63 replies to this topic

[TechnoCrat]

Yep -that's better! PBR as expected  

How did you determine that its PBR? 
What does PBR stand for and what is the purpose of it?

[Wonko the Sane]

@TechnoCrat

Maybe you need to study a bit the "concept" of Extended partition and Logical Volume(s) inside it:

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/

 

A primary partition is at the same time a Partition and a Volume (and starts with a bootsector or PBR or VBR)

 

An Extended partition is ONLY a container for Logical Volumes (and start with an EPBR, that is essentially simialr to the MBR, i.e. it contains a partition table)

 

An OS expect to find a PBR or VBR when it is pointed to a Primary partition or Volume.

 

MBR=Master Boot Record=first sector of a whole disk=contains Partition Table (4 entries numbered form 0 to 3 in grub4dos of this on  -and only one can be of type 0F meaning Extended Partition) (to be picky older OS may use 05 as partition type for the Extended Partition) normally contains code to load Active (primary) partition

PBR=bootsector=Partition Boot Record <- normally contains Data to mount the partition/volume and code to boot the OS

VBR=bootsector=Volume Boot Record <- normally contains Data to mount the partition/volume and code to boot the OS

EPBR=Extended Partition Boot Record (to be picky there is one of these for each logical volume, it is a "chain" of partition tables), to distinguish the first one is sometimes called:

EMBR=Extended Master Boot Record <- the first one, the one you have on sector 211425280

EPBR=Extended Master Boot Record <- all the others in the chain

EPBR and EMBR normally contain NO code to boot the OS or to load anything, but only Data (a partition table with two entries)

 

And no, it is not "easy-peasy" you will need some time to grasp the whole concept.

 

Wonko

[steve6375]

if you go to the grub4dos command console and type

find

it will list your partitions

 

because you have an extended ptn with one logical drive, your last partition is (hd0,4)  not (hd0,3).  and I don't think you need to unhide it to boot via grub4dos from it (unsure).

 

AFAIK you can't boot from a wim file via grub4dos.

 

Try booting from the ISO instead - e.g.

 

 

title Acronis True Image 2009
find --set-root /acronis.iso
map /acronis.iso (0xff)
map --hook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

To learn about grub4dos command see my tutorial on my site (Tut 21).

[Wonko the Sane]

because you have an extended ptn with one logical drive, your last partition is (hd0,4)  not (hd0,3).  

Well, yes and no, the partition entry should be (hd0,3), the volume is (hd0,4) (i.e. first logical volume) ONCE the partition type is re-set to Extended type.

 

The issue is that by using a primary (hidden or not should not change), the actual partition number becomes "partition entry in partition table".

 

If you prefer when the disk is ok you have:

In the MBR:

1st Partition entry #0  ID 07-> Primary Partition -> (hdn,0)<-this volume (please read as "partition") is listed

2nd Partition entry #1 ID 07-> Primary Partition  -> (hdn,1)<-this volume (please read as "partition") is listed

3nd Partition entry #2 ID 07-> Primary Partition -> (hdn,2)<-this volume  (please read as "partition")is listed

4th Partition entry #3 ID 0F-> Extended Partition -> (hdn,3), BUT ONLY for the parttype (and similar, partnew, etc.) command, NO such volume is listed  (actually it is not a volume, it is a partition "only")

-----------------------------------------

In the EMBR:

1st partition entry #0 ID 07-> Logical Volume ->  (hdn,4) <-this volume is listed

 

In the case of the "botched" volume:

In the MBR:

1st Partition entry #0  ID 07-> Primary Partition -> (hdn,0)<-this volume (please read as "partition") is listed

2nd Partition entry #1 ID 07-> Primary Partition  -> (hdn,1)<-this volume (please read as "partition") is listed

3nd Partition entry #2 ID 07-> Primary Partition -> (hdn,2)<-this volume  (please read as "partition")is listed

4th Partition entry #3 ID 0F-27-> Extended Primary Partition > (hdn,3)<-this volume (please read as "partition") is NOW listed (but of course, since it's first sector is NOT a VBR it is "Noit formatted")

 

-----------------------------------------

In the EMBR:

1st partition entry #0 ID 07-> Logical Volume ->  (hdn,4) <-this volume is NOT listed anymore as the EMBR has become "a suffusion of yellow"

 

Wonko

[TechnoCrat]

thanks for the info. Let me read it all the way down. 
Mean while I want to know if i can use any other utility other than Gimagex.exe or Imagex.exe to create and restore system image backups. I remember back in the days of NORTON GHOST and Windows XP there was a version of GHOST where you just simply can run GHOST Utility with just only GHOST.exe file. Is this possible still? I cant remember that specific version. Must be around Symantec Ghost 2000-2002. Which utility is the best regarding creating backup images. Personally I like GHOST.

