Restore an old debian 3.1 OS server on a new server

[Nelix]

Hi,
Here is my situation: I have a server (server1) with Debian 3.1 OS and i would like to replicate the environment and the content on a new physical server(server2).
Here is the configuration of server 2:
Space 780Go
Os1: Ubuntu 10.04 (installed on partition of 200Go)
I would like to install Debian3.1 on a second partition as OS 2.
A non-negotiable constraints is to maintain the server environment from server 1 to server 2 (partition).

After a long search, I came to two possible alternatives:
1) Try reinstalling Debian 3.1 from the LiveCD and after copy directories from server 1 to server 2.
However, this step failed. Indeed, when i boot from the CD, I have the message "Your installation CD-ROM couldn't be mounted....".
Do you know how to solve this?

2)try to replicate all the server 1 and try to boot on the copied file.
I don't know how i can to this properly. Do you have any suggestion? or detailed process?

Finally, if you have another process to do this, I Would be happy to know it.
Thank you
Nelix

[HROAdmin26]

Because of the age of Debian 3.1 (older kernel that will not have device support for newer hardware), you may have better luck by converting your "physical machine" to a virtual machine. You can Google "p2v conversion" for either VMware or Virtualbox.

[Irithori]

Hmm, one could boot both server1 and server2 with a liveCD.
Then:
- partition the disc(s) on server2 as you see fit
- mount the partitions on each server
- rsync the complete directory tree of server1 to server2
- install a grub bootloader on server2
- fix /etc/fstab on server2
- adjust network config (modules, MACs, IPs, etc) on server2

With a lot of luck, server2 will boot.
It depends on the hardware of server2.
If the diskcontroller/NICs are too new, then this approach will fail.


Which brings me to the "non negotiable" part.
Can that be translated to: "The machine was installed and configured once, but today noone knows how and why.
Of course there is no automation and/or documentation"?

It is of course the clean way to reinstall server2 with an up2date OS, daemons and import the config/data from server1.
Might even be the faster than desperately trying to get server2 to run debian 3.1

[Nelix]

Yes this is a complex situation!
Thanks for your quick answers! I will look at your proposals and I get back to you ASAP!

[cynwulf]

Installing debian sarge on a server is a great way to get it rooted, support for sarge ended over 3 years ago, but it's your system and if it breaks... etc.

You'll need to set up your repos to track the debian archive: http://archive.debian.org/README

Good luck...