7.5.1 Backup

Create a backup of both your system and data using System System Backup. However, the backup created by the module does not include the entire system. The system is backed up by saving important storage areas on your hard disk that may be crucial when trying to restore a system, such as the partition table or master boot record (MBR). It can also include the XML configuration acquired from the installation of the system, which is used for AutoYaST. Data is backed up by saving changed files of packages accessible on installation media, entire packages that are unaccessible (such as online updates), and files not belonging to packages, such as many of the configuration files in /etc or the directories under /home.

7.5.2 Restoration

With System System Restoration, restore your system from a backup archive created with System Backup. First, specify where the archives are located (removable media, local hard disks, or network file systems). Click Next to view the description and contents of the individual archives and select what to restore from the archives.

You can also uninstall packages that were added since the last backup and reinstall packages that were deleted since the last backup. These two steps enable you to restore the exact system state at the time of the last backup.

7.5.3 Boot and Rescue Disks

Create boot and rescue disks with System Boot or Rescue Floppy. These floppy disks are helpful if the boot configuration of your system is damaged. The rescue disk is especially necessary if the file system of the root partition is damaged.

The following options are available:

Standard Boot Floppy

Use this option to create the standard boot floppies with which to boot an installed system. Depending on the architecture, the actual number of boot disks may vary, but you should create all the boot disks presented in the dialog because all these disks are necessary for booting. They are also needed for starting the rescue system.

Rescue Floppy

This disk contains a special environment that allows you to perform maintenance tasks in your installed system, such as checking and repairing the file system and updating the boot loader. To start the rescue system, boot with the standard boot disks then select Manual Installation Start Installation or System Rescue System. Insert the rescue disk when prompted.

Custom Floppy

Use this to write any existing floppy disk image from the hard disk to a floppy disk.

Download Floppy Image

With this, enter a URL and authentication data to download a floppy disk image from the Internet.

To create one of these floppy disks, select the corresponding option and click Next. Insert a floppy disk when prompted. Click Next again to create the floppy disk.

7.5.4 Boot Loader Configuration

To configure booting for systems installed on your computer, use the System Boot Loader module. A detailed description of how to configure the boot loader with YaST is available in Section 17.3, Configuring the Boot Loader with YaST.

7.5.5 LVM

The logical volume manager (LVM) is a tool for custom partitioning of hard disks with logical drives. Find information about LVM in Section 6.1, LVM Configuration.

7.5.6 Partitioner

With the expert dialog, shown in Figure 7-4, manually modify the partitioning of one or several hard disks. Partitions can be added, deleted, resized, and edited. Also access the soft RAID and LVM configuration from this YaST module.

Figure 7-4 The YaST Partitioner

All existing or suggested partitions on all connected hard disks are displayed in the list of the YaST Expert Partitioner dialog. Entire hard disks are listed as devices without numbers, such as /dev/hda or /dev/sda. Partitions are listed as parts of these devices, such as /dev/hda1 or /dev/sda1. The size, type, file system, and mount point of the hard disks and their partitions are also displayed. The mount point describes where the partition appears in the Linux file system tree.

If you run the expert dialog during installation, any free hard disk space is also listed and automatically selected. To provide more disk space to , free the needed space starting from the bottom toward the top of the list (starting from the last partition of a hard disk toward the first). For example, if you have three partitions, you cannot use the second exclusively for and retain the third and first for other operating systems.

/dev/sda1    /data1    auto      noauto,user 0 0
/dev/sda5    /data2    auto      noauto,user 0 0 
/dev/sda6    /data3    auto      noauto,user 0 0
   

7.5.7 PCI Device Drivers

Each kernel driver contains a list of device IDs of all devices it supports. If a new device is not in any driver's database, the device is treated as unsupported, even if it can be used with an existing driver. With this YaST module from System section, you can add PCI IDs. Only advanced users should attempt to use this YaST module.

Figure 7-5 Adding a PCI ID

To add an ID, click Add and select how to assign it: by selecting a PCI device from a list or by manually entering PCI values. In the first option, select the PCI device from the provided list then enter the driver or directory name. If the directory is left empty, the driver name is used as the directory name. When assigning PCI ID values manually, enter the appropriate data to set up a PCI ID. Click OK to save your changes.

To edit a PCI ID, select the device driver from the list and click Edit. Edit the information and click OK to save your changes. To delete an ID, select the driver and click Delete. The ID immediately disappears from the list. When finished, click OK.

7.5.8 Power Management

The System Power Management module helps you work with saving energy technologies. It is especially important on laptops to extend their operational time. Find detailed information about using this module in Section 27.6, The YaST Power Management Module.

7.5.9 Powertweak Configuration

Powertweak is a SUSE Linux utility for tweaking your system to peak performance by tuning some kernel and hardware configurations. It should be used only by advanced users. After starting it with System Powertweak, it detects your system settings and lists them in tree form in the left frame of the module. You can also use Search to find a configuration variable. Select the option to tweak to display it on the screen along with its directory and settings. To save the settings, click Finish then confirm it by clicking OK.

7.5.10 Profile Manager

Create, manage, and switch among system configurations with System Profile Management, the YaST system configuration profile management (SCPM) module. This is especially useful for mobile computers that are used in different locations (in different networks) and by different users. Nevertheless, this feature is useful even for stationary machines, because it enables the use of various hardware components or test configurations. For more information about SCPM basics and handling, refer to Section 26.0, System Configuration Profile Management.

7.5.11 System Services (Runlevel)

Configure runlevels and the services that start in them with System > System Services (Runlevel). For more information about the runlevels in SUSE Linux Enterprise and a description of the YaST runlevel editor, refer to Section 16.2.3, Configuring System Services (Runlevel) with YaST.

7.5.12 /etc/sysconfig Editor

The directory /etc/sysconfig contains the files with the most important settings for SUSE Linux Enterprise. Use System > /etc/sysconfig Editor to modify the values and save them to the individual configuration files. Generally, manual editing is not necessary, because the files are automatically adapted when a package is installed or a service is configured. More information about /etc/sysconfig and the YaST sysconfig editor is available in Section 16.3.1, Changing the System Configuration Using the YaST sysconfig Editor.

7.5.13 Time and Date Configuration

The time zone is initially set during installation, but you can change it with System Date and Time. Also use this to change the current system date and time.

To change the time zone, select the region in the left column and the location or time zone in the right column. With Hardware Clock Set To, set whether the system clock should use Local Time or UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). UTC is often used in Linux systems. Machines with additional operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, mostly use local time.

Set the current system time and date with Change. In the dialog that opens, modify the time and date by entering new values or adjusting them with the arrow buttons. Press Apply to save the changes.

7.5.14 Language Selection

The primary and secondary languages for your system are set during installation. However, they can be changed at any time using System Language. The primary language set in YaST applies to the entire system, including YaST and the desktop environment. This is the language you expect to use most of the time. Secondary languages are languages that are sometimes needed by users for a variety of purposes, such as desktop language or word processing.

Figure 7-6 Setting the Language

Select the main language to use for your system in Primary Language. To adjust the keyboard or time zone to this setting, enable Adapt Keyboard Layout or Adapt Time Zone.

Set how locale variables are set for the root user with Details. Also use Details to set the primary language to a dialect not available in the main list. These settings are written into the file /etc/sysconfig/language.