Is there a current recommended solution for backing up an Unraid VM?

I have spent some time tonight and most posts are old. The one recommendation was Easy Backup, but the app community where it is available reports issues with it. It was not updated since 2023.

I have appdata installed for my dockers, but not seeing much noise on using it for capturing an entire VM. IE. Qnap allows a person to export an entire VM to another location.

I have a Windows 10 VM running that I want to keep a backup in case it decides to migrate to Windows 11 automatically or by accident.

3 hours ago, RaidPC said:

I have a Windows 10 VM running that I want to keep a backup in case it decides to migrate to Windows 11 automatically or by accident.

actually all you really need is the vdisk image from your domains folder

but to make sure all is backed up and you wouldnt need to arrange a "new" VM with an eisting "vdisk"

there are 3 files overall, sample here

root@AlsServerII:~# ls -la /etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml

-rw------- 1 root root 6633 Oct 17 22:50 /etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml

root@AlsServerII:~# cat /etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml | grep -i nvram

<nvram format='raw'>/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/d8218b75-3545-bc84-d0d9-1a194625d4a9_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd</nvram>

root@AlsServerII:~# cat /etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml | grep -i .img

<source file='/mnt/cache/domains/AlsWin/vdisk1.img'/>

root@AlsServerII:~#

so, in the end copy these 3 files (correct names and pathes fitting your setup)

/etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml

/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/d8218b75-3545-bc84-d0d9-1a194625d4a9_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd

'/mnt/cache/domains/AlsWin/vdisk1.img

xml > start Parameters for your VM (could also be recreated)

.fd > personal bios according to your VM (would be recreated when recreating with existing vdisk)

.img > mandatory to backup !!! thats your complete VM ... can be used when recreating a new VM with existing disk (using same parameters for bios and mashine type) and your VM would be back like before too ...

thats it ;) so your image file is the only really needed one, rest is "save to have"

to restore in terms a update inside a VM failed, just replace the vdisk.img and you are back on that state

to restore on a complete new mashine (new unraid server setup)

push the 3 upper files to their locations, unraid terminal

virsh define /etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml

or simple create a new VM, point to your existing vdisk image, when you use the same bios tyoe (ovmf) and mashine type (q35) it will just start up as before too, you just should know which bios and mashine type the VM should start with ;) cpu cores, ram assignement, devices, ... can always be changed.

and its all back there as before ;)

Very neatly written up. I finally had a chance to backup these files. The .img file was easy. :-) But I have had no success in finding the other two files.

/etc/libvirt/qemu/Win_Test.xml

/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/d8218b75-3545-bc84-d0d9-1a194625d4a9_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd

I found the etc directory, but the folder libvirt was not in it. I did find the directory libvirt, under a folder called system. But nothing was inside the libvirt directory.

I used Krusader to dig into the folder structure and was not able to find the path etc\libvirt\gemu.

I made sure the VM was running in case that had anything to do with it.

5 hours ago, RaidPC said:

I made sure the VM was running in case that had anything to do with it.

yes, VM Service needs to run, background, they are stored inside the libvirt.img fileand mounted when vm service is on.

krusader ... well, a docker wont have access there pretty sure ;) unraid terminal, may try while vm service is on

ls -la /etc/libvirt/qemu/

Thank you, yes using ls -la /etc/libvirt/qemu/ I seem them now. 10.xml for example. Too bad a GUI will not allow me to just copy them. :-) I'll have to look up my linux commands (admit I know just enough to trip over my feet).

I don't assume copying the entire libvirt.img file would accomplish the same thing?

I was able to use virsh and export the xml file. Working on the getting the other file. Thank you again for your help.

Do I copy all of the .fd files?

root@UnRaid:/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram# ls

05d39e4c-9ff1-13a9-6f12-2aea24d52b24_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd

891869d1-1ff9-9bea-826c-e5ba9dd9bfbf_VARS-pure-efi.fd

e75dcfa4-abd3-8f95-5744-1016b0dde970_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd

13eb866d-bd0a-256d-faa9-e4bd2db87172_VARS-pure-efi.fd

94cba630-47d5-7ac2-bbfe-e613c40f2045_VARS-pure-efi.fd

e7c9ab6c-e11d-1362-dd8a-d1de20f1ec90_VARS-pure-efi.fd

654553d5-6806-a9dd-f8fc-3dcab7a31677_VARS-pure-efi.fd

b58c5f0f-d94c-1844-462e-265f436103d1_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd

7d027364-eb2a-3300-77a3-8eb676beb708_VARS-pure-efi.fd

c80ce1ad-fcd0-1053-1e92-d414035effbd_VARS-pure-efi.fd

4 hours ago, RaidPC said:

Do I copy all of the .fd files?

well, then you have backups from all VM .fd files, your input question was about a single win VM and testing upgrades and how to revert this single vm.

the upper posted commands shows you the files needed, of course you need to match YOUR Vm Names etc.

Well, I only have one VM (Windows 10) on my UnRaid server (several dockers).

Of those .fd files I listed above, I do not see how I identify the one for my Windows 10 VM. I must be missing something. Those long sequence of numbers and letters do not mean anything to me at this point.

1 hour ago, RaidPC said:

Well, I only have one VM (Windows 10) on my UnRaid server (several dockers).

then the other ones are probably from other tests ;)

just copy them all.

if you only have 1 VM, then you also can simple just copy/backup the libvirt.img file as backup too.

1 hour ago, RaidPC said:

I do not see how I identify the one for my Windows 10 VM. I must be missing something.

in your xml file is the exact entry, the given cat command to your xml will show you which ;) from post 2

but as mentioned, with 1 VM and a rollback scenario

1/ stop the vm service

2/ copy your vdisk.img (your VM disk) > backup

3/ copy your libvirt.img (all your vm settings) > backup

4/ now make your VM tests, updates, whatever ...

... in terms something went wrong and you want to rollback

5/ stop vm service

6/ copy your 2 backup files back to their locations

7/ start vm service

8/ start your vm

... all as never something happened ;)

you may can also test the snapshot functions (i dont use them, so may read the tutorial therefore)

Perfect! I took your insight into looking into the .xml and found the exact file. A bit of humor at my lack of Linux knowledge forthcoming.

In attempting to copy the file, fd file, I tried several syntax before getting it right. What is weird, I didn't get any errors with the wrong syntax and could not find the file.

Example:

cp 05d39e4c-9ff1-13a9-6f12-2aea24d52b24_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd /mnt/"file depot"

cp 05d39e4c-9ff1-13a9-6f12-2aea24d52b24_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd /mnt/user/movies

Never error-ed so if a file copy was made, I cannot find it in either File Depot or Movies.

Finally this worked:

cp 05d39e4c-9ff1-13a9-6f12-2aea24d52b24_VARS-pure-efi-tpm.fd /mnt/user/File\ Depot/

My OCD wishes I could find the file copied incorrectly (since there was no error), but even using Krusader, I see to evidence the file was copied.

Thank you for all your help. Without it I couldn't have done it.

question here.......can I copy these vdisk files while the vm is running? those backup tools / plugins stop the vm and start it again, but I am having trouble and looking for another solution to automatically create backups.....gui-wise preffered