How to backup an HDD with Widows and Linux dual boot

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Melita, Jan 9, 2019.

  1. Melita

    Melita Registered Member

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    What is the best way to backup a laptop HDD configured to dual boot Windows and Linux?
     
  2. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    I do this with Macrium Reflect, it works fine, but you can use another imaging solution as well.
    You won't be able to mount and browse the linux partition, but you can restore it.
    Reflect takes the image of the linux partition rather slowly, but it works.
     
  3. sm1

    sm1 Registered Member

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    It is preferable to perform backup using a boot media since a backup software running under windows may not see the linux partitions and do sector by sector backups of linux partitions which will be slow and backup file will be large.

    A live boot media based on linux is better since it will see both windows and linux partitions. Clonezilla alternative stable version supports uefi boot but it is very descriptive and not simple GUI. Terabyte unlimited Image for Linux is also a good choice.
     
  4. Melita

    Melita Registered Member

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    I am not able to handle a complicated GUI. I thought any linux live CD will be suitable for what you recommend.
     
  5. pandlouk

    pandlouk Registered Member

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  6. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Can Clonezilla add an entry to the boot menu, similar to Macrium Reflect?
    Or do you need to make a flash drive or CD?
     
  7. sm1

    sm1 Registered Member

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  8. Melita

    Melita Registered Member

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    Thank you.
     
  9. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Thanks. Clonezilla can't do incremental and differential backups, correct?
     
  10. Gorkster

    Gorkster Registered Member

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    I'm a bit late to the table but did want to add that Reflect should handle this just fine without the need for a sector by sector backup while booted into Win10 if one of the "normal" Linux file systems is used on the Linux partition.

    "Imaging clusters in use and changed clusters (intelligent copy) is supported by FAT16, FAT32, NTFS and Ext 2,3,4 file systems. All other file systems and unformatted partitions will be imaged on a sector by sector basis, i.e, every sector in the partition will be copied."

    https://forum.macrium.com/Topic13439.aspx
    http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW7/Minimum System Requirements
     
  11. Melita

    Melita Registered Member

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    I am really not knowledgeable on the subject of 'sector by sector' backup. I always had the impression that it is the best way to backup - I mean 'sector by sector backup', which solve the problem of corrupted sectors on a disk or am I displaying my ignorance here o_O
     
  12. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    It's the worst way to backup as it backs up sectors that contain no relevant data in the partition. So a standard backup might be 20 GB and a 'sector by sector backup' of the same partition might be 100 GB.

    'Sector by sector backup' is called "Backup Unused Sectors" in IFW. This is from the IFW userguide...

    Gorkster has a similar quote for Macrium.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2019
  13. Melita

    Melita Registered Member

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    Just so that I get this right. Why is that option 'sector by sector backup' available at all. It wouldn't be there if it is not used by some users. Pardon the ignorance please :)
     
  14. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    It's mainly used for non recognized file systems.
     
  15. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    I just imaged a non recognized file system. The file system was NEXTSTEP in a 5 GB partition and contained no data. The image was 5 GB.

    An image of a 5 GB NTFS partition containing no data was 148 KB.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2019
  16. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    Late to reply, but I use Clonezilla for the Linux partitions in my dual-boot w/Windows 10 system, using basically all defaults, and for the Windows partitions I use IFW. I both cases I use pendrive boot media. I don't do a lot of backups, maybe once/month on average, so it's not very time-consuming for me.
     
  17. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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    It also may be used for computer forensic purposes. But I don't know whether all these programs that can do these are certified to be used by computer forensic specialists to gather evidence in criminal cases.
     
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