[Wonko the Sane]

thanks for the info. Let me read it all the way down. 
Mean while I want to know if i can use any other utility other than Gimagex.exe or Imagex.exe to create and restore system image backups. I remember back in the days of NORTON GHOST and Windows XP there was a version of GHOST where you just simply can run GHOST Utility with just only GHOST.exe file. Is this possible still? I cant remember that specific version. Must be around Symantec Ghost 2000-2002. Which utility is the best regarding creating backup images. Personally I like GHOST.

Well actually Gimagex.exe/Imagex.exe are by design not suitable tools to create a system image.

See:

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=19355

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=25082

 

In brief they have "queer" ways to manage hard links (and Vista and later use extensively hard links).

 

GHOST is a proprietary, Commercial (and additionally not particularly cheap) program, and I seem to remember that only "oldish" versions (like the ones you mentioned or the 2003 one) are actually "good".

In any case if you need anything connected to Ghost, go here:

http://ghost.radified.com/

 

Personally I avoid anything that "attempts" to be "smart" (or smarter than I am) and use dd-like (i.e. forensic sound) imaging software, there are heaps of them, many freeware.

A good list can be found here:

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=16534

http://www.msfn.org/...aging-software/

 

A tool that behaves "not entirely unlike" GHOST is XXCLONE:

http://www.xxclone.com/

but it is not, like GHOST is/was a "self-standing program".

 

All in all and IMHO, the most convenient/practical solution is partition saving:

http://www.partition-saving.com/

because it can be run from *anything* (NT, PE, DOS, Linux).

 

Wonko

[steve6375]

If you just want a recovery partition (not a backup on removable media) then look at my Clonezilla tutorial 89).

You could also use CloneZilla for taking backups onto removable media too.

[TechnoCrat]

Well actually Gimagex.exe/Imagex.exe are by design not suitable tools to create a system image.

See:

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=19355

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=25082

 

In brief they have "queer" ways to manage hard links (and Vista and later use extensively hard links).

 

GHOST is a proprietary, Commercial (and additionally not particularly cheap) program, and I seem to remember that only "oldish" versions (like the ones you mentioned or the 2003 one) are actually "good".

In any case if you need anything connected to Ghost, go here:

http://ghost.radified.com/

 

Personally I avoid anything that "attempts" to be "smart" (or smarter than I am) and use dd-like (i.e. forensic sound) imaging software, there are heaps of them, many freeware.

A good list can be found here:

http://www.911cd.net...showtopic=16534

http://www.msfn.org/...aging-software/

 

A tool that behaves "not entirely unlike" GHOST is XXCLONE:

http://www.xxclone.com/

but it is not, like GHOST is/was a "self-standing program".

 

All in all and IMHO, the most convenient/practical solution is partition saving:

http://www.partition-saving.com/

because it can be run from *anything* (NT, PE, DOS, Linux).

 

Wonko

You mean to say that you personally use PARTITION-SAVING? I ve got the GHOST APPLICATION only Executable through some means and I checked it and it can run Alone with only Executable file .
So what would you suggest me to use?

I would like to know 2 things or scenarios to create a Bootable Recovery/Backup Environment.
1) How can I make a WinPE Environment with GHOST or PARTITION-SAVING and make it start automatically like you would get in DELL DIMENSION SYSTEM years ago where it simply booted into GHOST SOFTWARE. I think I have to make AUTOEXEC.BAT file and configure it along with the CONFIG.SYS file to make it work?

2) I would like to know how to make a directly automatic startup of GHOST Application when booted into RECOVERY PARTITION. This again comes with AUTOEXEC.BAT file configuration. But I dont how to make it. So any suggestion would be appreciated.

