Disk Imaging Software

[ArcticNick]

I have just got the trial version of Acronis True Image Home.

I have looked through the user manual but I am unclear about something.

Can you tell me please, if I want to take an image of my C/ drive onto a backup USB drive I have to let the software install a partition.

-Will that process wipe out everything on the backup drive or will all my data remain in tact?

Thanks in adavance,

ArcticNick (from one Iceman to another!

[Nexus_06]

Where can I download DCF without signing up? Can't find it anywhere...

[DigeratiPrime]

ArcticNick I think Acronis True Image installs a recovery partition so you can backup and restore if the OS cannot load, however it is not necessary and will not affect the other partitions if installed, at most it will just resize them which is probably safe.

Nexus 06 not sure what DCF is?

I think backup software should be looked at in two forms: file-based backup and block-based backup. The former is filesystem dependent and the latter is not. Since filesystems are where data lives this is often sufficient, where block based is handy is when you need to backup data outside of filesystems such as whole disk, bootloaders, or other filesystem types. They each have their pros and cons and should be treated seperately imo.

[Nexus_06]

Disc Copy Fast, it makes .dcf images.

[IcemanND]

Only link I could find that didn't require login. http://www.programmersheaven.com/download/3065/download.aspx

[jaclaz]

There are tens, maybe hundreds of "Floppy disk ONLY" imaging solutions.

A good summary is here:

http://www.fdos.org/ripcord/rawrite/

I may add to them DCOPY (DOS) and DCOPYNT, here:

http://users.telenet.be/jbosman/applications.html

Some more, including DCF, are discussed here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/archive-old-flop...98-t136856.html

jaclaz

[jaclaz]

This project (Linux LiveCD based):

http://www.drfreeware.org/

includes a Windows version of Drive Dumper, an utility to clone/copy drives/partitions:

http://drfreeware.org/blog/?p=16

http://sourceforge.net/projects/drfreeware/files/

jaclaz

[1boredguy]

I have used Acronis with no problems for a few years. I like how it's easy to use. However I've read lots of reviews about issues with reliability, and I don't want to be with the others on bad luck.

What are the most reliable, and easy to use, imaging apps for saving an image on a hidden partition?

[FaceMouth]

SystemRescueCD: Another Linux live cd. I made meager attempts to backup up my vista 64 bit raid 0 and until i found this I was unsuccessful (again, i'm sure if i put forth a better effort with some of the freeware listed i would have had success)

fsarchiver is the utility i used (it's still beta according to the site). Compressed around 40G to 20, option to split image to save to DVD. I'm having trouble restoring my image, but I'm sure it's me and not the utility. site recommends the latest beta to ensure the newest version of sfarchiver.

systemrescuecd

Edited December 6, 2009 by FaceMouth

[Martin H]

What I personally pay much attention to, when selecting an imaging app, is if there's a command-line interface available, and if it's complete enough to provide support for fully unattended backup and restore operations...

I've previously used Acronis True Image, but since it didn't had a command-line interface, and since there was big issues with the different versions(v8, v9 and v2009 worked for me, but not v10, and v2010), then i decided to change to the DOS version of Norton Ghost 2003, which is so small that it can be run from a boot-floppy, and is lightening fast and stable... (Note: I've read that Norton Ghost 2003 dosen't support NT6+)

There are also some freeware apps with command-line interfaces also, but since the DOS versions don't generally support NTFS, and since the Win32 apps takes that extra time to get the job done, because of getting BartPE loaded first, then the DOS based Norton Ghost 2003 would allready have been finished backing up or restoring, and would allready be rebooted into the OS again, before those other apps would actually first begin to be starting their process...

Maybe there's some linux based freeware alternatives with full command-line support, and which supports backing up only the used space on NTFS drives and not the full hdd capacity, but i've not encountered anyone yet...

Just my 2 cents

[Martin H]

Just wanted to add a recommendation for the DOS/Windows/Linux freeware app: Partition Saving (savepart.exe - 379k)

It can backup/restore completelly unattended with an answer-file, is small enough to fit on a boot-floopy, supports NTFS disks from DOS(an empty file needs to be made first), is on it's 11'th year of development and is still maintained...

Finally i've found a freeware alternative to Norton Ghost 2003(DOS) i.e. unattended, fit on floppy and NTFS support from DOS.

Also, Norton Ghost 2003 wants to mark all the partitions on the HDD on first run, which i don't really like...

I preffer DOS-based imaging apps(with NTFS support) as they can fit on a single boot-floppy and boots much faster than BartPE/linux based solutions...

Edited February 25, 2010 by Martin H

[rbarreca]

I need to know which one of this imaging/cloning solutions is the right one for my problem.

I have received a paper processing machine that is operated from a software installed in a PC with OS/2 Warp.

The problem there is no installation/restore CD in case of a disk or PC crash.

I want to make cloning/imaging of this OS/2 Warp disk to have a backup. One of the problems is that I need to do this operation on another machine, since I don't want to touch anything in the original disk (neither install nor modify).

I've tried Winimage from a Windows XP PC. I put the original HD in this PC, and create a VHD image file on another disk. Then I installed the target HD (same size), that has previously installed an old XP, and copy the image from the VHD file to this "new" HD.

After that, when I installed this "new" HD on the original PC, it cannot detect the boot sector, and ask for another drive to boot.

Any idea?

Any other software that you recomend?

Ramiro

[IcemanND]

Not sure which if any of the free product support OS/2 properly. They need to be able to capture a non-standard master boot record. Symantec Ghost can do it using the /IB (Image Boot) switch. If you are going to just store a hard drive you could use a drive of the same or larger size and do a sector for sector (forensic) copy of the drive and store the copied drive as your backup.

[jaclaz]

I've tried Winimage from a Windows XP PC. I put the original HD in this PC, and create a VHD image file on another disk. Then I installed the target HD (same size), that has previously installed an old XP, and copy the image from the VHD file to this "new" HD.

Winimage is NOT an imaging/cloning program, it is an image manipulating program, and besides, it is more "partition oriented" than "hard disk oriented".

After that, when I installed this "new" HD on the original PC, it cannot detect the boot sector, and ask for another drive to boot.

ANY "real" cloning solution will work.

Any idea?

LOTS of them .

Any other software that you recomend?

As said any "real" cloning/imaging (dd-like) program will do.

Under Windows XP, if you are sure the source disk is "kosher" (with no errors) you can use dsfo (part of the dsfok toolkit):

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~nulifetv/freezip/freeware/

allright.

If you have an error with it, I can recommend this one:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7783

http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/v3/drdd.htm

A possible caveat: since OS/2 is a bit "old" it is possible that the original disk is also very old and it may, expecially if it is a small one use a disk geometry different from the "new" disk.

How big is the "original" disk? (besides size, check it's geometry)

How big is the "new" disk? (besides size, check it's geometry)

jaclaz

[rislyy001]

Have you got the result of these software?

Edited April 14, 2010 by rislyy001