Bottom Line: “Root Folder Backup” Meant the Top of a Storage Source, Not Linux /
The 1.5.1 release-note wording was ambiguous, and IceWhale later clarified the point: the feature referred to the top folder of storage. It did not expose the operating-system root / for a full system-image backup.
Current Backup Still Describes Folders and Entire Directory Structures, Not a Bare-Metal OS Image
The September 2026 ZimaOS 3-2-1 Backup says you can select individual folders or the entire directory structure from a backup source. That is a file/data backup model. It is not documented as imaging the bootloader, system partitions and every file under /.
The ZimaOS backup provides the product-level workflow.
Why /DATA Matters More Than / for Normal Recovery
ZimaOS places user and application data under writable storage paths, while much of the appliance root is read-only and can be reinstalled. The ZimaOS CLI paths states that user and app data belong under /DATA.
Full-System Recovery Is a Different Problem
If you need an exact block-for-block restore of the OS disk, use a disk-image workflow outside the normal Backup app and test it on spare media. Clonezilla's Clonezilla disk imaging is an example of image-level recovery, but that is separate from ZimaOS's built-in file backup.
NIST contingency-planning guidance also separates data recovery planning from full system restoration. NIST SP 800-34 is a useful reference when deciding whether you need file backup or image-level recovery.
What You Should Back Up for a Practical ZimaOS Rebuild
- User folders and irreplaceable media.
- Application data and databases.
- Compose/app configuration you manage yourself.
- Important shares and credentials documented separately.
If app data is currently on the wrong storage, use the ZimaOS data migration rather than trying to capture the entire OS root.
