Image for Linux

A thread for this great imaging program.

Image for Linux

Post any question or updates in here.

 

Have a question, how to make a UFD for both MBR Legacy BIOS and GPT UEFI boot.
I mean what settings to choose in its MakeDisk application:

 

In this KnowledgeBase article, it looks like you cannot do this... one or the other. Possibly, the MBR UEFI layout may work if your BiOS has the CSM option selected, don't know fo sure.

 

Thanks. Yes I read that article and IFL manual a couple of hours ago and came to the same conclusion. But you know maybe someone more experienced than me could go further and know a trick or tweak to make it work.

I don't want to disdain your expert comment at all but I'll wait for a while, maybe someone else can add anything else...

 

Hello,

I have a working TBWinRE partition and it is set up with a working ifw.ini and my preferred settings. This was easy as I just had to make my settings the way i wanted them and add the options that I wanted to the ifw.ini file. Then when I created my bootable media, the applied settings and custom ifw.ini file were included in the build.

See posts # 1069 through # 1082 ( in the "Image For Windows" thread) as to how I set up IFW as I want to duplicate that setup for IFL.

Now come the part that I need help with. I want to use those same settings and options (ifw.ini) that I use with IFW/TBWinRE with IFL. I want these changes to be made to the bootable media when I create it. That way when I update my IFL partition, the settings and the ifl.ini options will be the same as what I have for IFW.

Here is my ifw.ini file:

Code:

[Options]
Priority=4
MDUseDirData=1
GlobalGeoAlign2K=1
PHYLockUseReg=0x0

[PHYLock_Options]
PHYLockDisable=1
UseVSS=1

[LICENSE]
ProductKey=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
User=My Name

[BACKUP_DEFAULTS]
UseMetaData=1
CreateHash=1
Encryption=3

[RESTORE_DEFAULTS]
UseMetaData=1

I assume "Priority=4" does not apply to IFL, so it would need to be removed.
Also I assume the three entries for PHYLock ("PHYLockUseReg=0x0", "PHYLockDisable=1", and "UseVSS=1") would need to be removed.
The resulting ifl.ini would be:

Code:

[Options]
MDUseDirData=1
GlobalGeoAlign2K=1

[LICENSE]
ProductKey=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
User=My Name

[BACKUP_DEFAULTS]
UseMetaData=1
CreateHash=1
Encryption=3

[RESTORE_DEFAULTS]
UseMetaData=1

If my conversion of the ifw.ini to the ifl.ini is correct, is it as simple as placing this ifl.ini into the C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Drive Image Backup and Restore Suite\IFL folder and then when I create the bootable media these settings are applied? Will this result in IFL being set up with the same settings that I use for IFW?

 

Hello,

I figured out how to do what I wanted above as it seems the ifl.ini file is created when you build the rescue media and afterwards you are not able to change it. For anyone interested, I will post how I did it for the options that I wanted.
Reference: IFL User Manual (https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads/ifl_en_manual.pdf starting on page 14).
I basically followed the steps given by inserting the options that I wanted to get the results for the above ifl.ini file. This set up enables password with encryption, the options for the metadata and hash files needed for changes only backups and restores, fixing the image creation time discrepancy between Linux and Windows, along with the "Align Partitions on 1MiB Boundaries" which is recommended for SSD's.

The following shows what information I entered the get the desired results:
On the “Global Geometry Options” screen, I ticked "Align Partitions on 1MiB Boundaries" (leaving everything else unticked - reference step 6 on page 18.
I left everything unticked on the“Miscellaneous Global Options” screen (reference step 7 on page 19).
On the “Additional IFL.INI Options” screen, I inserted the following (reference step 8 on pages 20-21):

• Line 1 - TimeZone=USA+5EST;MDUseDirData=1 (Note that the time zone entry may be different depending on your location)
  
• Line 2 - [BACKUP_DEFAULTS];UseMetaData=1;CreateHash=1;Encryption=3
• Line 3 - [RESTORE_DEFAULTS];UseMetaData=1

Everything else was pretty much default except for entering my IFL license (step 9 on page 21) and BIBM/BIU license along with time zone information (step 12 on page 23-24).

You can set up IFL almost any way that you want it as default. One thing that I really like is the time zone option so Windows will reflect the true time that your images are made. You can find a listing of all of the advanced configuration options available starting on page 100 of the manual.

The above may or may not help someone but since I posed the original question, I thought that I would provide an answer. There may be someone else that would like to carry their IFW settings over to IFL or fix the time discrepancy. It makes it very convenient as there are a lot of options that you do not have to select each time (along with Windows reflecting the actual creation time of your images).

 

Well, I dared to run a test using:

and

It worked on a HP AIO UEFI GPT and a generic computer UEFI / Legacy BIOS MBR.

I was fortunate I guess.

 

Great find, @Mr.X !!

 

Partition - MBR FAT/FAT32 Partition (Int13h Extensions) - This is the same as the Partition mode except that the INT 13 Extension is used (this is required for some computers to boot a UFD).

Select this option, and the resulting boot USB will work in any harhware BIOS config, either UEFI or BIOS. I've been using this option for more than 10 years over BIOS and later UEFI systems, and have never seen a problem.

 

Then I'll stick with that setting according to your testimonial. Ten years of many many different combined scenarios are enough experience for me. Thank you very much.

 

Oh BTW, the package I used was the IFL x64 package, not the default IFL package.

 

I always use the default IFL package, does that make a difference?

 

Not sure about that, I remember I've been using the x64 package ever since it's existence. The default package might also work but I am not sure.

 

Off-topic but interesting. I'd never seen this before and I love this firm quite a bit more:

 

Which settings within IFL's 'MakeDisk' should I use in order to make a single (universal) UFD for backing up and restoring both Windows and Linux?

 

IFL is designed to backup both Windows and Linux. More precisely, both NTFS and EXT3/4 file systems. Follow Mr.X's method and you'll be all set.

 

Thanks for the advice, but I still have a couple of questions:

1. Should I select the Simple Method or one of the two Traditional Methods?
2. Where does makedisk.exe ask for USB Layout and Geometry? ...after entering name and key?

 

Most people will use the default settings. I use the default settings.

Partition - MBR FAT/FAT32 Partition

Default - Use Device.


The boot media will boot in MBR and UEFI mode. You only need to make one CD or UFD. The other settings are for BIOS that don't boot IFL media with the default settings.

If you copy bootit.ini (or bootitbm.ini) and ifl.ini to the folder containing makedisk.exe you won't have to enter options or registration information when you make boot media.

 

Jo Ann,

Do you use IFW in Simple or Traditional mode?

Yes.

 

Simple Mode in IFW seems to be working well for my (Windows) needs. I wasn't sure about Simple Mode for IFL as I would like to use the same IFL boot disk for both Windows and Linux.

 

Simple Mode backs up the entire HD0. Do you have Windows and Linux both on HD0 or on separate HDs?

It's easy to change from a Traditional IFL to a Simple Mode IFL. Boot IFL, click Settings. In Misc. Settings you can select or deselect Simple Operations. This only lasts for that particular IFL session. If you have made a Simple IFL boot disk you could do this change each time, if you desire. Or use it as Simple mode for Windows and Linux.

There is no need to have different IFL boot disks.

 

Windows and Linux are on separate PCs. I run Win10 on an i7 laptop and Linux on a 2004 P4 desktop (where I replaced WinXP with Linux a number of years ago).

 

OK. Use the same IFL boot media. In Simple or Traditional mode. Your choice.

 

Simple suits me (if it will work to backup/restore Linux).

 

It does.