Please recommend a disk image program

[Webb]

This isn't specific to Windows 8. It's more of a hardware issue in that my new computer won't run an Acronis rescue CD. It generated a "Cannot load Linux kernel" error so I burned a new boot CD. It won't run that one either but my other computer boots from both of them.

 

The new computer also boots from my Linux Mint DVD and my GParted CD so it seems to just have a beef with Acronis rescue CD.

 

It would be great if I could fix this but after two tries it seems hopeless.

 

I have seen a lot of other (free!) disk imagers since I got Acronis but I never needed to try any of them.

 

Can you recommend one that does basically what Acronis does? Free would be a big factor in my decision. Thanks.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

If you're comfortable with the command line interface or a very minimal graphic interface, you can use plain ol' rsync of grsync in Linux. They are most likely the under-the-hood app for most of those spiffy graphic mirroring applications, anyway.

 

You'd have to study up, though. rsync is NOT an "everyman" friendly tool. Grsync is a bit more easy to use, but it has rules that need to be learned also. I sync my Slackware /(root) and /home partitions to an identical drive on my main system. In other words, my /dev/sda drive and my /dev/sdc drive are identical hardware-wise (WD - 10,000 rpm Raptors) which are also identically partitioned.

 

I do my sync every Sunday. The full OS is bootable from either drive. If my sda drive failed, I would just need to boot my sdc drive (after modifying the fstab) and use it to mirror the entire OS back over to a replacement drive. I also back up my /home directories and some /archived directories to permanent media (DVDs) once a month (on the 1st). Since I don't use my Windows 7 installation for anything other than game playing, I don't back it up at all. It's easily re-installed.

 

Anyway, rsync and grsync are not solutions for everyone. Personally, I use grsync from a bootable Porteus Linux CD whenever I do my syncing. You should not sync from an actively mounted partition because the OS and journal writing is active as you're trying to sync. That's just how I do it, though. Many folks use sync via a cron job in Linux to maintain a constant sync. I think Securiitybreach uses that method.

 

Luck with your search for what works best for you, Webb.

Edited December 13, 2014 by V.T. Eric Layton

[ebrke]

Unfortunately, Eric, I think Webb is looking for a complete disk image, and I believe rsync is just going to back up his files.

 

I wish I could recommend a free program, but I don't have personal experience with one. I could recommend the products from Terabyte Unlimited, but they are not free. I always found them reasonably priced, though, and very dependable. I haven't used those imaging products for a few years (I just backup my files; I reinstall my OpenSuSE if something goes sideways), but they always used to be very good, also with email support if required. They support Windows and Linux. You might just want to take a look:

http://www.terabyteu...d.com/index.htm

 

I just checked their site and they are still doing what they always did--you have a 30-day free trial before you have to buy so you can try out the software.

 

I think someone will probably be along later with more suggestions.

Edited December 13, 2014 by ebrke

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Umm... nope. That's not how rsync works. It actually initially copies a bit for bit mirror image of the targeted source. On the next passes, though, it only adjusts data bits based on what's changed in the target source since the last sync. It is a true syncing application. My initial rsync of my Slackware system takes about 20 minutes for the / partition and 35 minutes for the /home partition. On the next sync, though, syncing only takes a couple minutes for each partition. I love rsync/grsync!

 

However, like I said... it's not for everyone.

[amenditman]

Webb's comment sounds more like a problem with UEFI Secure Boot being "Enabled" because the computer has a Windows 8 sticker and is required to by Microsoft.

 

Check in your system setup, usually under "Boot", and see if "Secure Boot" is enabled. If it is, disable it and try your boot disks again.

[Webb]

Webb's comment sounds more like a problem with UEFI Secure Boot being "Enabled" because the computer has a Windows 8 sticker and is required to by Microsoft.

 

Check in your system setup, usually under "Boot", and see if "Secure Boot" is enabled. If it is, disable it and try your boot disks again.

 

No. It boots the other disks happily in Legacy Mode. "Secure Boot" is disabled.

[amenditman]

Good, I was uncertain about that from the info in first post. Some of those other Live Distros might have a signed shim bootloader and could load under Secure Boot.

 

Good old dd utility will create bit for bit disk images and restore them.

ddrescue is a newer version with additional features.

Here is a good How-To-Geek article about using dd to clone a disk (boot sectors are included in the clone).

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Oh, yeah... dd. I forgot about that. If you think rsync at the command line is scary, don't even look into the abyss of dd. It's an unforgiving command line app.

[amenditman]

Patience is required to work with either rsync or dd.

