Image backup using Drive SnapShot?

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

I'd have to agree with that. I've also made attempts to get him to create a 'DOS' front-end, however simple. If I had 10% of the ability that the author obviously has then I would have done it myself by now . It is also a bit surprising that someone hasn't come up with a front-end in the same way that seems to happen with codec software and the like. I've never come across anything although I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of generic dos menu system exists which could be adapted to suit.

The trouble is that most people will make far more snapshots than they ever restore and so when they get around to doing a restore they end up having to look up the commands and their syntax. Even for a hardened user, it is nice just to have to select a file to restore and its destination.

Oh well, we live in hope .

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Mind you, I like to think of DS as the poor man's ShadowProtect IT and that works out at $3,500 just for the year .

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

No, my only experience is of the desktop version which I had to give up on as it kept re-booting my machine and also that of a colleague's who I suggested should try it. I suspect there was something it conflicted with but it wasn't essential so I didn't delve deeper.

You obviously took my tongue-in-cheek comment (must use more smilies) to indicate that I had carried out a side-by-side comparison which is clearly not the case and with the cost differential wouldn't be quite fair in any event. I was trying to get show that the slightly higher price of DS could be somewhat justified by the flexibility it provides.

DS also runs in Windows without installation. Or am I missing something here?

...which has been discussed just a few post earlier. Although 'a terrible DOS mess' may just depend on what era of computing you come from (please note...two smilies ).

Thanks for your concerns over this but I don't believe that I am contravening the license restrictions as long as I have one license for each machine that it is used on. Multiple copies for the same machine wouldn't appear to be excluded but I will enquire about this to make sure.

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

nexstar,

This is a light hearted comment too. Although DS is good, all it offers is image/restore. The other apps offer extras. File and folder backups, partitioning, boot manager, ability to clone a HD, easy to use recovery environment as standard. I feel DS is overpriced in comparison to other backup apps. We have bought it but I really doubt there have been numerous sales. This forum is about the only place I've seen users discuss DS and we are less than ten in number.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Not enough smilies, Brian. Doesn't count .

I guess most of us have our pet utilities that we feel comfortable with, like an old pair of slippers. I probably like DS because it doesn't have all the extras, which is probably why I'm still driving a Mk2 Golf GTi .

That's deflated me. I'd half a mind to put together a simple dos front end using the WBAT utility I tracked down earlier. I might as well go and do something useful instead .

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

nexstar,

Concerning that DOS front end. I doubt I'd use it with the BartPE plugin being so good. As someone who is fairly DOS challenged, I can't understand why you would bother with an interface that may have trouble seeing a mapped network drive, a USB HD, a SATA optical drive or a USB flash drive. The BartPE CD has no such limitations.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Graham, if you do develop a simple DOS front-end for DS, please note that I'm first in line!

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Brian, my attempt at creating a BartPE CD (for doing DS Restores) was a failure, and I strongly suspect that it didn't see my SATA controller/drive!

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

appster,

That should be easy to fix. I assume you have created a basic BartPE CD. When you boot the CD I guess you can't see your HD from BartPE. Or something different?

Did you add SATA drivers to the BartPE build? Do you have a floppy drive?

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

When comparing backup times which are so small, it's important to take VSS into account. Look at the logs and see if VSS is being used. It's common for VSS to take from 15 - 50 seconds to quiesce applications. If ShadowProtect's backup is using VSS, then a substantial portion of the time you are measuring is ShadowProtect waiting on the VSS framework as it quiesces applications. Does the other app also use VSS? If so, then it's a meaningful comparison. When VSS is not used, the state of the backup for VSS writers (Exchange, SQL Server, IIS, etc) is sub-optimal.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

That's correct.

I didn't know where to get or how to add SATA drivers to Bart.. I have a floppy on my desktop, but not on my laptop.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

grnxnm,

Point taken.

It was a simple comparison test. What's a few seconds between friends? The main determinant of imaging time is not really the brand of app, it's the level of compression that the app is using.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

OK. Then you need to get SATA drivers for each computer, put them in two folders (any name for the folders you like) and copy each folder to the pebuilder3110a\drivers\SCSIAdapter folder. Run pebuilder.exe again and make another CD. I'd use RW CDs until you get it right.

Replace snapshot.exe in the BartPE plugin with your own file if you haven't already done this.

Report back with your progress.

PS I missed your "get". Do you have an Intel controller?

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/default.aspx

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Thanks Brian. My laptop has an Intel controller, but the SATA controller on my desktop is by Promise.

I won't be able to get to this for a week or two, but when I do, I'll be back in touch.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

I imaged a larger partition.

Drive Snapshot___________time 5:03________image size 10.3 GB

ShadowProtect___________time 6:25________image size 10.4 GB (high compression)

I'm just reporting results. I don't think a minute matters.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Your guys replies here have me chomping at the bits.

What are you waiting for? Have a go with it, DOS although daunting now for most XP generation users, still WORKS! albeit in appearance somewhat archaic but nonetheless, for DS, theres ample possibilites.
Yeah i'm won over with DS too and also am all too aware that SP is the latest of imaging innovation bar none, but you just gotta give credit where credit is due. It does a pretty good job with the lite overhead it contains and therein is reason for satisfaction, but moreover, what stands out are the results, and at least on this end, DS results have been batting 1000! and so is filling the bill here as a "secondary" but also very reliable imaging solution for my Non-Sata unit.

Paragon still remains my personal top fav and sentimental choice only because it has stood the test of time for me and still does.

ShadowProtect though will definitely also be my next Imaging choice and then i'll probably stop right there, but for now DS is some welcome excitement in spite of the DOS dependence for restoring OR alternative partition.

Those measurements in the time comparisons certainly are worth a hard look, that's not bad at all.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Question Please:

Is it advisable to use Maintenance Mode and sector copy in order for DS to successfully image for a perfect restore of FD-ISR and it's snapshots?

At this point i don't want to do a regular backup yet untill further more precise confirmation, that this setting is needed/requires to also safely allow FD-ISR snapshots to return in the exact order as they were before imaging.

There are no archives in this partition, just the program + snapshots in $ISR. I assume a simple partition imaging with DriveSnapshot from an alternate partition will work.

Thanks for any replies.

EASTER

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Sorry for the *Bump, but can anyone verify FD-ISR snapshots will image & restore properly? Also can this be done on an alternate partition with the same drive or is it recommended to use the DOS floppy to restore?

Thanks Again

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Don't know about DS but SP restores everything that has to be restored so it restores FDISR snapshots just fine.Never heard off any problems about this.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Already Done. The Paragon backup of course. That's always first here.

I was just curious so i went ahead and imaged the partition, snapshots and all with DriveSnapshot. The curiosity comes in with FD-ISR's permissions on the snapshot folders, now their easily managed thru XYPloyer certainly with no problems here although i rarely ever need to either Browse or Copy/Delete any programs embedded with FD, but after imaging with DS, clicking on any FD-ISR snapshot folder (Using DS Mounted Explore) returns the same denial as you would see in a regular active system, so theres really no way for me to confirm aside from asking here or doing a restore, which is what i'm planning as soon as i set up another drive for that.

Thanks EASTER