Help Needed using Drive Snapshot

Indeed!

It's not that the other Big League players aren't on top of this technology because they offer MANY different features with this & that plus pride on speed which also is convenient, "BUT", DriveSnapshot is made me realize it's plenty efficient for my needs and 100% accurate each & every restore. You gotta love that. Some BIG imaging programs seem to make for Surprise! issues from time to time, but then ALL software can go south AT any moment.

I've trusted in Paragon imaging for example for years now and find it simply Superb! but this little proggy is amazing no more size than it is.

 

So far, DS has been terrific and has successfully restored all of my Rollback Rx snapshots in the 2 restores I've performed so far, but I do have one small problem...

...every time I backup, I wind up with multiple sna files. Now I realize that isn't really a big deal, but since I'm saving my DS snapshots to a large USB drive, I'd much prefer just one sna file/backup. So how do I 'tell' DS not to split-up my backup?

 

Looks like there may be a limit on the image file size. From the Snapshot web site on command line paramaters:

Option -L650

Most of the time, it's sensible to limit the size of a single image file to some maximum value, so it can be written to a CD-ROM. The default maximum size is 650MB; you can change this with the -L parameter.
To avoid trouble with DOS when restoring your drives, you should keep this below 2 GB.

 

appster,

You can make the .sna any size you like.

Click Advanced Options and change the Maximum Image single file size.

 

Brian, I haven't made a BartPE (with DS) yet, so if I do what you say will I have problems restoring my sna snapshot with DS' (DOS) recovery floppy (as Kerodo suggests could happen)?

 

That 2GB limitation should be no issue whatsoever so long as you are IMAGING from active system partition onto a second partition in the same drive right? From there i plan to RESTORE that same image back to former active system it was made from. I don't see any problems with this approach, do any of you?

I haven't tried the DOS method yet and likely won't since i just want to make best use of it as an On-Demand quick image operation from time to time.

I ask this because this program is new to me also. It appears very dependable and quick depending on the size of data it will image.

This topic with all it's discussion gives me a very warm and appealing feeling about DriveSnapshot.

 

Appster,

I haven't been following this thread so I'm not sure what all you guys are doing with DS. The 2 gig limitation was not anything I came up with, that was from the DS web site section on command line options. So I suppose you should check there, or try it larger and see what happens.. Not sure...

 

I think Easter is correct but I don't restore from DOS with SnapShot. Certainly you can restore large images from DOS with Ghost 2003.

Kerodo is correct in that the SnapShot website recommends 2 GB as a maximum file size but I think larger files would work.

 

To each his own, but I don't believe storing backups on your system's hard drive is wise, because if it crashes there goes your backups! Therefore, I store my backups on an external USB drive.

I also choose to restore my backups as if my system's hard drive died. That way, should I ever really be in that situation, restoring will be second nature.

 

Ok, I guess until I build a BartPE CD I will play safe and keep my sna files below 2GB. Thank you Brian & Kerodo.

 

If you use BartPE I'd use 10 or 20 GB (or bigger) as the maximum. 2 GB doesn't apply.

 

Of course you're quite right on that appster, if thats the ONLY imaging program available to you.

I only mention what i posted because i already backup with PARAGON DRIVE BACKUP Pro to other hard drive partitions for safety. This method with DriveSnapshot i mentioned is only for my simplicity backups & restores. Kind of an On-Demand Immediate restore task.

Hope that clears up any confusion my question seemed to bring out.

 

If I understand that correctly, you would use a DS restore whenever Windows is functional and Paragon for a disaster recovery situation. It seems to me that Paragon could then serve both purposes, but I imagine you are using DS as a 'security blanket', or is it the other way around?

 

I don't see any problem with this but I am asking myself...WHY?

I can't see how it would be quicker to image or restore from another partition on the same drive, than from another drive. In fact it could be slower!

Maybe I am missing something Easter. Could you explain again?