Here is my rsync command to mirror this computer

rsync -aAXv /* /run/media/amenditman/Desktop_Backup/Full_rsync --exclude={/dev/*,/proc/*,/sys/*,/tmp/*,/run/*,/mnt/*,/media/*,/lost+found}

Not too hard to figure out, takes a little time to get all the details just right.

dd is no harder to understand, but has so many more tunable parameters it takes longer to get it just right.

Edited December 14, 2014 by amenditman

[goretsky]

Hello,

 

I have used ClonezIlla quite a bit at work to image computers running Microsoft Windows 7. No problems noted.

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

[Webb]

I had a brilliant idea this morning - boot Acronis from an external CD. Wouldn't you know it, I got the same error message. This computer just isn't going to run Acronis.

 

Thank you for all of your suggestions. I have narrowed my choices to DriveImage XML and Clonezilla based on price (both are free) and bootable from CD.

 

DriveImage XML has the advantage of creating an explorable backup (ability to recover single files) while Clonezilla is an all or nothing restoration.

[ebrke]

Umm... nope. That's not how rsync works.

Sorry, Eric, my mistake.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Sorry, Eric, my mistake.

 

No need to apologize, E. By the way, like your new avatar. Looks familiar.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Frank Golden and iChase (Ian) both made some very nice tutorials for Clonezilla for us. You can find them here --> http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.php?showtopic=33158

[amenditman]

By the way, like your new avatar. Looks familiar.

See what happens when you change you avatar every time you change your drawers. Edited December 14, 2014 by amenditman

[Webb]

And this is why I don't use Linux ...

 

I burned the DriveImage recovery disk and it boots into a Linux welcome screen. The system doesn't recognize my mouse, keyboard or USB drive.

[amenditman]

That is definitely not a Linux problem. That has to be something the DriveImage folks have done. Maybe they removed some drivers from the kernel support files to make the disk smaller.

 

Unless you have some really off the wall hardware. Mouse, keyboard and USB are all really well supported in Linux. I use a lot of wireless keyboards and mice as well as a wireless trackball, Linux has no problems with them, Windows pitches a fit and refuses to see anything wireless plugged into my KVM switches.

[Webb]

My apologies to Linux.

 

My Mint Live DVD runs fine and recognizes all of my hardware. My problem is that I can't install it until I back up my HD and do some partitioning and I can't find suitable software to back up my HD and everything in my price range (free) is Linux based and doesn't work.

[ebrke]

That's a shame--any chance you'd give Clonezilla a try? When Goretsky mentioned it, I remembered that Fran (lilbambi) had also recommended it to me last year. It slipped my mind because person I was researching for went for something else.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

See what happens when you change you avatar every time you change your drawers.

 

No. You have it backwards. I change my avatar because I like variety. Unfortunately, now I'm stuck with Gray Anonymous Man. Conversely, I change my underwear regularly so they don't become gray.

[Webb]

That's a shame--any chance you'd give Clonezilla a try? When Goretsky mentioned it, I remembered that Fran (lilbambi) had also recommended it to me last year. It slipped my mind because person I was researching for went for something else.

 

Clonezilla is rapidly moving up the list. If I can't get DriveImage to boot from CD it's about the only alternative left.

 

It's been a long weekend. Maybe tomorrow.

[abarbarian]

Clonezilla is a good program to use. I have a legal copy of Paragon Rescue Kit 2014 that you can download and use if you like, it works with Windows 8.1, an has a Linux or Windows PE variety that can be put on a cd or a usb.

I have not tried it but it looks like it runs from a Windows environment as it comes as a .exe file.

 

[goretsky]

Hello,

 

Perhaps another option would be to remove the drive, plug it into a working computer, and image it from there.

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

[Cluttermagnet]

I still do my drive imaging with an old copy of Bootit NG. There are much more modern versions of that now out. Don't know how Bootit NG would handle UEFI... most of my hardware is old...

[daveydoom]

Hi Jim.

 

DriveImage XML is also included on the UBCD4Win. Perhaps you would have better luck with that than with the ISO that is available directly from the DriveImage website?

Edited December 16, 2014 by daveydoom

[Webb]

If I can get the shell to work DriveImage ran fine from HD. Of course you can't always boot into the HD which is why we have rescue CD/DVDs.

 

This uses a BartPE shell, though. My other BartPE shell wouldn't boot but it's worth a try.

 

Thanks.

[mac]

Another vote for Macrium Reflect from me. I use it to back-up 3 PCs here at home all on a single 1TB USB HDD, and have gotten my brother and my daughter to use it for their machines.