Image for Windows/DOS Questions

[TheKid7]

I have a license for Image for Windows/DOS and (for future reference) I was wondering:

1. System Partition Bootable Restore DVD(s): If I were to replace a hard drive with a new one (i.e. hard drive failure), how would the Bootable DVD handle the new hard drive? Would I need to partition and format the new hard drive first using another software or would the Bootable DVD handle it all?

2. Image for DOS (Recovery from an image file (Image of the System Partition) located on another hard drive to a new replacement hard drive): How would IFD handle this and what are the recommened options to use? I always partition the hard drive with the OS.

Thank you.

[MerleOne]

{QUOTE-> I have a license for Image for Windows/DOS and (for future reference) I was wondering:

1. System Partition Bootable Restore DVD(s): If I were to replace a hard drive with a new one (i.e. hard drive failure), how would the Bootable DVD handle the new hard drive? Would I need to partition and format the new hard drive first using another software or would the Bootable DVD handle it all?

2. Image for DOS (Recovery from an image file (Image of the System Partition) located on another hard drive to a new replacement hard drive): How would IFD handle this and what are the recommened options to use? I always partition the hard drive with the OS.

Thank you. <-QUOTE}

For restoring the system onto the original, or onto a new drive, you need to :
1/ Backup the system and if possible the whole disk with IFW
2/ Create a recovery with IFD or better with IFL (restoration is faster)
3/ You will be able to recreate the old HDD whole structure and restore the partitions you have saved before your initial HDD failed.

[TheKid7]

{QUOTE-> For restoring the system onto the original, or onto a new drive, you need to :
1/ Backup the system and if possible the whole disk with IFW
2/ Create a recovery with IFD or better with IFL (restoration is faster)
3/ You will be able to recreate the old HDD whole structure and restore the partitions you have saved before your initial HDD failed. <-QUOTE}

But suppose I want to restore only the backed up System Partition (Bootable DVD or File) from an original hard drive (which also had D: & E: Partitions) to a new hard drive. I already have the data on D: & E: Paritions backed up to other internal hard drives and to a network RAID1 server. Would I need to use some partioning/formatting tool (i.e., GParted in Linux) on the new hard drive before restoring? I would want to have similar partitioning (C:, D:, E: ) on the new hard drive.

Thank you.

[Brian K]

TheKid7,

I've done this test. Say you have multiple partitions on your HD and the OS starts at the 5 GB mark and ends at the 10 GB mark. Say you do an IFW (or IFD/IFL) image of this partition and write the image to DVDs. When you boot from this DVD and auto restore the image to a new empty HD (no partitions), the OS partition will restore to the same LBA position as it was on the original HD. ie between the 5 and 10 GB marks. Clever. The OS will boot from this partition and in Windows you can create your other partitions.

[TheKid7]

{QUOTE-> TheKid7,

I've done this test. Say you have multiple partitions on your HD and the OS starts at the 5 GB mark and ends at the 10 GB mark. Say you do an IFW (or IFD/IFL) image of this partition and write the image to DVDs. When you boot from this DVD and auto restore the image to a new empty HD (no partitions), the OS partition will restore to the same LBA position as it was on the original HD. ie between the 5 and 10 GB marks. Clever. The OS will boot from this partition and in Windows you can create your other partitions. <-QUOTE}

Thank You Brian.

Just a few more comments/questions:

That is what I was assuming would happen. I just wanted to make sure. So basically, if I just do an auto restore from the Bootable DVD then it will restore in the same portion of the hard drive as where the image was made from. Then I would go to Disk Management under Computer Management in the Windows XP Administrative Tools and make whatever partitions that I want in the remaining unpartitioned disk space.

If I were to restore (using Image for DOS) an image file from another hard drive to the new hard drive and I want to keep the same system partition size and location on the new hard drive, would I just select "Set Active" and "Validate Before Restore"?

Thanks again for your help.

[Longboard]

{QUOTE-> Then I would go to Disk Management under Computer Management in the Windows XP Administrative Tools and make whatever partitions that I want in the remaining unpartitioned disk space. <-QUOTE}
Just a suggestion: :)
get Bing for partition mgt: not found a better tool.

