how to recovery the specify file?

[kittyf]

I use the tar cvf command to backup one dir (tar cvf xxx.tar /xxx), and then i want to recovery the file /xxx/aaa/bbb.pl from the tar file to directory /yyy/aaa,
Can you help me?

[Luc Bussieres_1 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

With the tar command you have used to create the tar archive (tar cvf xxx.tar /xxx) I see no easy way to extract it directly to /yyy/aaa.

Using the hpux version of tar command extracting the file "tar xvf xxx.tar /xxx/aaa/bbb.pl" will be keeping with the leading / so you won't be able to restore it elsewhere.

What I would suggest is to create the tar file with the following command:

cd /xxx; tar cvf ../xxx.tar .

This will create a tar file with all the files in the current directory which is now /xxx because of the cd.

Now to extract the file you just need to cd in the /yyy directory and then execute the following tar command:
tar xvf /xxx.tar ./aaa/bbl.pl

Note that now your files are prefixed with ./ instead of /xxx/ this way they could be extracted in the current directory.

regards
Luc

[Bill Hassell]

tar has a very crude interface and since it appears you saved the file with the leading / (ie, a full pathname), then tar will restore it exactly where it came from. There are some tricks using chroot but it isn't simple. If you have a choice, resave the file with:

cd /somedirectory
tar cvf /dev/rmt/XXX somefile

Now you can cd to a different directory and restore the file. tar provides no option to override the path saved with the file. You might to look at fbackup for a more fully featured backup tool.

[steven Burgess_2]

Hi

If you have created the tar file using absolute path names you will not be able to.

You can if you created the file in the relative directory

tar cvf /.

Regards

Steve

[Michael Tully]

Hi,

To recover a file from the tar tape:

If the tar archive has been backed using
absolute path names then tar will want to
restore it to the same directory.

You have two options.
1. Recover the file to a different system.

2. Move the existing file to another file
name and then recover it from tape using
# tar xvf /dev/rmt/0m /xxx/filename (substitute you your tape device)

If you must use 'tar' always backup with
using the ./directory instead of /directory

HTH
~Michael~

[kittyf]

Thanks all!

[steven Burgess_2]

Kittyf

I notice you are a new member of the forums

You can assign points to your replies by clicking on the 'assign points' tab

A pleasure to help you

Regards

Steve

[Olav Baadsvik]

Hi,

Here is a method you may use. It may be useful
if you receive a tar-tape written with
absolute path:
1- Logon as root
2- cd to directory : cd /newdir
3- cp tar to newdir
cp /sbin/tar /newdir
It is important that you copy
/sbin/tar and not /usr/bin/tar as
/sbin/tar does not depend on shared
libs
4- make sure about tar owner
and group : chown bin:bin tar
5- copy the device-file /dev/rmt/0m /newdir
6- chroot /newdir tar xvf 0m
will copy all files and the directory
structure to /newdir

Regards
Olav

[RAC_1]

If GNU tar helps in this regard? I had a tough time with tar taken with absolute path.

Regards,