NAME

     backup - backup files


SYNOPSIS

     backup [-djmnorstvz] dir1 dir2


OPTIONS

     -d   At top level, only directories are backed up

     -j   Do not copy junk:  *.Z, *.bak, a.out, core, etc

     -m   If device full, prompt for new diskette

     -n   Do not backup top-level directories

     -o   Do not copy *.o files

     -r   Restore files

     -s   Do not copy *.s files

     -t   Preserve creation times

     -v   Verbose; list files being backed up

     -z   Compress the files on the backup medium


EXAMPLES

     backup -mz . /f0    # Backup current directory compressed

     backup /bin /usr/bin
                         # Backup bin from RAM disk to hard disk


DESCRIPTION

     Backup (recursively) backs up the contents of a given direc-
     tory and its subdirectories to another part of the file sys-
     tem.  It has two typical uses.  First, some portion  of  the
     file system can be backed up onto 1 or more diskettes.  When
     a diskette fills up, the user is prompted  for  a  new  one.
     The  backups  are  in  the  form  of mountable file systems.
     Second, a directory on RAM disk can be backed up  onto  hard
     disk.   If  the target directory is empty, the entire source
     directory is copied there,  optionally  compressed  to  save
     space.  If the target directory is an old backup, only those
     files in the target directory that are  older  than  similar
     names  in  the  source  directory are replaced.  Backup uses
     times for  this  purpose,  like  make.   Calling  Backup  as
     Restore  is equivalent to using the -r option; this replaces
     newer files in the target directory with  older  files  from
     the  source directory, uncompressing them if necessary.  The
     target directory contents are thus returned to some previous
     state.


SEE ALSO

     tar(1).