Image backup using Drive SnapShot?

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Hi all,

I've been following this thread with a great deal of interest, especially since I would like to be able to fully backup my C-partition with Rollback Rx (up to now, I've been uninstalling RB before making an ATI backup)!

I just built a BartPE with Drive Snapshot (pretty straight-forward), but I have some DS-related questions which I hope someone can answer:

When I run DS (from BartPE), the check-boxes are blued-out, with a white character inside (can't really make it out, but it looks like '0'). In any case I can't tell if I'm checking the appropriate boxes (maintenance mode, etc.)! I tried changing the display resolution, but that didn't help.

I noticed (in DS' Restore graphic) when I right-click on the partition where I want to restore the image, I get 6 options including Restore MBR, Restore Partition Structure, and 4 other selections. I would appreciate explanations as to what each one does and when it's necessary to use them.

Thanks in advance.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Mark,

Thanks.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

It can be a good idea to keep your hash .hsh files safe in another location to where the image files are, i know nexstar does. You can generate a new hash file from a existing image to a new location as long as that folder exists already. This is the command line carrying on from the syntax we had. A new hash will be generated to h:\ds_hash_backups . It very quick to generate a new hash. We can specify any new name for the hash or overwrite the existing or same hash to another location.

generate a new hash file
snapshot e:\dsbackups\$computername-C-$weekday-ful.sna -hh:\ds_hash_backups\$computername-C-$weekday-ful.hsh

snapshot e:\dsbackups\existing_image.sna -hh:\ds_hash_backups\new_hash_name.hsh

or just copy your existing hash files to a new location and update the backup command line

snapshot>snapshot c: e:\dsbackups\$computername-$disk-$weekday-$type.sna -hh:\ds_hash_backups\$computername-C-$weekday-ful.hsh

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

I keep hashes of my images (done with another app) in a text file. Doing this with HashTab, FileAlyzer or VisualHash is very easy and fast. Then, I can compare the hashes with those stored in the text file at anytime.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

markymoo:

Yes, I placed it on my data ntfs drive instead of USB Fat32 and then burned it to DVD...(the usb will be the ordinary storage with split, or I will consider a drive delete with a format-convert to ntfs)

Yes, I got that...Made the -o to save space and to be able to copy over 1 single file to dvd which fitted in...

I brought that up thinking of EF:s defrags not 3d party and the eventual impact on the differential size...

Did´nt get that...What recovery disk?

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Hi Jo Ann,
To get familiar with DS' interface, you could try it out from within Windows even if you don't do any backups from there. Also, if you go to the DS website here then select either the 'Backup 123' or 'Restore from Windows' options then you'll find screenshots and explanations for most of the options. Just ask if there's anything you're not sure about .

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Thanks very much for the reply (I was wondering if anyone would help). Of course, I'll do what you suggest, but any idea why the DS check-boxes are the way I described (above) when I'm running BartPE?

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Jo Ann,

I'm not sure. Is the DS version "expired?" You cannot backup with an expired version but you can restore images.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

A few members have had difficulty making a BartPE CD. So they can't restore using Snapshot from an "easy" environment. Mustang has provided an alternative.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=193106

http://www.mechrest.com/plugins/BartPEGuide/VistaPEGuide.htm

The advantage of this method is you don't need a WinXP CD, a Vista CD, an installed Vista or Acronis products.

Build the VistaPE, open the ISO and copy snapshot.exe into the ISO. Save and burn. Boot to the CD, navigate to your CD drive in the A43 program and double click snapshot.exe.

Admittedly I received a few strange error messages, but DS did work.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

You don't actually need snapshot.exe on the VistaPE CD. From the boot CD you can browse to snapshot.exe on the HD and run it.

