delorimier:/# ls /etc > /list
delorimier:/# cd /etc
delorimier:/# cpio -o --file=/backup < /list

cpio: CORBA: truncating inode number
cpio: X11: truncating inode number
cpio: a2ps-site.cfg: truncating inode number
cpio: a2ps.cfg: truncating inode number
cpio: adduser.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: adduser.conf.dpkg-save: truncating inode number
cpio: adjtime: truncating inode number
cpio: ae.rc: truncating inode number
cpio: aliases: truncating inode number
cpio: apt: truncating inode number
cpio: auto.master: truncating inode number
cpio: auto.misc: truncating inode number
cpio: bash.bashrc: truncating inode number
cpio: bootmsg: truncating inode number
cpio: calendar: truncating inode number
cpio: chatscripts: truncating inode number
cpio: checksecurity.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: console: truncating inode number
cpio: cron.d: truncating inode number
cpio: cron.daily: truncating inode number
cpio: cron.monthly: truncating inode number
cpio: cron.weekly: truncating inode number
cpio: crontab: truncating inode number
cpio: cups: truncating inode number
cpio: debconf.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: debian_version: truncating inode number
cpio: default: truncating inode number
cpio: defoma: truncating inode number
cpio: deluser.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: dhcpc: truncating inode number
cpio: dpkg: truncating inode number
cpio: dyndns.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: elvis: truncating inode number
cpio: enscript.cfg: truncating inode number
cpio: environment: truncating inode number
cpio: esound: truncating inode number
cpio: ez-ipupdate.cache: truncating inode number
cpio: fb.modes: truncating inode number
cpio: fdmount.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: fdprm.obsolete: truncating inode number
cpio: fstab: truncating inode number
cpio: ftpusers: truncating inode number
cpio: gateways: truncating inode number
cpio: ggi: truncating inode number
cpio: gnome: truncating inode number
cpio: gpm-root.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: gpm.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: group: truncating inode number
cpio: group-: truncating inode number
cpio: gs.Fontmap: truncating inode number
cpio: gshadow: truncating inode number
cpio: gshadow-: truncating inode number
cpio: gtk: truncating inode number
cpio: host.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: hostname: truncating inode number
cpio: hostname2: truncating inode number
cpio: hosts: truncating inode number
cpio: hosts.allow: truncating inode number
cpio: hosts.deny: truncating inode number
cpio: hosts.equiv: truncating inode number
cpio: hosts.lpd: truncating inode number
cpio: identd.spoof: truncating inode number
cpio: ifhp.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: imlib: truncating inode number
cpio: inetd.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: inittab: truncating inode number
cpio: inputrc: truncating inode number
cpio: ioctl.save: truncating inode number
cpio: ipchains.save: truncating inode number
cpio: isapnp.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: isapnp.gone: truncating inode number
cpio: issue: truncating inode number
cpio: issue.net: truncating inode number
cpio: joe: truncating inode number
cpio: kbd: truncating inode number
cpio: kde2: truncating inode number
cpio: kderc: truncating inode number
cpio: kernel-pkg.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: ld.so.cache: truncating inode number
cpio: ld.so.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: ldap: truncating inode number
cpio: lilo-rotate.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: lilo.backup.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: lilo.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: locale.alias: truncating inode number
cpio: locale.gen: truncating inode number
cpio: localtime: truncating inode number
cpio: logcheck: truncating inode number
cpio: login.defs: truncating inode number
cpio: logrotate.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: logrotate.conf.dpkg-old: truncating inode number
cpio: logrotate.d: truncating inode number
cpio: lprng: truncating inode number
cpio: lprngtool.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: lynx.cfg: truncating inode number
cpio: lynx.cfg.dpkg-old: truncating inode number
cpio: magic: truncating inode number
cpio: magicfilter: truncating inode number
cpio: mail.rc: truncating inode number
cpio: mailcap: truncating inode number
cpio: mailcap.order: truncating inode number
cpio: mailname: truncating inode number
