n1p4: LABEL="MM" BLOCK_SIZE="512" UUID="0FDF08550FDF0855" TYPE="ntfs" PARTLABEL="Basic data partition" PARTUUID="b0c2fb2b-fd11-4e54-8885-005beb9b3320"

    /dev/nvme0n1p5: LABEL="Windows RE tools" BLOCK_SIZE="512" UUID="2492F98692F95CAC" TYPE="ntfs" PARTUUID="ae4328d2-122d-45ee-b913-b3611e7b5876"

    /dev/sda1: LABEL="SeagExp" UUID="2813-3F9B" BLOCK_SIZE="512" TYPE="exfat" PARTUUID="300d13c4-0085-47d4-9393-b97a1d60281d"

    /dev/sdc1: LABEL="Ventoy" UUID="4E21-0000" BLOCK_SIZE="512" TYPE="exfat" PTTYPE="dos" PARTUUID="86812240-01"

    /dev/sdc2: BLOCK_SIZE="2048" UUID="2022-12-17-22-50-00-00" LABEL="Linux Mint 21.1 Xfce 64-bit" TYPE="iso9660" PTUUID="4f11b734-c1fb-49e2-85d8-bf2ed72edbb3" PTTYPE="gpt"

    /dev/mapper/vtoy_persistent: LABEL="casper-rw" UUID="830ca356-d0ff-4f56-83b6-f52e0c79bbb5" BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4"

    /dev/nvme0n1p3: PARTUUID="342ad736-811f-4fd5-837d-c5fa8f1fbd8b"

    /dev/nvme0n1p1: PARTUUID="0c6ab291-f337-4e76-8819-d65bb0e22869"

    /dev/sdb2: PARTUUID="39c854b7-02"

    /dev/sdb1: PARTUUID="39c854b7-01"

    /dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"

  • my dd backup file is too big, as the old SDcard has 64gb, the new one has 16gb. i wanted to restore to another drive, then shrink the partition with pgarted use this for the restore. or is there a better way?

  • /dev/mmcblk0p1: LABEL_FATBOOT="bootfs" LABEL="bootfs" UUID="0B22-2966" BLOCK_SIZE="512" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="39c854b7-01"

    /dev/mmcblk0p2: LABEL="rootfs" UUID="3ad7386b-e1ae-4032-ae33-0c40f5ecc4ac" BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="39c854b7-02"

    /dev/sda: UUID="02b7788b-5275-422d-85c3-5c781646628f" LABEL="ENCDATA" TYPE="crypto_LUKS"

    /dev/sdb1: UUID="5300ab3d-54d6-4872-a607-d2efc9d7c775" BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="a35bb58e-1166-4496-8ff3-947c79e0a371"

    /dev/mapper/sda-crypt: UUID="5124bfe3-9bb5-46cd-aaad-6b29ac54d009" BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4"

    • New
    • Official Post

    /dev/mmcblk0p2

    This is the device name of the OS partition.



    any chance to shrink the dd backup file so that it fits to a smaller sd-card?

    I am not aware of any, which does not mean that there is none ;)

  • There are two other ways if your system is still living:

    1- You have another Windows or Apple System: create a new backup/clone of your SD-Card w a tool which has a shrinking possibility (for a macOS System that could be ApplePiBaker) and restore to the smaller card directly.

    2- You're having another second Linux System: create w omv-backup a new backup switching from dd to fsarchiver, and follow the instructions you mentioned in your initial post. Eventually you'll have to adopt the root partition of the new SD card with (g)parted. after creating the partition table with the .grubparts file.

    Raspi 4B, 4GB RAM, SSD-Boot, 2TB & 1TB SSD as data-disks in Sata/USB enclosure, IcyBox USB3-Hub

  • ths Teschbert. Unfortunately my OMV did run mad... that's why i need the restore. i'll get some new sd-cards.

    OK. Maybe you should think about switching to a small/cheap SSD in an USB3-case then ...

    Its not much more expensive but more reliable

    Raspi 4B, 4GB RAM, SSD-Boot, 2TB & 1TB SSD as data-disks in Sata/USB enclosure, IcyBox USB3-Hub

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!