Backing up Windows using Knoppix

[Flash00]

I've read there are several backup solutions available in Linux, but I haven't tried any of them; I'm new to this level of computer use, plus I'm a slow learner. From what I've read so far it could be pretty easy for someone who does know his way around Linux to remaster Knoppix into a general-purpose solution for backing up Windows or any other partition/filesystem which Knoppix can access. You'd boot the Knoppix (or some catchy new name) CD, start the backup program it contains and choose from a menu of which partition(s) or file(s) to backup and on what media, etc. The result would be much like the bootable DVD that NTI's Drive Backup 3 creates, only it would restore much faster because the restore program on the bootable DVD would be (a minimal version of) Linux instead of creaky old DOS.

(Edit) Upon further reflection I see that, in a computer with only a DVD burner from which the remastered Knoppix CD would have to run, it would be necessary to remove the Knoppix CD in order to burn a backup DVD of the system partition. So the question becomes: once the program on the Knoppix CD which will do the backup is configured, how big a program has to remain in RAM while burning the DVD?

I don't see why the burning program couldn't appropriate most of the RAM, since the burning process can be pretty much DMA between the hard drive and the DVD burner. Am I wrong?

[OErjan]

here are a few postings regarding similar things. go ahead and make one yourself.

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13995

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14781

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14953

[sakiZ]

I use the "DD" command to clone both my Windows XP partitions and my Knoppix HD install partition.

This is a powerful command that you should study the docs on first. But it is very simple to use:

You need to be in root mode of course.

For example: To clone your partition (hda1) to your back up drive (hda2)

Umount the drives with umount

Then:

dd if=/dev/hda1 of=/dev/hda2

Hit return and let 'er rip. Note that its /dev NOT /mnt

This a forensic strength command, copying everything on the partitions, not just the files.

sakiZ

[Flash00]

Thanks for your reply, sakiZ. I have to admit I haven't read the manual page for "DD" yet, but here are some questions I'll be looking to answer:

1) Can a DD "clone" of the Windows "C" partition include the boot sector? I've borked several boot sectors, tinkering around with my computer, but restoring them was painless (if slow) because the bootable DVD of my Windows partition created by NTI's Drive Backup 3 apparently restored everything starting from the first bit on the hard drive. I hope to come up with a custom Knoppix CD which can create a bootable DVD backup of whichever partition is desired. Said DVD, when booted, would overwrite the partition bit for bit. If it's the first partition then the DVD would restore the boot sector of the hard drive.

2) Have you restored your Windows (or Linux for that matter) partition from a backup clone created with DD? How much trouble was it to do?

3) Will it be possible to use the "DD" command to write to any DVD that Knoppix recognizes?

[OErjan]

i have used dd to make images of whole installs, so, YES everything comes along just fine

[ijuz]

Forget to Backup to DVD, they are way too small and you need free space for this or you have to write new software.

Just get a big enough disk in an external firewire/usb2 case and dd the whole disk to it and you are done.

[sakiZ]

How much trouble is it to restore a partition?

No trouble at all, just dd it back the other way.

sakiZ

[arkaine23]

Can you pipe dd thru tar to have a comporessed image of the partition?

[olegos]

I just want to warn everyone about relying on this type of backup. What if in a middle of copying you hit a bad sector? You can't read it, and you've already lost the only backup you had. You really need to have a least two destinations, and alternate between them.