Need WinPE way to backup/restore MBR & a boot sector...

[spinjector]

Hi,

I have the Vista version of WinPE from the free/downloadable Windows AIK... I think it's version 2.1..?

I need a 32-bit command-line utility that I can use to back & restore both the MBR and the boot sector of a partition.

But here's the catch - its has to have command-line options so I can script it with batch files.

Ideally, I'd like a single EXE that can do everything that DISKPART does, plus the backup/restore of the MBR and partition boot sectors. BUT if I have to use separate programs, I'll make it happen...

Thanks.

[cdob]

Use dd or dsfok.

http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

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

[jaclaz]

Additionally, if you use dsfo/dsfi (DSFOK package) you can use my batches:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3191

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5000

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2362

for inspiration about the batches you need to write.

Another set of maybe useful utilities for more "advanced" chores is of course the findpart set of utilities: http://www.partitionsupport.com/utilities.htm

jaclaz

[jimmiller96]

What problems did you experience with diskpart and mbrwizard? I ask because both of these utilities have been invaluable in protecting and restoring my mbr.

[spinjector]

What problems did you experience with diskpart and mbrwizard? I ask because both of these utilities have been invaluable in protecting and restoring my mbr.

They appear to be 16-bit programs. They won't run on WinPE 2.0 (which is based on Vista); it only supports 32-bit programs.

>EDIT...

Sorry I read that too fast. Actually I've been quite successful working with DISKPART. However, I'm working with both a custom MBR and custom boot sector/os, in addition to an NTFS partition that I would also like to be able to save/write since I'll already be doing the other two anyways.

Edited January 26, 2010 by spinjector

[spinjector]

Use dd or dsfok.

http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

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

Additionally, if you use dsfo/dsfi (DSFOK package) you can use my batches:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=3191

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5000

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2362

Thanks, guys. dd.exe seems to be exactly what I need - if only I could get it to work. I'm trying to track the problem down now.

There seems to be something missing from my build of WinPE 2.0 that's needed by dd.exe. When I run 'dd --list' nothing happens. I've confirmed this is a problem by trying on another machine. If I try my WinPE it doesn't work, however if I try Hiren's Boot CD 10, it works fine. Hopefully this is simply something I left out of my build, because if it's a shortcoming of WinPE 2.0 and/or an incompatibility with dd.exe for Windows, I'm about ready to toss this system out the window and laugh evilly as it smashes on the street... =-)

I'll start a new post for this latest woe.

Thanks for pointing me to dd.exe.

If that doesn't work, I'll try dsfok. It looked way above my head when I first checked it out, but now that I have my head wrapped around dd.exe, maybe it'll make more sense now.

[jaclaz]

If that doesn't work, I'll try dsfok. It looked way above my head when I first checked it out, but now that I have my head wrapped around dd.exe, maybe it'll make more sense now.

Actually it has a simplified sintax, look:

dd [bs=SIZE] [count=BLOCKS] [if=FILE] [of=FILE] [seek=BLOCKS] [skip=BLOCKS] [--size] [--list] [--progress]

semplified to:

dd [if=FILE] [skip=BLOCKS] [count=BLOCKS] [of=FILE]

TO copy the MBR of hard disk 1 (Second hard disk) to file C:\mymbr1.bin:

dd [bs=512] if=\\.\PhysicalDrive1 skip=0 count=1 of=C:\mymbr1.bin

Example of output:

C:\VSS>dd /?
rawwrite dd for windows version 0.5.
Written by John Newbigin <jn@it.swin.edu.au>
This program is covered by the GPL.  See copying.txt for details
Unknown command /?
dd [bs=SIZE] [count=BLOCKS] [if=FILE] [of=FILE] [seek=BLOCKS] [skip=BLOCKS] [--s
ize] [--list] [--progress]
SIZE and BLOCKS may have one of the following suffix:
 k = 1024
 M = 1048576
 G = 1073741824
default block size (bs) is 512 bytes
skip specifies the starting offset of the input file (if)
seek specifies the starting offset of the output file (of)

C:\VSS>dd if=\\.\PhysicalDrive1 skip=0 count=1 of=C:\mymbr1.bin
rawwrite dd for windows version 0.5.
Written by John Newbigin <jn@it.swin.edu.au>
This program is covered by the GPL.  See copying.txt for details
1+0 records in
1+0 records out

The same using dsfo:

dsfo \\.\PhysicalDrive1 0 512 C:\mymbr1.bin

Example of output:

C:\VSS>dsfo
dsfo v1.03-CLI, Freeware - use at your own risk
(c)2005 Dariusz Stanislawek, http://freezip.cjb.net/freeware

Usage: dsfo source offset size destination

Note: null size is interpreted as max possible output
	  negative size is calculated on current file size
	  negative offset is calculated from end of file
	  use "$" as destination to check MD5 signature only

Example: dsfo c:\tmp\my.avi -50000 0 test.bin
		 dsfo \\.\d: 0 512 c:\0\partition-sectors.dat
		 dsfo \\.\PHYSICALDRIVE0 0 0 \\srv\shr\tmp\first.dsk
		 dsfo \\.\a: 0 0 "c:\tmp\floppy disk image.img"
		 dsfo \\.\e: 0 0 d:\CDROM_or_DVD_image.iso

C:\VSS>dsfo \\.\PhysicalDrive1 0 512 C:\mymbr1.bin
C:\mymbr1.bin - Existing file.

(dsfo, UNLIKE dd will NOT overwrite an existing file)

C:\VSS>del c:\mymbr1.bin

C:\VSS>dsfo \\.\PhysicalDrive1 0 512 C:\mymbr1.bin
OK, 512 bytes, 0.000s, MD5 = fc5ffca90519daa9c9c8d5dfeb7911a4

jaclaz