---
name: "xfs_mdrestore"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "xfsprogs"
version: "7.2.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xfs_mdrestore"
---

# xfs\_mdrestore(8)

restores an XFS metadump image to a filesystem image

## NAME

xfs\_mdrestore - restores an XFS metadump image to a filesystem image

## SYNOPSIS

**xfs\_mdrestore** \[ **-gi** \] \[ **-l** *logdev* \] \[ **-r** *rtdev* \] *source* *target*\
 **xfs\_mdrestore** **-i** \[ **-l** *logdev* \] \[ **-r** *rtdev* \] *source*\
 **xfs\_mdrestore -V**

## DESCRIPTION

**xfs\_mdrestore** is a debugging tool that restores a metadata image generated by [**xfs\_metadump**(8)](/xfs_metadump/8.md) to a filesystem. The *source* argument specifies the location of the metadump image and the *target* argument specifies the destination for the filesystem image. If the *source* is -, then the metadata image is read from stdin. This allows the output of be another program such as a compression application to be redirected to **xfs\_mdrestore**. The *target* can be either a file or a device.

**xfs\_mdrestore** should not be used to restore metadata onto an existing filesystem unless you are completely certain the *target* can be destroyed.

## OPTIONS

- **-g**

  Shows restore progress on stdout.

- **-i**

  Shows metadump information on stdout.  If no *target* is specified, exits after displaying information.  Older metadumps man not include any descriptive information.

- **-l** *logdev*

  Metadump in v2 format can contain metadata dumped from an external log. In such a scenario, the user has to provide a device to which the log device contents from the metadump file are copied.

- **-r** *rtdev*

  Restore realtime device metadata to this device. This is only required for a metadump in v2 format.

- **-V**

  Prints the version number and exits.

## DIAGNOSTICS

**xfs\_mdrestore** returns an exit code of 0 if all the metadata is successfully restored or 1 if an error occurs.

## SEE ALSO

[**xfs\_metadump**(8)](/xfs_metadump/8.md), [**xfs\_repair**(8)](/xfs_repair/8.md), [**xfs**(5)](/xfs/5.md)

## BUGS

Email bug reports to **linux-xfs@vger.kernel.org**.