Subject: backups

From: [email-masked] (Martin Ward)
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 14:20:25 +0100 (BST)

A simple question: How can I back up a complete partition as an image file
using RiscOs?

Background: I want to install Linux! I have already partitioned my IDE
drive and installed NetBSD (the installer looked a bit easier than Linux,
so I thought I would have a play with that one first!).
I have a jaz drive on a Castle SCSI card which I can use for backups,
but neither BSD nor Linux can use it currently and there is not
enough room on my IDE drive for both Linux and BSD.

			Martin

[email-masked] http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dcs0mpw/
Maintainer of the G.K.Chesterton web site: http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dcs0mpw/gkc/

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From: Phil Norman <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 17:53:53 +0100 (BST)

> A simple question: How can I back up a complete partition as an image file

This would involve reading all the sectors using the correct FileCore 
SWIs and saving them into a file (not amazingly surprising).  I mentioned 
in my email about IscaFS that I was planning a filing system which would 
pretend that your ext2 partition(s) were ext2 image files, and if that 
were implemented, copying your partitions to files would simply be a case 
of typing:

*copy WhateverFS::4.$ ADFS::4.$.imagefile

Since the root object ($) of the WhateverFS would be read as if it were 
an image file.

However, since that isn't a possibility the only option is to read the 
entire partition and blat it to a file.  I think I have a BASIC program 
lurking somewhere which, with a little modification, could do this.  I'll 
have a look when I get home.

Bye,
Phil

-- 
Rule of programming #2: Everything that can go wrong will go wrong,
	but only on other people's configurations.

Phil Norman, mailing from Exeter University.
email:	[email-masked]
URL:	http://newton.ex.ac.uk/general/ug/norman

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From: John Tytgat <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 20:16:51 +0200

> A simple question: How can I back up a complete partition as an image file

Ah you need FCFS, an excellent backup utility from Nick Craig-Wood
and Sergio Monesi.  It is shareware btw.  Have a look at :

http://www.axis.demon.co.uk/software.html

Regards,
John.
-- 
John Tytgat                          And Bill said: "What's a network?"
[email-masked]        http://www.idg.co.nz/interview/Hauser.html
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From: Russell King - ARM Linux Admin <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 20:34:17 +0100 (BST)

Phil Norman writes:
> pretend that your ext2 partition(s) were ext2 image files
> ...

Due to the large number of partition types out there (up to 5 now), I would
strongly suggest using my Partition interface for accessing the partitions.
It allows you to read/write the partitions by partition ID/sector offset
(but is of course limited to the first 512MB on old machines).  The
library is very portable, but because it is RiscOS based, it's hard to
maintain multiple copies. ;(
   _____
  |_____| ------------------------------------------------- ---+---+-
  |   |        Russell King       [email-masked]      --- ---
  | | | |  http://www.arm.uk.linux.org/~rmk/armlinux.html    /  /  |
  | +-+-+                                                     --- -+-
  /   |               THE developer of ARM Linux              |+| /|\
 /  | | |                                                     ---  |
    +-+-+ -------------------------------------------------  /\\\  |

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From: Phil Norman <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 21:43:33 +0100 (BST)

> maintain multiple copies. ;(

Ah.  That's the first I've heard about this library actually - I might 
have a look at it in the future (ie after my exams are over) but for now 
I've quickly modified a program I wrote back in '97 while researching 
into partitioning for ExeterFS (the precursor to IscaFS).  It seems to 
work OK, but has only had one very quick and simple test.  I'm just about 
to email it to Martin and if anyone else wants a copy please drop me a 
line and I'll send it (it's a 2.7k zip file).  It only copes with the 
ADFS partitioning system (partitioning system?  har har) however, so it's 
only of real use to people using IDE on a RiscPC (or A7000).

Anyway, drop me a line if you want a copy,
Phil

-- 
Rule of programming #5: If a C program gives more than 50 compiler
	errors, you've missed out a semicolon.