batch imaging

I work company that bundles software on SD cards, as part of a support package.

I found that imaging is a lot faster and efficient way of writing the same stuff onto the SD cards, for some reason it's a lot faster than doing drag and drop onto disc.

I'm using acronis to "restore" images onto the SD cards, I don't like the fact that there are so many options to click inbetween each restoration to initiate the restore process. And it scares me that I might accidently click on of the hard drives and wipe all the info off of it. I got through about 100+ sd cards in one go; about once a month or so.

Id like a imaging software or a script that will automate the process where I simply insert a new sd card and click a button, and it will restore or flash onto the new SD card with the exact same settings and configurations as the previous sessions.

 

Halffull,

You can restore images using a batch file with Image for Windows and Drive Snapshot. Both have trial versions so you can see which suits you best. I do all my OS restores from a batch file. No clicking through menus.

 

With Drive Snapshot, have snapshot.exe, the batch file and the backup image in the same folder.

Say the backup image is backup.sna and the partition on the SD card is F: drive. The batch file will be....

snapshot backup.sna F:

Very simple.


With Image for Windows, say the backup image is C:\backup.tbi and the partition on the SD card is F: drive. The batch file can be in any folder. My batch file will be....

start "" "C:\Program Files\TeraByte Unlimited\Image for Windows\V2\imagew.exe" /r /uy /d:w2@0x1 /f:"C:\backup"

It looks complicated but it is created from Show Command/Save to file. This creates the batch file for you. You don't have to type anything except for /uy. (optional) The /uy switch makes it unattended. (Saves you clicking Yes to proceed)
0x1 is my USB F: drive. Your numbers may be different but probably not.

 

Thanks Brian, that was very helpful. I'll try this during the next batch of recording and report back to you on how it goes.

 

I'll be interested to hear your results. I love labour saving methods.

In the IFW batch file, w2 refers to the third fixed drive (my flash drive). ie two hard drives (HD0 and HD1) and a flash drive. 0x1 is the partition on the flash drive.

 

Brian I forgot to add that the memory cards are bootable discs with an MBR, I know that acronis has the option to backup and restore the MBR.

Unfortunately snapshot doesn't really have many options and certainy not on MBR.

Is there a switch to backup the content and MBR, as well are store it?

Thanks

 

Drive snapshot always backups the mbr when creating an image.

for restoring it with a batch use the command:

--RestoreMBR HD1 filename - writes the MBR from filename to HD1

http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/commandline.htm

Panagiotis