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Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via USB (Read 50458 times)
tommy_tank
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #15 - Nov 22nd, 2006 at 5:07pm
 
Disk 0:
From the left
1. 78MB FAT
2. 87.03GB NTFS
3. 4.64GB FAT32

RAM = 1GB
Virtual memory: total paging file size for C: = 1524MB
Hibernation enabled
12% (10694MB) of C: used for System Restore

In restoring the DSR and Media Direct partitions I believe I will need to do the eivalent of booting to DOS from a floppy disk. As I have no floppy drive and will want to write the MBR to my boot media, using my USB flash drive seems the best choice. I have looked into the various methods for doing this and am having little joy. I downloaded the "HP Drive Key Boot Utility" which is supposed to to the business but I get to the stage where it asks for an image file (*.img) to put on the drive and I don't know what file to use. Doesn't help that I don't really understand the boot disk concept. Am I trying to to find the image of something that will interface with the HDD without starting any operating system stuff? That is to say something that will run a DOS interface to the XP kernal? Tempted to ditch the DSR if it meant forgetting all this boot stuff but think I'll need to boot from disk for the Media Direct recovery and I definitely will want this back.

Thanks,

Tom

 
 
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Rad
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #16 - Nov 22nd, 2006 at 7:27pm
 
perhaps a word of caution is in order regarding pmagic. it is a great prgm but not flawless. it has rendered more than one hard drive unuseable.

but there are things you can do to make it easier for pm to do its job, such as:

1. delete all files you don't need.

2. uninstall all prgms you don't (no longer) need/use.

3. delete temporary internet files.

4. defrag.

5. fresh restart right before launching pm.

6. know exactly what you want to do. stop and ask if unsure

7. perform only one operation at a time. in other words, don't que up a bunch of operations and then tell pm to execute them all. take one small step at a time.

8. make a back-up image ahead of time so you can restore if pm trashes your drive.

if you think about it, it will make sense.

i have never had a prob with pm, and have used it many times, but there are plenty of horror stories out there.

i need to put this info on a separate web page, cuz i've written it so many times.
 
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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #17 - Nov 22nd, 2006 at 8:57pm
 
To Rad's list, I'd add chkdsk /f /r

Tom, I'm just thinking how much of your C: drive is taken up by the page file, hibernation file and System Restore. Probably over 3 GB. So 15 GB for your final C: drive should be fine. You can disable System Restore if you like when your recovery points are safe on another HD. I don't use it.

The easiest way to create a bootable USB flash drive is to use a computer with a floppy drive. Plug in your USB stick (containing a few files for identification) and boot to a Win98 floppy. If you don't have one....

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm ;    (Windows 98 OEM)

At the A: prompt   type C: to change to the USB stick. Type dir to make sure it is the stick. Type A: to return to the floppy. Type sys c:
You should now have a bootable USB flash drive.



If you use the HP app you will need the files from a WinXP startup floppy so harvest these from another computer and put them in a folder in your C: drive. Use this folder in step 5.

1.Install SP27213.exe
2.Run the installed application
3.Select appropriate device, file system (FAT) and volume label
4.Check Create DOS Startup Disc and then click sub option of "Using Dos System Files Located at"
5.Select the folder you created containing the startup files
6.Click Start



To "fix" the HPA partition you just need to boot from a CD. No floppy needed. I'm pretty sure you don't need a floppy to fix DSR either. Your decision, but I delete that partition. With the ability to create Ghost images, I can't see its value. I suggest leaving it there for the time being until you decide. It's easy to delete later if you change your mind.

HPA fix


Do you have an i386 folder in your C: drive? How large?

Correction:   i386 folder in the root of the C: drive.

 
 
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El_Pescador
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #18 - Nov 22nd, 2006 at 8:59pm
 
7. perform only one operation at a time. in other words, don't que up a bunch of operations and then tell pm to execute them all. take one small step at a time Roll Eyes
 

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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #19 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 4:22am
 
Tom,

HP Windows Format Utility for USB Drive Key

ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp27001-27500/SP27213.exe

This may be different from the one you have.
 
 
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tommy_tank
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #20 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 11:41am
 
OK guys, just waiting for PM and Ghost 10 to arrive and I can get busy.

Been thinking about the My Documents move (after doing the Ghost backups). This folder I want to reside entirely on my new D: data partition. I'm thinking the plan is (only interested in the My Docs stuff here, I accept there are many steps/checks related to other stuff, notably the partioning (thanks Rad)):

1. Back up My Documents folder to the external HDD
2. Delete entire contents of My Docs
3. Do partition stuff
4. Right-click My Docs folder on C: and select Move and place on D:
5. Copy contents of My Docs from ext. HDD to D:\My Documents

At the moment I have just an Windows Backup File of the My Docs folder (a *.bkf file). Can I be 100% sure this can be restored to the new D drive ?

