newbie: Partition Image reliable for NTFS?

**krikke** · 08-22-2004, 10:01 AM

Just started poking around in Knoppix. I like what I see so far.
Q: Can I use Knoppix's Partition Image to store my WindowsXP boot partition (NTFS) onto a FAT partition, and assume I can restore it later to the original partition?

krikke

**champagnemojo** · 08-24-2004, 01:36 AM

The Partimage site says this:

The NTFS (Windows NT File System) is currently not fully supported: this means you will be able to save an NTFS partition if system files are not very fragmented, and if system files are not compressed. In this case, you will be able to save the partition into an image file, and you will be able to restore it after. If there is a problem when saving, an error message will be shown and you won't be able to continue. If you have successfully saved an NTFS NTFS partition, you shouldn't have problems as you restore it (except in the case of bugs). Then the best way is to try to save a partition to know if it is possible. If not, try to defragment it with diskeeper or another tool, and try to saving the partition again.

But according to what I've seen NTFS actually works well for most people in partimage. So it won't hurt to try it. And yes, you can store it on your FAT partition.

**Incubii** · 08-27-2004, 02:43 PM

i use partimage all the time with NTFS partitions and have not had one problem with it. has worked 100% of the time in the 50 or so different machines ive imaged with it. Backing up and Restoring both work fine. And yeah you can save to FAT32.

**krikke** · 08-27-2004, 02:56 PM

OK, thanks. I've succesfully backed up the boot drives of two machines. Now I trust I can restore them if need be...

**firebyrd10** · 08-28-2004, 12:13 AM

It doesn't matter the file sysem as it is a RAW read and write. Because of which you might want to zip the file up.

use this to do it

Code:

dd if=/dev/hda(or other drive) | gzip -(1 through 8 with 1 being fastest and 8 having best compresion, --fast =1 --best =8) -c | dd of=~/sambabu/hda.img.gz

changing files and folders as desired. (I sent it over to a windows computer)

then to put it back run

Code:

xcat ~/sambabu/hda.img.gz | dd of=/dev/hda

once again changing things as desired.

**krikke** · 09-07-2004, 01:46 PM

So I had the partimage files (created from my C: NTFS partition) on a FAT32 partition as pi.gz.000 and pi.gz.001. When restoring my 7 GBs, it fails after about 2 GB. Great, just what I needed

I had defragged prior to backup.
This is Knoppix 3.4-2004-05-17.

**firebyrd10** · 09-07-2004, 09:20 PM

Hmm, the file size limitation of fat, hadn't crossed my mine at the time.

Did you split the files before or after you zipped them?
If after then you can still save them.

**krikke** · 09-08-2004, 10:50 AM

partimage splitted the file for me when I did the backup. It has an (preselected) option of maximum file size.
I also tried combining those partimage files by connecting the external drive to another WinXP comp, and
copy/B pi.gz.000+pi.gz.001 pi.gz
where the result is on an NTFS partition.
But then, Knoppix's Ark says it fails to extract the archive, and partimage also fails when trying to restore from it.

I'm in serious trouble now, it seems.

**champagnemojo** · 09-08-2004, 04:34 PM

Yikes

Sorry to hear that krikke. Perhaps I downplayed how non-foolproof such an action can ever be. You should always back everything important up before doing anything with your partitions and such. Does it give any error messages when it fails?