Image For Windows Question

I highly recommend the "Special Bundle Pricing" over just buying IFW.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/index.htm

 

may well take adavantage of that.
im a little bit confused about diffrential images
i was testing them out using IFD recovery cd trial.
i created a base image called C
then i created a differential image called Cdif1
then i created another differential image called Cdif2
i restored Cdif2 using standard options selecting the differential image then pointing to the base image. what does single tier and multi tier mean?
this is for backing up and restoring differental images
if i dont understand it when you try to explain it i will use standard images instead. i think 10 images will be better than 14 so i dont waste disk space.
thanks in advance

 

lodore,

When backing up, a multi-pass does it in two stages. It examines the partition to see what has changed since the base image was created and in the second stage it writes the differential image. With single-pass, the differential image is written during the examination pass as it detects changed sectors.

With a multi-pass restore, the base image is restored first and then the differential image is restored over the top. You don't actually see this happening. With single-pass, the two images are restored together during the first pass.

I asked which one should we use. The answer was, "Which ever works the best on your computer." So it doesn't really matter. Single-pass may be a few seconds quicker, but that's all. I started with multi-pass and still use it.

 

thanks for clearing it up for me.
so with differental images i can restore any of them at anytime?

 

To restore a differential image you also need its base image. The two images need not be in the same folder but they usually are.

Try this batch file to create a differential image called diff.tbi (C.tbi needs to be in its usual folder)

Does it work?

 

sure does work.

for some reason after i have restored some using using IFD i now have 31.5kb of unallocated space space before C: and 992.5kb after C:
i have managed to restore the image with IFD again and now have 342kb of unallocated space after C: and before F: so its not so bad.

 

lodore,

I'm confused. Where are you seeing these areas of unallocated space? Any chance of a screen shot.

I'll post a batch file for a weekly base and daily diffs. When you set up the schedule, if you make the base schedule on Monday, make the diff schedule for every day except Monday.
The base batch file will create a folder with Monday's date, move all .tib files (base plus diffs) into that folder and then create C.tbi. There is no danger of C.tbi being overwritten. You can manually delete the whole folder about two weeks later. Your choice.

The diffs will be called diff_01, diff_02, diff_03 etc with diff_01 always being the most recent diff.

 

Hey Brian
i will look forward to receveing the code for the batch file.
first screenshot shows the unalocated space inbetween C: system and F: data
second screenshot shows the drive 1 disk map from paragon.

hmm so dif 2 will be older than dif 1? and dif 3 even older?

 

I hope someone can explain that unallocated space. If your partitions are aligned on cylinder boundaries, the smallest area of unallocated space should be one cylinder. Approximately 7.8 MB.

Each day the diff batch file runs, the diffs are renamed. Today's diff_01 will be renamed to diff_02 tomorrow and renamed to diff_03 the next day. It took me a little time to accept this renaming but I'm comfortable with it now.

Yes.

 

lodore,

Here is the base batch file. Have your recent .tbi files in a different folder for the first run in case I messed up. Make sure it moves the remaining .tbi files into a dated folder and creates a C.tbi.

 

Here is the diff one. Don't worry about the 20 possible images. It just let's you create manual diffs during the week if you feel you need an extra image or two. If you don't create manual diffs, you will finish the week with six diffs.

 

I forgot to mention defragmenting. I suggest you defrag just before creating your base image. I do this with a PerfectDisk batch file. Don't defrag again until just before the next base image. Otherwise the diff images will be larger than if you don't defrag.

 

so i run the fbase batch file once a week and the dif batch file everyday except monday is that correct?
for defragging i use jkdefrag using a batch file.
i dont use it very often since i dont really need to.

 

Yes. Whichever day is your base day, the other 6 days are your diff days.

I agree. I only defrag to control the diff sizes. I've found that PerfectDisk is better than Diskeeper in this respect. I haven't tried other apps.

You could try an IFW test today if you like. Run the base batch file manually. Then run the diff batch file manually a few times. It should work OK. Delete the images when you have finished testing.

 

btw when image for windows has an update like from 2.10 to 2.11 do you have to uninstall reboot and reinstall or what?
and also do you then also need to download and install the lastest IFW console version?
is there a change log on there website?
thanks in advance

 

Here is a changelog:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/upgradehist-image-for-windows.htm

 

thanks

 

You just install the new over the old. Takes 30 seconds. No reboot needed except for the first install of PhyLock. Not for subsequent installs.

It's not an install. Just copy the new files over the old. The console version can run from a folder on your HD, USB stick, CD etc.

 

Here's another interesting problem, it seems that IFD does not recognize my IFW Files. I rebooted, making sure a recovery disk was in the drive, and set IFD to restore from a file on a logical partition. Then I scroled down to the .tbi file I wanted and selected it, then ok. Then IFD tells me that the "File is not found." Obviously I can't reestore from it. TBIview recognizes the file from within windows, everything seems to be working fine with that file within windows.

 

Did you use the Tab key to find the file? I have to do that every time otherwise IFD searches the wrong folder.

 

Yeah, I have the file highlighted. Then I say "ok" and that's when I get the error.

 

I suggest you contact TeraByte Support. Let us know what you discover.

 

Would it be possible to create a single image file from 2 seperate partitions? Then, of course, I would need to be able to restore to the respective partitions. Since I am forced to used a DVD instead of a single CD I thought it would be better to take advantage of the extra space.

This bat file can execute creation of images one right after the other but they are not the same image file and therefor cannot be on the same bootable (optical) recovery disk.

 

n8, good to see you back in action.

Unfortunately, you can't do that. You can image a single partition or the whole HD but not 2 out of 3 partitions.

I have an idea. You might not like it but it will work. Create an image of your C: drive, writing the image to your D: drive. Burn the image to a DVD with Nero (or other app) using Multisession disc, UDF/ISO mode. Then delete the image from the D: drive. You could fit about 6 of your images on a single DVD. The disc won't be bootable of course but each image could be restored if needed. You only need a single optical drive to restore an image. Boot from the IFD CD and when the GUI is present remove the CD and insert your DVD. Continue through the menu choices.

 

Thaniks for that. That's a bit of a bummer though. I guess if I have to use two discs, because everything cannot be one one bootable disc, I should reconsider ShadowProtect. I love IFW but I have to admit that I was scared when I had my recent hardware problems. And there's no guarantee that IFW will work for bare-bones restores, seeing as how that script will not work for me.

Is this a case where it's better to be safe than sorry?