[SOLVED] automatic usb-backup with udev-rules + script

Question

I would like to have my usb-harddrive automatically start a backup as soon as it is plugged in.  And finally a bell is supposed to ring.
I've created an udev-rule and a backup-script as shown below.
However, instead of creating /dev/backup-drive first something strange is happening:
The bell rings 3 times, followed by the backup, followed by a 4th ring.
What's going on?
Here's may udev-rule:
## /etc/udev/rules.d/95-backup.rules
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS {serial}=="100", SYMLINK=="backup-drive", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/backup-thumb.sh"
fstab:
/dev/backup-drive    /media/backup   ext3     rw,user    0 0
and my script:
#!/bin/bash
sleep 10
rsync -vrtolgh --exclude '/.VirtualBox/' --delete /home/myhome /media/backup-drive
aplay /usr/share/sounds/phone.wav
Last edited by mehldutt (2007-07-03 20:28:27)

Answer 1

The syntax of your udev rule is all wrong - for example after SYMLINK you should use "+=" or ":=". "==" is for comparing to some value.
I think in rsync command line you want -H not -h (help) option. Also -v (verbose) is useless since you'll never see the output.
Another thing which will prevent running rsync properly is /media/backup-drive while you use /media/backup in fstab.
I suggest that you first try running rsync command from the command line "manually" and try if it works at all. After you'll make it work try the below suggestions.
Another problem: what makes the backup drive mounted under /media/backup directory when you plug it into usb slot ? Are you doing it somehow "manually" in the 10 second period after plugging ? Do you use automounter of some kind ?
If you intend to use ext3 as the backup drive filesystem you should also add sync command after rsync to make sure no data stays in RAM cache.
I think you need to read udev manpage first.
I can also advice you to read my udev rules for automounting usb devices (it's for any type of filesystem and any number of partitions):
KERNEL=="sd[b-z]", NAME:="%k", SYMLINK+="usbhd-%k", GROUP:="users", OPTIONS="last_rule"
ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", SYMLINK+="usbhd-%k", GROUP:="users", NAME:="%k"
ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", RUN+="/bin/mkdir -p /media/usbhd-%k"
ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", RUN+="/bin/ln -s /media/usbhd-%k /mnt/usbhd-%k"
ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", PROGRAM=="/lib/udev/vol_id -t %N", RESULT=="vfat", RUN+="/bin/mount -t vfat -o rw,noauto,flush,dirsync,noexec,nodev,noatime,dmask=000,fmask=111 /dev/%k /media/
usbhd-%k", OPTIONS="last_rule"
ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", RUN+="/bin/mount -t auto -o rw,noauto,async,dirsync,noexec,nodev,noatime /dev/%k /media/usbhd-%k", OPTIONS="last_rule"
ACTION=="remove", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", RUN+="/bin/rm -f /mnt/usbhd-%k"
ACTION=="remove", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", RUN+="/bin/umount -l /media/usbhd-%k"
ACTION=="remove", KERNEL=="sd[b-z][0-9]", RUN+="/bin/rmdir /media/usbhd-%k", OPTIONS="last_rule"
I think it could be simplified and modified for your backup device like this:
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS(idVendor)=="XXXX", ATTRS(idProduct)=="YYYY", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]", NAME:="%k", SYMLINK:="backupdevice", OPTIONS="last_rule"
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS(idVendor)=="XXXX", ATTRS(idProduct)=="YYYY", ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]1", SYMLINK:="backuppartition", GROUP:="users", NAME:="%k"
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS(idVendor)=="XXXX", ATTRS(idProduct)=="YYYY", ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]1", RUN+="/bin/mount -t auto -o rw,noauto,async,dirsync,noexec,nodev,noatime /dev/%k /media/backup-drive"
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS(idVendor)=="XXXX", ATTRS(idProduct)=="YYYY", ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]1", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/backup-thumb.sh", OPTIONS="last_rule"
SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS(idVendor)=="XXXX", ATTRS(idProduct)=="YYYY", ACTION=="remove", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]1", RUN+="/bin/umount -l /media/backup-drive", OPTIONS="last_rule"
assuming that you have a single partition backup drive formatted as ext3 (or at least it's the first partition).
Also another assumption is that idVendor and idProduct are unique to your backup drive. If not you should add some extra ATTRS parameters that will ensure this combination is unique.
The directory /media/backup-drive must already exist (remove your fstab line - it's not needed in this case because mount command is run directly from the udev rule).
Replace all XXXX and YYYY with the values from lsusb for your backup device - plug it in, run lsusb and copy values which look like XXXX:YYYY near to the name of your backup device.
Anyway, you can play with different options and try to modify it yourself. The automounting rules work for me very well for some time (including flush option). The backup rules you need to test yourself :-)
Last edited by lanrat (2007-05-05 17:20:51)