[Brian K]

{QUOTE->
If I were to restore (using Image for DOS) an image file from another hard drive to the new hard drive and I want to keep the same system partition size and location on the new hard drive, would I just select "Set Active" and "Validate Before Restore"?
<-QUOTE}
Now that's a little different from the DVD example. Restoring an image stored on another HD using IFD will see the restored partition positioned at the start of the unallocated space. So if the whole HD is empty, the restored partition will be at the start of the HD. But, there is a solution. As you run through the IFD menus, there is an option to create an extended partition. So create this to your chosen size and the image will be restored after this partition. Then from IFD, delete this extended partition. The restored OS partition will be the same size as the original.

Your other choices would be Set Active, Write Standard MBR and Validate.

[MerleOne]

{QUOTE-> Thank You Brian.

Just a few more comments/questions:

That is what I was assuming would happen. I just wanted to make sure. So basically, if I just do an auto restore from the Bootable DVD then it will restore in the same portion of the hard drive as where the image was made from. Then I would go to Disk Management under Computer Management in the Windows XP Administrative Tools and make whatever partitions that I want in the remaining unpartitioned disk space.

If I were to restore (using Image for DOS) an image file from another hard drive to the new hard drive and I want to keep the same system partition size and location on the new hard drive, would I just select "Set Active" and "Validate Before Restore"?

Thanks again for your help. <-QUOTE}

I don't think it's Set Active and Validate that you have to select. 'Validate' is to check that the image is not corrupt, and 'Set Active' to make the restored partition active (bootable)You may want to download IFW (or IFD/IFL) instruction guide to see which parameter/options should be used.

I think you just have to restore the partition and the MBR (or the first cylinder), and restore your system. Then after boot you will just need to format the remaining partitions whose structure is defined within the MBR but which are empty and unformatted on your new HDD.

So you may not even need to recreate the other partitions that existed on your source HDD.

If you still need repartitioning, I can recommend the free Easeus Home Partition Tool.

[TheKid7]

Many Thanks to everyone.

To Sum Things Up:

"If I want to restore (using Image for DOS) a saved Image from another hard drive to a new hard drive and I want the image to be at the start of the new hard drive I would select "Set Active, Write Standard MBR and Validate (To make sure that the Image did not get corrupted on the other hard drive.)". Then I would partition and format the remaining space."

Does the above summary sound OK?

Thank you.

[MerleOne]

{QUOTE-> Many Thanks to everyone.

To Sum Things Up:

"If I want to restore (using Image for DOS) a saved Image from another hard drive to a new hard drive and I want the image to be at the start of the new hard drive I would select "Set Active, Write Standard MBR and Validate (To make sure that the Image did not get corrupted on the other hard drive.)". Then I would partition and format the remaining space."

Does the above summary sound OK?

Thank you. <-QUOTE}

Actually 'validate' is not really useful here AFAIK, it just checks that the image you have taken is OK. After it has been restored, you have to use Windows' chkdsk like
C:\> chkdsk /f c:
and answer yes to accept chkdsk to run at next boot time.

Validate is useful when you want to restore over your existing partition, you don't want to do that if the image is somehow corrupt.

Also, as I said, you may want to use IFL instead of IFD : it's usually much faster. If you have a big image file this can be better. It also has a GUI when booting from the prepared CD, you may also use the command line (after carefully reading the manual). In any cases, just make sure you have the right source and the right destination : I almost overwrote a partition once, where the image was!!

Anyway, Terabyteunlimited support as always been very helpful and quick, so ask them if in doubt.

Keep us informed !

[Brian K]

{QUOTE->
"If I want to restore (using Image for DOS) a saved Image from another hard drive to a new hard drive and I want the image to be at the start of the new hard drive I would select "Set Active, Write Standard MBR and Validate (To make sure that the Image did not get corrupted on the other hard drive.)". Then I would partition and format the remaining space."

Does the above summary sound OK?
<-QUOTE}
Looks good to me.

As MerleOne points out, these choices aren't always essential and most of the time you could get by if they were omitted. But occasional scenarios make one or other choices necessary and until you get some experience it is safer to use them (they do no harm if they aren't needed). This statement is from the IFD manual...

{QUOTE-> When restoring an image of a partition, you might need to use the Update BOOT.INI, Set Active, and Write Standard MBR Code (or Restore First Track) <-QUOTE}

Regarding Validation, MerleOne makes a good point but out of habit I always choose both Validations. Validate and Validate Byte-for-Byte. I never omit the second one.

[TheKid7]

Thanks again to everyone for your help. I now have a clear picture of what to do.

[MerleOne]

{QUOTE-> Thanks again to everyone for your help. I now have a clear picture of what to do. <-QUOTE}

You surely mean a clear "image" ? ;D