Help Needed using Drive Snapshot

I just backed up my System partition using Snapshot. I created Snapshot's Recovery (DOS) Diskette but I sure can't figure out how to restore my image! I saved the image in a "Snapshot" folder on my D-partition (my PC's drive is partitioned into C & D).

Drive Snapshot's floppy disk boots up just fine, but I find it very confusing!!! I'd really appreciate it if someone who uses Snapshot could outline the proper DOS commands for me to restore the image that's on my D-partition to my C-partition.

 

On one hand, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has difficulty using the Snapshot Recovery Diskette. On the other hand, I've never built a bartpe disk (which on the surface doesn't look easy)!

 

As Pete says, you may find it easier to create a BartPE or UBCD disc which is a worthwhile thing to have in itself.

However, it's not rocket science and you're nearly there so.....

I find it easiest to have a copy of Drive Snapshot in the same directory as my backups so, do that, boot up with the DOS disc and go to the backup directory.

All you need to do then is type:

snapshot.exe restore hd1 auto filename.sna

where filename.sna is the first file of your backup set.

DS will ask for confirmation that you really want to restore the image and that's it .

Graham

 

Drive SnapShot is a great program. Making a BartPE CD should take you 15 minutes. It's not difficult. Well maybe on the first attempt. BartPE contains the Drive SnapShot plugin but you will probably need to update the enclosed snapshot.exe.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

Graham, I'm not sure I understand your instructions. Are you saying that I should first copy snapshot.exe to the folder in my D-partition that contains my .sna image files? And after doing that, are you saying that I should then bootup with the Snapshot DOS diskette, go to my D-partition's Snapshot folder and enter "snapshot.exe restore hd1 auto filename.sna"?

 

Thanks Brian, I will try to build a BartPE CD when I have a little more time. Until then, I would still like to understand how to use the Snapshot Restore Floppy!

 

Yes, exactly that but substitute the name of your backup for 'filename.sna'

Copying the snapshot.exe to the backup folder just simplifies the paths for the filenames and Drive Snapshot doesn't take up a lot of space, after all .

Graham

 

Graham, I'm truly not concerned about the space for storing snapshot.exe on my D-partition.

So in your scenario, Snapshot's DOS Restore Floppy is just used to bootup to NTFSDOS in order to access my NTFS hard drive. Once there, it serves no other purpose - correct?

Btw, the image I created of my C-partition contains these 3 files:
c-partition.sna
c-partition.sn1
c-partition.hsh

I presume that the one with the sna extension is the one to restore - correct?

 

The BartPE CD gives you a lot of options for restoring and there is no confusion as to which HD is involved. You can restore from an image on an internal HD, external HD, network shared drive or DVD. Try doing that easily from a floppy.

Any questions about BartPE?

 

That's right. Snapshot runs standalone and so the floppy/cd isn't needed for it to run.

Graham

 

No questions at this time Brian, but I'll give you a holler if I run into any obtacles when I try building the CD (probably this coming weekend).

 

OK. If you have SATA HDs then drivers need to be added to the BartPE build. This takes about 30 seconds.

 

http://www.purviancecs.com/bartpeguide.htm

A guide.

 

Thanks...

Btw Brian, since Graham didn't get back to me on my last question ...of the 3 files Snapshot created when I made my backup image, do I just restore the .sna file?

 

From BartPE, you just choose the .sna. SnapShot uses the other files of course. I assume it's the same from DOS.

 

I use Drive Snapshot all the time here from a floppy disk, I boot off the floppy into FreeDOS and run it from there..

I just created a few batch files to make dealing with the command line easier, and set things up to point to the right place on the D drive where I store my images. I have used Snapshot for a few years now and never once had any problems with it. It's light and a great little program...

And yes, just specify the .sna file when you restore, Snapshot will take care of the rest automatically..

 

Kerodo, thanks for the confirmation. This is my first restore with Snapshot, so I'm being overly cautious.

Btw, those batch files you created sound cool. Care to share them?

 

I'd be interested too.

 

All this discussion is been of great assistance over on this end also. I too have created some .sna backups but had been yet to really restore them untill i resort my hard drive/system's layout in the tower.

I just today done a Delete Partition/D-Ban Wipe/Partition=2/Format NTFS w/Paragon(Not XP)/Install ProXP and am set out now to run a series of these DriveSnapshot images & proceed restores to examine this program fully.

Thanks for topic and also questions & answers. I normally just rely on Paragon which is never let me down, but it's always of benefit IMO to have another backup image solution to turn to JUST-IN-CASE.

Regards EASTER

 

Sorry appster. I somehow completely missed that one .

Graham

 

I agree!

 

I am doing exactly what you are thinking about doing. I have Paragon as my frontline imaging software, and have been using DS as a secondary solution, but use it with BartPE instead of Command line stuff. Must say that while DS may not be so pretty, it does seem to just do the job you want it to do.

When I read the Forums about some of the other Imaging software, and the problems they seem to have, I am encouraged to carry on with my own system. Who knows what the future will bring though.

With thanks to Graham (nexstar) for his help with DS

Ken

 

That's ok Graham. Actually, I added that part a minute later with an edit, so it might not have even been there when you read my post. Thank you very much for your help... I also want to thank Brian and Kerodo (who I hope will post the DOS batch files he created).

While I intend to build a BartPE boot CD for Snapshot restores, imho it's still a good idea to be able to do a DOS (floppy) restore. You never know when one method might work when (for whatever reason) the other doesn't!