# Replication for an Existing File System

**URL:** <https://forums.linbit.com/t/replication-for-an-existing-file-system/224>\
**Category:** DRBD\
**Created:** [August 4, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://forums.linbit.com/t/replication-for-an-existing-file-system/224 "2024-08-04T15:07:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![willdrbd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc8723/32.png) [@willdrbd](https://forums.linbit.com/u/willdrbd)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://forums.linbit.com/t/replication-for-an-existing-file-system/224/1 "2024-08-04T15:07:15Z")

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Does DRBD support copying disks with existing file systems?

I find it failed

```auto
root@node51:~# drbdadm create-md r0
initializing activity log
initializing bitmap (32 KB) to all zero
Writing meta data...
New drbd meta data block successfully created.
root@node51:~# drbdadm up r0
1: Failure: (104) Can not open backing device.
Command 'drbdsetup attach 1 /dev/sdb /dev/sdc flexible' terminated with exit code 10
root@node51:~# 

```

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**Author:** ![fx991](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forums.linbit.com/fx991/32/61_2.png) [@fx991](https://forums.linbit.com/u/fx991)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2024, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.linbit.com/t/replication-for-an-existing-file-system/224/2 "2024-08-04T18:38:42Z")

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> Does DRBD support copying disks with existing file systems?

There was a mention about this at the mailing list: You may experiment with that:

[https://lists.linbit.com/pipermail/drbd-user/2009-February/011464.html](https://lists.linbit.com/pipermail/drbd-user/2009-February/011464.html)

This is advanced usage. Better try that in a lab environment first.

For me that would be too complicated and unsure if it really will work. I’d rather create a new DRBD-Device and copy the data onto it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![willdrbd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc8723/32.png) [@willdrbd](https://forums.linbit.com/u/willdrbd)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 6:44am UTC](https://forums.linbit.com/t/replication-for-an-existing-file-system/224/3 "2024-08-05T06:44:29Z")

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Thank you, but this method requires too many changes to the original file system and is also very complex to operate overall.

DRBD need remount disk and filesystem，this has a significant impact on the running status of the application.

```auto
mount /dev/drbdX /some.mountpoint

```

If DRBD can run in bypass mode and be transparent to the original disk, that would be great!