Xref: utzoo comp.unix.questions:10021 comp.unix.microport:1930
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!auspex!guy
From: guy@auspex.UUCP (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions,comp.unix.microport
Subject: Re: dump/restore
Keywords: cpio is not a real backup program
Message-ID: <383@auspex.UUCP>
Date: 2 Nov 88 07:47:48 GMT
References: <178@celerity.UUCP> <12433@steinmetz.ge.com> <336@pvab.UUCP>
Reply-To: guy@auspex.UUCP (Guy Harris)
Organization: Auspex Systems, Santa Clara
Lines: 8

>How do I make backups of special files with cpio?-- 

You say "find ... | cpio -o ...".  "cpio" is smart enough not to try to
open and read special files; it writes special entries that tell the
"cpio" that reads the tape to "mknod" the appropriate file.

If you're using SunOS 3.2 or later, it also understands symbolic links
(I expect the S5R4 "cpio" to handle them compatibly).