[Wonko the Sane]

You mean to say that you personally use PARTITION-SAVING?

No, or not "always" but yes, I do use it sometimes, as said it is one of the most convenient ways.

 

I ve got the GHOST APPLICATION only Executable through some means and I checked it and it can run Alone with only Executable file .
So what would you suggest me to use?

Other means (in the sense of "different from the some" you used).

 

 

I would like to know 2 things or scenarios to create a Bootable Recovery/Backup Environment.
1) How can I make a WinPE Environment with GHOST or PARTITION-SAVING and make it start automatically like you would get in DELL DIMENSION SYSTEM years ago where it simply booted into GHOST SOFTWARE. I think I have to make AUTOEXEC.BAT file and configure it along with the CONFIG.SYS file to make it work?

I presume that a few years ago the thingy was simply DOS based (and not WinPE based).

At least AUTOEXEC.BAT implies DOS.

 

2) I would like to know how to make a directly automatic startup of GHOST Application when booted into RECOVERY PARTITION. This again comes with AUTOEXEC.BAT file configuration. But I dont how to make it. So any suggestion would be appreciated. 

As said, if you are after GHOST related solutions, the "right place" is the radified forum:

http://ghost.radified.com/

http://radified.com/...n/yabb2/YaBB.pl

 

there is a much higher "concentration" of GHOST users/experts there.

 

Wonko

[TechnoCrat]

No, or not "always" but yes, I do use it sometimes, as said it is one of the most convenient ways.

 

Other means (in the sense of "different from the some" you used).

 

 

I presume that a few years ago the thingy was simply DOS based (and not WinPE based).

At least AUTOEXEC.BAT implies DOS.

 

As said, if you are after GHOST related solutions, the "right place" is the radified forum:

http://ghost.radified.com/

http://radified.com/...n/yabb2/YaBB.pl

 

there is a much higher "concentration" of GHOST users/experts there.

 

Wonko

"Other means" meant EL TORRENTA   .....


Ok got it that things were DOS based back then when AUTOEXEC.BAT CONFIG.SYS were mentioned somewhere, Now if I want to create a DOS-based Recovery Environment or Auto-Run Ghost.exe as soon as it boots, what will be the procedure?

And is there a way to create an automated GHOST/ANY OTHER IMAGING software on WINPE ENVIRONMENT like you would get using AUTOEXEC.BAT in DOS ENVIRONMENT???

[TechnoCrat]

If you just want a recovery partition (not a backup on removable media) then look at my Clonezilla tutorial 89).

You could also use CloneZilla for taking backups onto removable media too.

I successfully created Image and Restored it using your Tutorial#89. But why you havent made it to hide the partition and protected by password? One can simply mistakenly press the wrong key and the entire Working Windows Installation could be wiped out and Restored to much more earlier version. There should be some sort of Verification first. I opened up the MENU.LST and WHOLA! It spun my head. I better should stick around with my custon MENU.LST which is like a child's candy. Easy to comprehend.

[steve6375]

It doesn't hide the partition, but it does hide the backup folder. That way you can still use the free space for your own files.

The download version will always prompt you before doing a backup or restore. The tutorial describes how you can change this to fully automatic if you wish and also describes how to password protect it. See here for details.

[TechnoCrat]

It doesn't hide the partition, but it does hide the backup folder. That way you can still use the free space for your own files.

The download version will always prompt you before doing a backup or restore. The tutorial describes how you can change this to fully automatic if you wish and also describes how to password protect it. See here for details.

Got it.

What if I want to make something very similar with regards to WINPE ENVIRONMENT and make it AUTOMATED BACKUP/RESTORE process using your suggested software like Clonezilla or GHOST.exe standalone? What could be the process...?????
Because your tutorial is Linux-Kernel Based which is complicated to understand, I will get it with the passage of time though. But I want to make using WindowsPE Environment and Direct DOS-METHOD using AUTOEXEC.BAT method so to increase experience and know-how about creating Custom Backup/Restore Solution....

[TechnoCrat]

I guess I can make my own using Tutorial#81. I ll check it out replacing imagex.exe with something like Ghost.exe or Clonezilla or Partition Saving.
I'll post the results after experimenting.