---
name: "amdd"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "amanda-server"
version: "1:2.5.2p1-4"
release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/amdd"
---

# amdd(8)

Amanda version of dd

## NAME

amdd - Amanda version of dd

## SYNOPSIS

**amdd** \[-d\] \[*if=input*\] \[*of=output*\] \[*bs=blocksize*\] \[*skip=count*\] \[*count=count*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**Amdd** provides just enough of the standard UNIX **dd** command for the needs of *Amanda*. This is handy when doing a full restore and the standard **dd** program has not yet been found.

**Amdd** also provides access to the *Amanda* output drivers that support various tape simulations. This may be used for debugging or to convert from one format to another.

See the [**amanda**(8)](/amanda/8.md) man page for more details about *Amanda*. See the **OUTPUT DRIVERS** section of *[amanda(8)](/amanda/8.md)* for more information on the *Amanda* output drivers.

## OPTIONS

- **-d**

  Turn on debugging output.

- **-l***length*

  Set the output length. If the output driver limits the output size, this controls when end of tape will be simulated.

  *Length* may have a multiplier suffix:

  ```
  k -> 1024 (Kilobytes)
  b -> 512 (Blocks)
  M -> 1024*1024 (Megabytes)
  ```

  The default is no multiplier (bytes).

**if=***input*

Input to **dd**. Default is stdin.

**of=***output*

Where to send the output of **dd**. Default is stdout.

**bs=***blocksize*

Size of each record. Input records smaller than this will *not* be padded. Output records will be the same size as the corresponding input record. Default is 512 bytes.

*Blocksize* may have a multiplier suffix:

```
k -> 1024 (Kilobytes)
b -> 512 (Blocks)
M -> 1024*1024 (Megabytes)
```

The default is no multiplier (bytes).

**count=***count*

Number of records to copy. Default is all records until end of file.

**skip=***count*

Number of records to skip before copying input to output. Default is zero.

## AUTHOR

Marc Mengel \<mengel@fnal.gov\>, John R. Jackson \<jrj@purdue.edu\> : Original text

Stefan G. Weichinger, \<sgw@amanda.org\>, maintainer of the *Amanda*-documentation: XML-conversion

## SEE ALSO

[**amanda**(8)](/amanda/8.md)