How do I restore deleted files?
CETS regularly backs up your SEAS home directory so you can restore files to an earlier state if they have been changed or accidentally deleted.
What is the .snapshot directory?
The .snapshot directory is a special directory that holds
snapshots of your files made over the last few weeks. It is normally hidden to
commands like ls or dir, unless you provide the
directory name. To view the contents, type the following command in any
directory:
ls .snapshot/
The .snapshot directory contains directories named after the
dates and times that the snapshots were taken, based on this schedule:
- 24 hourly snapshots
- 14 daily snapshots
- 4 weekly snapshots
Select the desired snapshot and list the files to see them as they were at that time. For example:
ls .snapshot/hourly.2023-08-29_0905/
You can copy files from the desired snapshot back to their original locations.
Note: These snapshots do not count against your disk usage quota.
Can I access the .snapshot directory remotely?
The .snapshot directory is accessible in NFS/SMB/CIFS/SSHFS
mounts or to remote file transfer clients, such as sftp, scp, rsync, etc., as
long as it is explicitly accessed by name. It will not normally be included in
recursive directory transfers or when copying files.
How do I restore a file that was deleted or changed before my oldest snapshot?
If the file you deleted is no longer in your .snapshot
directory, don't worry, there is still hope! CETS creates a monthly archive to
tapes. If your lost files are important and cannot be recreated easily, contact CETS and request
that your files be restored. Be sure to provide:
- the name of the file
- the location of the file
- the date and time when the file was deleted or changed, so we can provide an earlier copy
Our backup tapes are reused each month, so we may not be able to restore a file that was removed more than a month ago.
Locating and restoring files from backup tape is a time-consuming process, so expect to wait one or more business days before the file is restored. CETS limits each person to two restore requests per week and three restore requests per semester. For this reason, please do not ask us to restore a file that can be easily recreated. For example, if you accidentally delete a file that you have saved off the web, please download another copy instead of asking us to restore it from tape. But, if you accidentally delete the only copy of your term paper, we will be happy to restore it for you if we can.