cpio: manpath.config: truncating inode number
cpio: manpath.config.dpkg-old: truncating inode number
cpio: mediaprm: truncating inode number
cpio: menu: truncating inode number
cpio: menu-methods: truncating inode number
cpio: mime-magic: truncating inode number
cpio: mime-magic.dat: truncating inode number
cpio: mime.types: truncating inode number
cpio: modules: truncating inode number
cpio: modules.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: modules.conf.old: truncating inode number
cpio: motd: truncating inode number
cpio: motd.old: truncating inode number
cpio: mtab: truncating inode number
cpio: mysql: truncating inode number
cpio: netscape4: truncating inode number
cpio: network: truncating inode number
cpio: nsswitch.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: oidentd.users: truncating inode number
cpio: orbitrc: truncating inode number
cpio: pam.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: paper.config: truncating inode number
cpio: papersize: truncating inode number
cpio: passwd: truncating inode number
cpio: passwd-: truncating inode number
cpio: pdq: truncating inode number
cpio: php4: truncating inode number
cpio: printcap: truncating inode number
cpio: printcap.bak: truncating inode number
cpio: printcap.bak.printtool: truncating inode number
cpio: printtool: truncating inode number
cpio: profile: truncating inode number
cpio: protocols: truncating inode number
cpio: rc.boot: truncating inode number
cpio: rc0.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rc1.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rc2.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rc3.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rc4.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rc5.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rc6.d: truncating inode number
cpio: rcS.d: truncating inode number
cpio: resolv.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: rmt: truncating inode number
cpio: rpc: truncating inode number
cpio: securetty: truncating inode number
cpio: security: truncating inode number
cpio: services: truncating inode number
cpio: shadow: truncating inode number
cpio: shadow-: truncating inode number
cpio: shells: truncating inode number
cpio: skel: truncating inode number
cpio: sound: truncating inode number
cpio: ssh_config: truncating inode number
cpio: ssh_host_key: truncating inode number
cpio: ssh_host_key.pub: truncating inode number
cpio: ssh_random_seed: truncating inode number
cpio: sshd_config: truncating inode number
cpio: sysctl.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: syslog.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: t1lib: truncating inode number
cpio: terminfo: truncating inode number
cpio: timezone: truncating inode number
cpio: updatedb.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: vfont: truncating inode number
cpio: vfontcap: truncating inode number
cpio: vnc.conf: truncating inode number
cpio: wgetrc: truncating inode number
cpio: zmailer: truncating inode number
1533 blocks

Usage: cpio {-o|--create} [-0acvABLV] [-C bytes] [-H format] [-M message]
       [-O [[user@]host:]archive] [-F [[user@]host:]archive]
       [--file=[[user@]host:]archive] [--format=format] [--message=message]
       [--null] [--reset-access-time] [--verbose] [--dot] [--append]
       [--block-size=blocks] [--dereference] [--io-size=bytes] [--quiet]
       [--force-local] [--rsh-command=command] [--help] [--version] < name-list
       [> archive]
       cpio {-i|--extract} [-bcdfmnrtsuvBSV] [-C bytes] [-E file] [-H format]
       [-M message] [-R [user][:.][group]] [-I [[user@]host:]archive]
       [-F [[user@]host:]archive] [--file=[[user@]host:]archive]
       [--make-directories] [--nonmatching] [--preserve-modification-time]
       [--numeric-uid-gid] [--rename] [--list] [--swap-bytes] [--swap] [--dot]
       [--unconditional] [--verbose] [--block-size=blocks] [--swap-halfwords]
       [--io-size=bytes] [--pattern-file=file] [--format=format]
       [--owner=[user][:.][group]] [--no-preserve-owner] [--message=message]
       [--force-local] [--no-absolute-filenames] [--sparse] [--only-verify-crc]
       [--quiet] [--rsh-command=command] [--help] [--version] [pattern...]
       [< archive]
       cpio {-p|--pass-through} [-0adlmuvLV] [-R [user][:.][group]]
       [--null] [--reset-access-time] [--make-directories] [--link] [--quiet]
       [--preserve-modification-time] [--unconditional] [--verbose] [--dot]
       [--dereference] [--owner=[user][:.][group]] [--no-preserve-owner]
       [--sparse] [--help] [--version] destination-directory < name-list