 

From the DS Website:-

Disk image files can become rather large, if saving big partitions. However they should not be larger then certain limits, else they will not be usable by DOS (limit = 2047 MB) or will not fit on a CD-R/W (Limit 650-750MB)or an ISO-DVD (Limit 2048 MB).

From this I assume the following:-

If you use UBCD or Bart then the Dos limit does not apply.

If you are not imaging to DVD the 2048 MB does not apply. (Actually they suggest a file size here of 1500MB (1/3rd DVD)

Under these circumstances, I assume that you can set a size large enough to only create 1 .sna file. I will try it next time I image.

 

Of course. What i am seeing is a very fast IMAGE being created and stored to the other partition for safe keeping. Nothing fancy, only convenient so long as the restore goes off without a hitch too. I haven't restored it yet but will shortly.

The speed is very reasonable and finished in less than 20 minutes tops, that is on a mediocre capacity partition. I imaged the partition only in this try.

It's well reasonably fast in creating images from what i gathered. The entire image process PLUS check integrity took less than one half hour, but bear in mind the drive/partition i used in this test is not one of those 80+ GB drives.
Just something to overview the reliability or lack thereof of this "active windows" method.

 

@EASTER

Yes got you now. Many thanks for the clarification.

Astonishing little program isn't it!

 

One interesting way to run DS is in a dual boot situation. This is not for recovering from HD failures but most restores are done for software reasons.

Snapshot.exe is placed in a common data partition. When you are in WinXP 1 you can restore WinXP 2 and vice versa. No need to boot to DOS or BartPE.

 

Thats intriguing. Not sure I would know how to do that, but as I use FDISR as a sort of multi-boot scheme, it wouldnt apply.
I dont use imaging so much for HD failure as I do last resort backup in case FDR gets corrupted.
Thanks for the idea though.

 

That's pretty much in keeping with what Brian and Kerodo have already expressed, but thanks for the confirmation. As long as I use DS' Bootup Diskette (DOS) to restore my sna image files I have to respect the 2GB limit. However, I'm not very 'comfy' working with DOS, so I do have to get around to building a BartPE CD (with the Snapshot plugin), and then I will no longer have to put up with DOS' file-size limitation.

 

Ok,after reading this topic could´nt resist to test it myself especially when it concerns restoring with all Rollback snapshots intact...Tnx to Appster for drawing out info from forum fellow´s...
@Appster: I have exactly the same scenario as you...Made the image from sys C(NTFS): ~16.5GB to a splitted .sna accordion (3pcs) ~6.4GB in an USB FAT drive (G: ) dir...Copied snapshot.exe to that one and made the floppy...Booted up with the floppy to check...But,how to go further with the A prompt when restoring? How do I get in to the right .sna dir in G: with the command prompt for restore given earlier ?
Ok,I know that it´s recommendable to make a bart or ubcd and will probably do that...But,in the meantime,having a floppy I prefer to know how to use it..

rgs

 

It is easier to clear the size box or just put a zero in it . Not sure if that's documented.

@EASTER - Have you tried using differentials yet? They can be quite a bit faster and smaller but equally as reliable .

Graham

 

Assuming you have an A:> prompt and your snapshot is on G: then type:

G: <enter>

if the files are in a sub-directory then you need to change into that directory. As you are now in DOS and everything is in 8.3 format type:

DIR <enter>

to get a listing of the files/directories. If you recognise the directory you need (which may be named differently to how it was in Windows but which will look similar) then type:

CD directory <enter>

Keep repeating this until you are in the directory you need. If you go into the wrong one then:

CD.. <enter>

will get you up one level of directory.

If you do a DIR and can see the snapshot program and your snapshots then you are good to go .

Graham

 

Much appreciated,Graham...A steady handshake with best wishes...

 

nexstar? No i haven't to be honest with you, but i will definitely consider that option. Isn't this program refreshing yet simple, but more importantly than it all, 100% reliable too.