Linux Shell Script To Backup and Restore MBR (Master Boot Recored)

mbrback shell script creates a backup of your hard drive’s MBR and its partition table. You can then use mbrback to restore the MBR boot code, full MBR, or partition table from the backup files.

#!/bin/bash
# Script Name: mbrback    http://igurublog.wordpress.com/downloads/script-mbrback/
# Requires: util-linux
# License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt
 
# do not change these variables!
argsneeded=1
restoretype=""
back=""
devname=""
 
help ()
{
 echo 'mbrback version 1.0.0'
 echo 'Creates MBR and partition table backups of DEVICE named:'
 echo '    HOST-DEVICE-MBR-back'
 echo '    HOST-DEVICE-partition-back.sf'
 echo 'Restores MBR and partition table from specified backup file'
 echo 'Usage: sudo mbrback DEVICE [BACKUPFOLDER]'
 echo '       (creates backup files of DEVICE)'
 echo 'Usage: sudo mbrback --restoreboot DEVICE [BACKUPFILE]'
 echo '       (restores MBR boot code only)'
 echo 'Usage: sudo mbrback --restorefullmbr DEVICE [BACKUPFILE]'
 echo '       (restores entire MBR)'
 echo 'Usage: sudo mbrback --restorepart DEVICE [BACKUPFILE.sf]'
 echo '       (restores partition table)'
 echo 'Example: sudo mbrback sda'
 echo '         (creates MBR and partition table backups of'
 echo '          /dev/sda in current folder)'
 echo 'Example: sudo mbrback /dev/sda'
 echo '         (creates MBR and partition table backups of'
 echo '          /dev/sda in current folder)'
 echo 'Example: sudo mbrback sda /mybackups'
 echo '         (creates MBR and partition table backups of'
 echo '          /dev/sda in /mybackups)'
 echo 'Example: sudo mbrback --restoreboot sda /mybackups/sys-sda-MBR-back'
 echo '         (restores MBR boot code of /dev/sda using'
 echo '          /mybackups/sys-sda-MBR-back)'
 echo 'Example: sudo mbrback --restorepart sda /mybackups/sys-sda-partition-back.sf'
 echo '         (restores partition table of /dev/sda using sfdisk file '
 echo '          /mybackups/sys-sda-partition-back.sf)'
 echo
 echo "When restoring, mbrback will always tell you what it's going to do"
 echo "and allow you to abort before it writes to disk."
 echo
 echo "Instructions and updates:"
 echo "http://igurublog.wordpress.com/downloads/script-mbrback/"
 echo
}
 
index=0
while [ "$1" != "" ];
do
 if [ "${1:0:1}" = "-" ]; then
  case "$1" in
   --help | -help )
    help
    exit
    ;;
   --restoreboot )
    if [ "$restoretype" = "" ]; then
     restoretype="boot"
    else
     echo 'mbrback: can only use one restore option'
     exit 1
    fi
    ;;
   --restorefullmbr )
    if [ "$restoretype" = "" ]; then
     restoretype="fullmbr"
    else
     echo 'mbrback: can only use one restore option'
     exit 1
    fi
    ;;
   --restorepart )
    if [ "$restoretype" = "" ]; then
     restoretype="part"
    else
     echo 'mbrback: can only use one restore option'
     echo
     help
     exit 1
    fi
    ;;
   * )
    echo "mbrback: Unknown option $1"
    echo
    help
    exit 1
    ;;
  esac
 else
  let "index+=1"
  case $index in
   1 )
    devname=`basename "$1"`
    if [ ! -b "/dev/$devname" ]; then
     echo "mbrback: /dev/$devname is not a valid device"
     exit 1
    fi
    ;;
   2 )
    back="$1"
    ;;
   * )
    echo "mbrback: Too many arguments"
    exit 1
    ;;
  esac
 fi
 shift
done
if (( index < $argsneeded )) || [ "$devname" = "" ]; then
 echo "mbrback: missing arguments"
 echo
 help
 exit 1
fi
 
