[ale] Diff the whole file system?

[James Sumners]

I think I'm going to go with Ed Cashin's tool Integrit, but this is
handy information to have. I might just do both.

On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 10:24, alan at alanlee.org <alan at alanlee.org> wrote:
>
>
> Use rsync.  Before the install, rsync the file system to a backup directory.
>  Then after the install use rsync to compare.  Example command lines for the
> backup:
>
>
>
> rsync -rvax / /backup_mounted_fs/
>
>
>
> OR
>
>
>
> rsync -rvax / joe at othermachine:/pre_install_backup/
>
>
> Example command lines for the compare:
>
>
> rsync -rvaxcn / /backup_mounted_fs/
>
> rsync -rvaxcn / joe at othermachine:/pre_install_backup/
>
>
> Note the trailing slashes, they are needed.  Also note the addition of 'c'
> and 'n' options on the compare.  They cause rsync to compare using checksums
> instead of file metadata and to perform a test run without actually changing
> data respectively - with the 'v' flag outputting what it would have synced.
>  'x' instructs rsync to not descend into other file systems (eg. /proc,
> etc).
>
>
>
> It's a very useful tool for things like this.
>
>
>
> -Alan
>
>
> On March 23, 2012 at 9:10 AM James Sumners <james.sumners at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I have a situation where I'm being forced to allow a remote installer
>> to have root level sudo access to install their company's product
>> (don't like it, but it's out of my hands). Technically, I have the
>> system setup such that they should not need such access, but I can't
>> change the monkey's script. Anyway, I'd like to be able to sort of
>> "snapshot" my file system before I let them in so that I can go back
>> and look at a before and after difference. Do any of you know of such
>> a tool? Could this be done with rsync?
>>
>> I've read that LVM supports snapshots at the block level. Seeing as
>> they are block level snapshots I don't see how that will help me
>> figure out what the installer changed. I'd be able to revert the
>> changes, but not study them.
>>
>> --
>> James Sumners
>> http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/
>>
>> "All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
>> pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
>> is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
>> drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."
>>
>> Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
>> CH:D 59
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-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59