Snapshot.exe could also be on a floppy, another CD drive or a USB flash drive. You can find it with one of the file browser apps on the VistaPE CD.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

I made a vistape cd using the link brian k gave and it works perfectly.
I browsed to the snapshot.exe on my desktop and am now restoring the image of C: of my test pc i created yesterday. works with no errors.
i can mount images with it as well.
cant seem to find a proper file browser thou.
the only thing i can find to view files is the browse for program to run dialog.
so mounting images in vista pe isnt much use if you cant copy and paste them.
but at least you can backup and restore with snapshot.exe
the only problem with the batch file is that it overwrites the older backup because it cant have two files od the same name.
so unless their is a better way i might call the file for examples drive C monday.sna
copy the batch file and just change the monday to tuesday etc.
which will mean i have 7 sechduled tasks but luckily it will mean i will have 7 backups incase there is a problem.
lodore

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

I use UBCD4WIN but I think it is pretty much the same as BartPE. I tried it earlier with an expired version of DS and it was all very legible (even to my poor eyes ) . The default resolution for UBCD4WIN is 800x600. Do you know what resolution/colour you are running in with BartPE? How do the other applications look?

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Hi JoAnn,

If it's true that 'misery loves company' I too have that very same problem with DS when I run it from BartPE. I found out (by experimenting) that even though I can't really see the check I place in any of DS' boxes it nevertheless works. But when performing a critical disk-imaging task I would be the first to say that's not very reassuring!

Graham, I don't know about JoAnn, but I don't have that problem when booting up with UBCD4Win, but unfortunately its bootup time is almost double that of BartPE. Fwiw (in my case), increasing the screen resolution (BartPE) does not change the DS check box problem.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Hmmmm....this is odd. I've run the same test several times now and I'm not getting the same results as you.

What I did was to make four images of a 40GB drive (8GB of data - less 2GB for pagefile.sys) within a UBCD4WIN environment as follows:

M0 = Maintenance mode / no excluded files
M1 = Maintenance mode / Program Files excluded
N0 = Non-maintenance mode / no excluded files
N1 = Non-maintenance mode / Program Files excluded

The results were:

M0 = 3.2GB
M1 = 3.21GB
N0 = 2.5GB
N1 = 1.6GB

So, for me, Maintenance mode is taking priority over the exclusions. I mounted each image to check what was actually there and the Program files directory was there and usable in M0, M1 and N0. In N1, it showed the directory structure and files but the files weren't really there, which is the way DS handles the exclusions.

Perhaps it's just sleep deprivation kicking in .

Also, the form for the exclusion means that:
\directory
is the same as
\directory\*

so excluding the Program Files directory and all sub-directories just needs:
--exclude:"\Program Files"
(quotes needed for the space in the name)

This is handy on my data partition so that I can still image it and exclude the downloads directory and all subdirectories.

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

UBCD obviously takes a bit longer as it's loading a proper display driver What colour depth does it run at and can that be altered?

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

If you use the $weekday variable in the filename then DS will replace that with the first two letters of the day. That way, you can have the last seven days automatically backed up with the oldest being over-written by the latest .

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

hey Graham,
where would i insert that line?
lodore

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

lodore,

Instead of

snapshot C: D:\images\Cdrive.sna -R -L0 -T

you would have

snapshot C: D:\images\$weekday.sna -R -L0 -T

That's what I meant by "sophisticated". Now you can get adventurous. Using Cdrive.sna is still OK. You can just change the name after each image is created (eg Cdrive1.sna, Cdrive2.sna) but $weekday.sna is cleaner.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

I use the A43 application.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

A bit longer you say? ...my build of UBCD4Win (v3.06) takes twice as long to load as BartPE. If I knew of the correct way to 'thin it out' (I'll never use half the stuff that's on it), perhaps that would get it to boot faster. If I could get it to load in about the same time that it takes BartPE to load it would be my DS environment of choice!

UBCD4Win boot up into 800 x 600 and on my laptop that can be increased up to 1280 x 1020 by using Control Panel > Display Properties.

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

appster,

The VistaPE I made yesterday boots in just over a minute. You can choose your display resolution.

See post #209

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Yes, but you only get the 'impressionist' display version

Sorry, I meant what colour depth is your BartPE set to in Display Properties?

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Wow! Barely time to make tea. Must make one of those .

Graham

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Thanks Brian - now that I have to check-out!

PS. Any idea how to place a DS shortcut on VistaPE's desktop?

 

Re: Image backup using Drive SnapShop?

Graham, if it's ok with you I'll check that out when I have more time. It seems that my gray-hair count goes up every time I boot UBCD4Win. When I said it takes twice as long to load as BartPE I was actually being generous because there are times when it takes 3x as long (but never quicker than 2x)!