Read the Backup Manifest

You need to confirm the backup id, timestamp, archive name, and completion status before drilling a restore.

Command

BACKUP_ROOT=/srv/backups/site && cat "$BACKUP_ROOT/2026-06-25/MANIFEST.txt"

Before you run this

System impact: Read-only. Low when scoped to the shown target.

When not to use it: Do not rely on a manifest alone; validate the archive and restored files afterward.

Expected output

Manifest keys including backup_id, created_at, archive, status, and total_files.

System impact

Read-only. Nothing changes. The command prints the manifest.

Recovery / rollback: no state is changed.

When to use it

Use before extracting an archive so the selected restore point is explicit.

When not to use it

Do not rely on a manifest alone; validate the archive and restored files afterward.

next steps

Related commands

Hosting Operations Can be slow

List Restore Points Before a Drill

A restore drill starts by proving which backups actually exist.

BACKUP_ROOT=/srv/backups/site && find "$BACKUP_ROOT" -maxdepth 2 -type f -name MANIFEST.txt -printf '%TY-%Tm-%Td %TH:%TM %h\n' | sort -r

Hosting Operations Deletes data

Check Required Files After Restore

A successful extraction still needs a required-file check.

BACKUP_ROOT=/srv/backups/site REQUIRED=/srv/backups/site/required-files.txt RESTORE_SANDBOX=/tmp/linuxoneliners-restore/full && rm -rf "$RESTORE_SANDBOX" && mkdir -p "$RESTORE_SANDBOX" && tar -xf "$BACKUP_ROOT/2026-06-25/site.tar" -C "$RESTORE_SANDBOX" && find "$RESTORE_SANDBOX" -type f | sed "s#^$RESTORE_SANDBOX/##" | sort | comm -23 "$REQUIRED" -

Hosting Operations Read-only

List Archive Contents Before Extracting

You can inspect a tar backup before it writes a single file.

BACKUP_ROOT=/srv/backups/site && tar -tf "$BACKUP_ROOT/2026-06-25/site.tar" | sed 's#^./##' | sort

Hosting Operations Deletes data

Extract a Backup Into a Restore Sandbox

A restore drill should write to a sandbox, not production.

BACKUP_ROOT=/srv/backups/site RESTORE_SANDBOX=/tmp/linuxoneliners-restore/full && rm -rf "$RESTORE_SANDBOX" && mkdir -p "$RESTORE_SANDBOX" && tar -xf "$BACKUP_ROOT/2026-06-25/site.tar" -C "$RESTORE_SANDBOX"

Hosting Operations Read-only

Find Missing Files in an Old Backup

The fastest failed restore drill is the one that finds missing critical files early.

BACKUP_ROOT=/srv/backups/site REQUIRED=/srv/backups/site/required-files.txt && tar -tf "$BACKUP_ROOT/2026-06-24/site.tar" | sed 's#^./##' | sort | comm -23 "$REQUIRED" -

Study mapping

Use this as independent command practice: read the notes, predict the output, then compare it with the example before using a real shell.

Independent study support only. No affiliation, endorsement, exam dumps, or real exam questions.