backup_mbr file on /boot

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi,

I use OpenSuSE 11.1 x86_64 and I noticed the following file on every single /boot partition: backup_mbr
the file is exactly 512bytes …
This must be of course a MBR backup.

What I would like to know is when is this Mbr backup made? I am not yet sure but from my backup_mbr files dates it really does not make any correlation with kernel up-dates.
I thought this mbr_backup could be part of the kernel up-date process.
Someone more with more knowledge on this matter could please explain this matter.

This issue is very important has this is a very important backup …
I have not read all OpenSuSE documentation. It is possible to have this there … somewhere … but googling this does not come up.

Regards,
Pedro

2

The MBR is only edited when you install a new system to point to the location of GRUB Part 1; kernel updates don’t affect GRUB Part 1.

3

This file is created only the first time that GRUB is installed. It contains the previous contents of the boot block of the disk. It’s usually the Windows boot sector on dual boot machines. It’s there so that the previous bootloader (Windows) can be restored.

Kernel updates don’t require GRUB reinstallation at all, only an update to menu.lst. In fact this is the main point of difference between GRUB and LILO. It was a mantra with LILO, everytime you update the kernel or initrd, rerun lilo.

So backup file is probably not what you are looking for. Ignore it. Most people do all their Linux careers.

4

Hi,

Thanks all for the replies.

I had to make sure. This is a very important backup.

Well, a hand made script will do.

Regards,
Pedro