Drive Snapshot bootable media!

Cruise,

People using DOS often have driver issues with external USB HDs. But DOS runs fine from a USB flash drive. The problem I described was NTFSDOS not running properly in DOS on the flash drive. NTFS4DOS (note the 4) does run properly in DOS on the flash drive but it doesn't have the ability to run the DS autoexec.bat. It's annoying as USB would have been easier to work with as edits could have been made directly on the flash drive. Even so, your CD will give the same final result.

 

Cruise,

I noticed a post in another forum that may be related to your situation. With your HP computer you aren't loading USB drivers from the DS CD. The BIOS must be detecting the USB flash drive and USB transfer may be at USB 1.1 speed. So if your restore is slow you will know why.

 

Hi Brian, I can't believe that. My new HP dv6t laptop has USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, so it doesn't make sense to me that its BIOS would limit transfer speeds (to my external hard drive) to USB 1.1 rates! ....please point me to that reference.

I got back home an hour ago and burned your DS DOS iso successfully (and it verified) on a new Maxell CD (Memorex is crap)! I'm about to kick-back from my earlier ordeal with a double Scotch whiskey, so I think it's best if I wait until tomorrow to perform my first restore with the DS DOS CD.

Cruise

 

Cruise,

I hope it doesn't apply to your system. See Post #9.

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1342364381/10#10

 

Hi Brian,

It seems that JR removed my last post because of some mention of my indulging in a whiskey. Anyhow, yesterday eve I attempted to use your DS DOS Recovery CD to restore my DS backup of the same day. It started doing its thing and was progressing but then it froze at around 17% (note that I always verify my images when creating them)! I tried it again and the same thing happened. Thinking that the sna file must be faulty, I thought I would try to restore a 2-day old sna file, but this time the DS DOS Recovery CD didn't even see my external USB HD! I tried rebooting it a few times and had the very same issue!!! At that time I really needed another double Scotch and was sweating before taking my first sip.

Well the good news is that 2-days ago I also backed up with IFW, so I booted-up IFD and after some wild-ass guesses on my part as to proper choice selection, IFD saw my external drive and went on to restore my 2-day old tib file. Brian, I don't understand what's going on and this episode has left me feeling very uneasy (to say the least)!

Cruise

 

Cruise,

I don't understand it either but I'd regard it as the kiss of death to what we have been doing. Anyway, good testing and recovery.

See my thread on booting from a USB external HD.

 

Yes, unless you can spot the problem with the iso that I burned (and verified) on CD. I double-checked the iso file that I burned and it is exactly as you had finalized it, so I'm very confused. The restore not only froze-up at 17% into the process, it also did something destructive in that subsequent boots couldn't see my USB drive!

Maybe I should go with IFW-IFD for my mainstay backups? But I would need to learn what all of those choices are about when restoring!

 

When restoring an image to the same HD I choose...

Set Active
both Validates (but this is optional)
Log Results to File

When restoring an image to a different HD I choose...

Set Active
Restore First Track (AUTO)
both Validates (but this is optional)
Log Results to File

Edit.... I just noticed a mistake. I don't choose Set Active when restoring an image to the same HD as that partition is already Active. Choosing Set Active wouldn't hurt but it is not necessary.

 

Brian, in either of those situations, do you leave all of the many other choices at their default settings?

Also, is IFD capable of just restoring the MBR or first track (without restoring the partition)?

 

The only default setting is Log Results to File.

No, but why would you want to do this anyway?

 

Brian, I don't mean to answer for Cruise, but this spiked my interest as well...

But there are so many other choice options presented!

MBR malware infection for one (my MBR was hit by a rootkit a short while back).

TS

 

TS,

Special situations. Doesn't apply to 99% of us.

There are so many ways to replace the MBR bootstrap code, the simplest being fdisk /mbr from a Win98 floppy. I use BIBM to replace the code by writing a "Standard MBR" or "Win7 MBR". This overwrites the infected bootstrap code with good code. This can also be done from a WinXP or Win7 boot disk.

The MBR has three components. Bootstrap code, Disk Signature and Partition Table. There are many ways to backup and restore one, two or all three components.

 

All good points (I've got to learn how to use BIBM)!

TS

 

It's my favourite app. It can do so many things.

 

Hi Cruise,

After IFW saved my arse, I went ahead and bought the Terabyte Bundle which is a really good deal. Seeing that IFW just bailed you out, imho you should go with it instead of DS.

TS

 

Hey Brian,

Sorry if I left abruptly, but I got a phone-call with a job offer! It has a lower salary than my previous job, but it sure beats unemployment.

You know after this interesting exercise went south, I'm inclined to take The Shadow's suggestion and buy the Terabyte Bundle. While I am very curious as to why your DS DOS Restore CD failed, I can't help but be grateful for the IFW-IFD 'rescue team' ...I'll probably be asking you more IFW and IFD questions as I really get into it.

Thanks,
Cruise

 

Cruise,

Great news about the job. When do you start?

I have two TeraByte Bundles. 6 computers. I highly recommend it.

My DS restores never missed a beat and I did 30 or so with the same CD you were using. Damn computers.

 

Thanks, I start this coming Monday.

Yup, I'm buying the Terabyte-Bundle today. The DS DOS Recovery situation I encountered is really perplexing. While running the DS trial, for a month previously, I never had any issues backing up or restoring (using their Windows GUI program). I might just try restoring that 'suspect' sna file using the DS Windows GUI to see if the image file itself was the culprit which made your DS DOS Recovery CD fail.

Cruise

 

Cruise,

See https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=328937#10

This method is fantastic. You can run it from a flash drive or directly from a USB external HD.

I hadn't used it in the past because I couldn't get it working.

 

Brian,

I thought you would want to know that the very same sna file that froze-up when using your DS DOS Recovery CD restored successfully (without any hiccups) just by starting a DS Restore from within Windows. So that seems to narrow the problem to something in your DOS recovery (iso) code!

Cruise

 

Scotch whisky has no "e". My favorite is McAllan's. For Snapshot in DOS, I use a DOS disk with Snapshot on it. It works fine for me.

SourMilk out

Edit: Macallan. Looked at the bottle this time. lol.

 

Damn computers.

 

SourMilk,

Is this a MS-DOS disk you have created yourself, rather than the DS restore disk?

 

I'm not that bright. I just followed the instructions found on the following URL:

-http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/makebootdisk.htm-

SourMilk out