Drive Snapshot Single Image File

Hi All

I am using Win XP sp3 and am trialling drive snapshot.

Much to my surprise the image was broken down into a number of files 1) hash 2) SNA 3) Sn1 4)Sn2 5) Sn3 6) Sn4

Thats six files to ShadowProtects one.

I know you can elect to remove the Hash file on Full backups, BUT how do I just produce a simple single file please?

I am using latest version Drive Snapshot 1.3

Thanks

Terry

 

Terry,

In Advanced Options, put 0 (zero) in the Maximum image single file size field.

 

The only thing I can think of, without knowing the specifics of your situation, is that you are backing up a partition with the resulting image file much greater than what you have the DS setting set to. Try increasing the file size, as the image below shows.

 

To Brian K

Spot on

Thanks very much you were right. Why on earth does the developer not provide meaningful information. It is not as though DS is sold at a knock down price!

Anyway thanks for your help

Terry

 

Terry, it's in the 3rd part of his Backup 123 tutorial.

You are right in that DS is not to be had at bargain basement prices, and imho there are some important features that should be included for the price, such as a GUI Boot/Rescue CD (ISO)! But there can be little arguement that DS is a small and portable app, that's both fast and reliable!

 

Terry,

Out of interest, how were you planning to restore your DS images?

 

Hi Brian K

For some reason on the trial software I am using the help button does not work. I assumed that this was part of the cut down functionality?

Why do you ask the question about restore? Are you implying that you can't restore? I am eager to know more

Thanks

Terry

 

Terry, just curious. DS is very reliable. I just wondered which method you were using. BartPE or DOS. DOS isn't very intuitive but it works fine. BartPE is easiest.

 

Hi Brian K

I put it on a Bart PE along with Acronis 8 and DI XML. The original Drive Snapshot was out of time.

Your comment prompted me to reread the instructions for Drive Snapshot. I had totally missed the "difficulties" with restoring ie When drive is in use.

I havn't actually restored an image but dont want to go the DOS route because that's another set of boot up options.

Although Restoring from Windows is a bit more problematic, the instructions say that if any thing is still running you can dismount it and then you are away. Is this correct?

Terry

 

I'd stick with BartPE.

No image/restore app will allow you to restore the OS partition from Windows. You can only restore data partitions from Windows and many people don't use image/restore apps for backing up data.

So you will need your BartPE CD to restore an image of your OS. It's easy.

 

Hi Brian K

Just did a 7Gig Image file restore using Drive Snapshot via BartPE from a single image file.

Restore appeared to go flawlessly. Actual restore about 2 minutes faster than Shadow Protect. If you take account of the prodigiously long boot up time of BartPE then Shadow Protect is faster. Making the backup DS is about 1 minute faster with similar reservation re BartPE.

Overall, using BartPE, it's a very simple process not requiring a number of the steps shown in the online help section on DS web site.

Brian thanks for your help on this one. I now have learned a thing or two

Terry

 

Terry,

Just confirming that you aren't booting to BartPE to make the backup. The backup can be done in Windows.

 

Hi Brian

As you probably guessed I am not an expert so if my reply seems a bit weird bear with me.

I put BartPE/DS in the CD RW and restart my machine whereupon BartPE boots up (so its outside of the normal windows environment. I do not have Backup programs installed on my PC apart from Acronis 8. Just to keep my system tidy. I then create my backup. Probably longwinded but having tried a number of Image prgrams and become modestly proficient it works for me.

Hope this is what you were referring to.

Terry

 

I understand.

Drive Snapshot doesn't have to be installed. Just double click snapshot.exe from Windows and you can create an image. What you are doing is OK but it's the long way around. All of my images are created from Windows. There are some diehards that only create images outside of Windows but they are in the minority.