if [ `whoami` != "root" ]; then
 echo 'mbrback: must be run with sudo'
 exit 1
fi
 
sysname=$HOSTNAME
 
if [ "$restoretype" = "" ]; then
 # create MBR and table backups
 if [ "$back" = "" ]; then
  back=`pwd`
 else
  if [ ! -d "$back" ]; then
   echo "mbrback: $back is not a valid backup folder"
   exit 1
  fi
 fi
 dd if=/dev/$devname of="$back/$sysname-$devname-MBR-back" bs=512 count=1
 sfdisk -d /dev/$devname > "$back/$sysname-$devname-partition-back.sf"
else
 # restore
 if [ "$back" = "" ]; then
  echo "mbrback: you must specify a backup file"
  exit 1
 elif [ ! -f "$back" ]; then
  echo "mbrback: file not found - $back"
  exit 1
 fi
 if [ "$restoretype" = "boot" ] || [ "$restoretype" = "fullmbr" ]; then
  sfhead=`head --bytes=21 "$back"`
  if [ "$sfhead" = "# partition table of " ]; then
   echo "mbrback: $back is not an MBR backup file"
   exit 1
  fi
  if [ "$(stat -c%s "$back")" != "512" ]; then
   echo "mbrback: $back is wrong size for an MBR backup file"
   exit 1
  fi
 fi
 if [ "$restoretype" = "part" ]; then
  sfhead=`head --bytes=21 "$back"`
  if [ "$sfhead" != "# partition table of " ]; then
   echo "mbrback: $back not a valid sfdisk backup file"
   exit 1
  fi
  echo
  echo "You are about to overwrite your /dev/$devname partition table with"
  echo "the contents of $back"
  echo
  echo "WARNING!!! Unless the partition table has been damaged or you"
  echo "           have accidentally deleted a partition, you should abort."
  echo
  echo "WARNING!!! Restoring the partition table from an out-of-date backup"
  echo "           may render ALL the data on your drive unreadable."
  echo
  echo "WARNING!!! Do not proceed if /dev/$devname is mounted."
  echo
 elif [ "$restoretype" = "boot" ]; then
  echo
  echo "You are about to overwrite your /dev/$devname MBR boot code with"
  echo "the contents of $back"
  echo
  echo "WARNING: Restoring your MBR boot code from an out-of-date MBR backup"
  echo "         file may render your computer unbootable."
 elif [ "$restoretype" = "fullmbr" ]; then
  echo
  echo "You are about to overwrite your ENTIRE /dev/$devname MBR with"
  echo "the contents of $back"
  echo
  echo "WARNING!!! The full MBR contains both boot code and the drive's"
  echo "           partition table.  Unless the partition table has been"
  echo "           damaged or you have accidentally deleted a partition"
  echo "           you should abort and restore boot code only with"
  echo "           --restoreboot instead."
  echo
  echo "WARNING!!! Restoring your full MBR from an out-of-date MBR backup may"
  echo "           render your computer unbootable and ALL the data on your"
  echo "           drive unreadable."
  echo
  echo "WARNING!!! Do not proceed if /dev/$devname is mounted."
 fi
 echo
 echo "Do you want to proceed? (you must type yes to proceed)"
 read s1
 if [ "$s1" != "yes" ]; then
  echo "mbrback: no changes made - aborted at user request"
  exit 2
 fi
 if [ "$restoretype" = "part" ]; then
  sfdisk /dev/$devname < "$back"
 elif [ "$restoretype" = "boot" ]; then
  dd if="$back" of=/dev/$devname bs=448 count=1
 elif [ "$restoretype" = "fullmbr" ]; then
  dd if="$back" of=/dev/$devname bs=512 count=1
 fi
 echo "/dev/$devname was updated"
fi
 
exit 0