Continued thanks and appreciation,

Tom
 
 
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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #21 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 1:22pm
 
Tom, when you have My Documents data on both HDs you can delete the .bkf.

Christer has written a very helpful guide about moving special folders off the C: drive. You could consider this when all the hard work has been done.

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=49222


 
 
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #22 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 4:49pm
 
Quote:
... when you have My Documents data on both HDs you can delete the .bkf.


You're saying i want a full literal copy of My Docs on the HDD irrespective of the .bkf file? The .bkf on it's own is insufficient (for My Docs)?
 
 
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #23 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 4:59pm
 
oh yeah, and the C:\i386 folder is 1.11GB.
 
 
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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #24 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 5:08pm
 
That's how I'd backup the data drive. Have a mirrored copy of all files that are in your data drive, stored on the external HD. It's nice to be able to see the actual backup files rather than see a single file such as .bkf. So if your laptop HD fails you have everything stored on the external HD ready to be restored to a new HD in the laptop.

I use Second Copy 7 to do this. All done on a scheduled basis.

http://www.centered.com/download.html

EZBack-it-up is a good freeware alternative.

http://www.rdcomp.net/ezbackitup/index.php

With these apps you can exclude files that you don't need to have backed up. A daily backup of 50 GB takes 2-3 minutes depending on how many new files you have added.
 
 
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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #25 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 5:27pm
 
tommy_tank wrote on Nov 23rd, 2006 at 4:59pm:
oh yeah, and the C:\i386 folder is 1.11GB.

C:\i386 folder isn't really necessary and I delete it a few months after I receive a new Dell computer. When I'm convinced that it isn't being used. It seems part of the way Dell install WinXP. I think they leave it so you won't be asked to insert the WinXP CD to do something, but I've never been asked to insert the CD.

I suggest moving it off the C: drive to the external HD when you move the contents of My Documents. That will make the C: drive image smaller when you run Ghost because your Used Space is less . When you copy My Documents to your new data drive, copy i386 to the data drive as well. If it's not in the C: drive it doesn't become part of your Ghost images. In a few months, if you are like me, you can delete it.


 
 
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tommy_tank
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #26 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 6:22pm
 
Cool.

Dan Goodell reckons you have to boot into DOS mode (boot disk equivalent) to run dsrfix and I'm having issues with the bootable USB flash drive so gonna ditch the DSR partition. Makes sense as I will have better images on my ext. HDD but you know how it is, until you've see it working you are nervous. Anyway, you give me confidence so I'll happily use the space it gives up. Is it as simple as using Disk Management or Partition Magic to delete the partition then get the D: logical volume (when I create it) to fill the space?
 
 
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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #27 - Nov 23rd, 2006 at 7:06pm
 
tommy_tank wrote on Nov 23rd, 2006 at 6:22pm:
but you know how it is, until you've see it working you are nervous.

I certainly do.

We'll give you detailed instruction for the PM stage. You will finish up with the Dell Utility partition, the OS, the data partition and the HPA which you can't see.
 
 
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #28 - Nov 25th, 2006 at 7:49am
 
Ghost 10 & Partition Magic have arrived so I am busying myself with Ghost recovery points before the partitioning work begins and I risk something nasty happening to my hard drive.

As Brian has kindly offered that the Forum will give me "detailed instruction for the PM stage" I shall stop short of the partitioning business but will read up on things anyway should I need to go it alone.

Tom
 
 
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Brian
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Re: Backup & restore notebook to enclosure via
Reply #29 - Nov 25th, 2006 at 12:57pm
 
Tom, things are starting to happen. I didn’t ask the drive letter of your CD/DVD drive. To avoid potential drive letter conflicts in the future, in Disk Management I suggest you change it to Y: drive. Before using Partition Magic follow Rad’s list and also use chkdsk. Disconnect your USB external HD.

Boot to the Partition Magic CD (PM doesn’t need to be installed at this stage). You will see three rectangles. Light green, pink and dark green, representing your three partitions. If you make a mistake at any stage click General, Discard All Changes (for that stage) or simply Exit PM and start again.

Right click in the dark green DSR rectangle and click Delete. OK, Apply. When it’s finished…

Right click in the pink WinXP rectangle and click Resize/Move. In the New Size field type 15100 then use the up/down arrows to adjust the value to around 15000 or whatever C: drive size you desire. You won’t get it exactly 15000. You will now see Free Space Before = 0.0, New Size = (around) 15000, Free Space After= (my guess) 77000. Click OK, Apply. When it’s finished…

Right click in the 77000 MB Unallocated Space rectangle and click Create, Create as Logical Partition, Partition Type NTFS and Label DATA. Don’t worry about the Drive Letter: None (with NTFS choice). Leave Size, Cluster Size and NTFS Version alone. Click OK, Apply. When it’s finished…

Click Exit, remove the CD and boot to Windows. You should be happy with your result.
 
 
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