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What Windows 10 tools to back up bootable USB?


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#1 hemlatuyda

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 11:45 AM

I need to backup my bootable USB stick because I have to format it. But I do need a complete dd-like 1:1 copy because I want it still to be bootable after recovery. I can only use Windows 10 for this. Which tools would be good?



#2 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 12:03 PM

I need to backup my bootable USB stick because I have to format it. But I do need a complete dd-like 1:1 copy because I want it still to be bootable after recovery. I can only use Windows 10 for this. Which tools would be good?

Clonedisk.

http://labalec.fr/erwan/?page_id=42

Or dd for windows.

http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

Or dsfok.

http://members.ozema...eezip/freeware/

 

It has to be seen on Windows 10 if you need to set the disk offline to get access to the \\.\Physicaldrive.

 

:duff:

Wonko


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#3 hemlatuyda

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 12:36 PM

Thanks, is there any tool that would actually have simple GUI for this kind of stuff? I've been told that win32diskimager could do it, but unsure if true.



#4 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 01:13 PM

Thanks, is there any tool that would actually have simple GUI for this kind of stuff? I've been told that win32diskimager could do it, but unsure if true.

Clonedisk is GUI, though admittedly not-so-simple.

 

But objectively:

dsfo \\.\Physaldriven 0 0 X:\image.img

and:

dsfi \\.\Physicaldriven 0 0 X:\image.img

is not that much difficult.

 

Win32diskimager is good as well, but then why you asked?

https://sourceforge....in32diskimager/

 

:duff:

Wonko



#5 hemlatuyda

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 03:36 PM

DSFO is for backing up and DSFI for recovering? How would command that is supposed to copy files back to USB look like, like you posted?

 

dsfi \\.\Physicaldriven 0 0 X:\image.img


Edited by hemlatuyda, 10 July 2017 - 03:38 PM.


#6 steve6375

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 05:53 PM

RMPrepUSB - Drive->File

RMPrepUSB - File->Drive

similar to dd but has GUI

 

or try Passmark ImageUSB



#7 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 10 July 2017 - 06:25 PM

DSFO is for backing up and DSFI for recovering? How would command that is supposed to copy files back to USB look like, like you posted?

 

dsfi \\.\Physicaldriven 0 0 X:\image.img

 

Yep :), try reading the commands as:

GET (dsf) out of \\.\Physicaldriven sectors starting from sector 0 up to last sector available (conventionally using 0 for max) and write them to an image X:\image.img

GET (dsf) into \\.\Physicaldriven sectors starting from sector 0 up to last sector available (conventionally using 0 for max) getting them from  X:\image.img

 

In other words, with dsfo the source is the "left side" device or file and the target is the "right side" one, with dsfi the source is the "right side" device or file and the target is the "left side" one.

 

The alternatives Steve6375 proposed are also excellent, of course, and there are many other ones, here are two more GUI ones:

http://www.roadkil.n...hp?ProgramID=12

http://www.alexpage....-tool/download/

 

Also DMDE has such a feature, but it is not as simple as the other ones mentioned:

http://dmde.com/

http://dmde.com/manu...opysectors.html

 

:duff:

Wonko



#8 Akeo

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Posted 11 July 2017 - 12:34 AM

But I do need a complete dd-like 1:1 copy because I want it still to be bootable after recovery. I can only use Windows 10 for this. Which tools would be good?

 

Well, as the author of that utility, I'm obviously a bit biased on this, but Rufus will happily do that for you if you use the Alt-V cheat mode.

 

This'll dump your whole USB drive to an uncompressed VHD, which you can later use in Rufus (if you select DD-Image), to recreate your drive exactly as it was.



#9 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 11 July 2017 - 06:59 AM

Well, as the author of that utility, I'm obviously a bit biased on this, but Rufus will happily do that for you if you use the Alt-V cheat mode.

 

This'll dump your whole USB drive to an uncompressed VHD, which you can later use in Rufus (if you select DD-Image), to recreate your drive exactly as it was.

Very good :thumbup: , and since it is mentioned, I will add the usual note about a fixed (uncompressed) VHD being nothing but a RAW image with a descriptor sector appended to it ;).

 

:duff:

Wonko



#10 hemlatuyda

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Posted 11 July 2017 - 08:11 AM

Thanks. And what would be good tool for complete USB Stick format? Those tools provided by stick manufacturer don't work.



#11 hemlatuyda

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Posted 11 July 2017 - 10:33 AM

I have used HDDLLF.4.40, sadly it doesn't solve my real problem. That is, I do have UC340/32GB USB3.0 stick that doesn't want to work in 3.0 port on MSI B250M Pro-VD motherboard. It gets not detected neither in BIOS nor in Windows. ADATA support told me to format it with their special tool that apparently doesn't work. Will probably have to return it.


Edited by hemlatuyda, 11 July 2017 - 10:33 AM.


#12 steve6375

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Posted 11 July 2017 - 11:50 AM

Try my RMPrepUSB tool. Link in signature.

 

P.S. If you are trying to boot MBR USB sticks, make sure you disable UEFI Secure Boot and fast boot and enable Legacy\CSM Mode in the BIOS settings



#13 naruto1979

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Posted 11 July 2017 - 01:10 PM

I need this because i also formatting computer......Thanks it will me a lot. I'll get back  if its working ...



#14 Rootman

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Posted 12 July 2017 - 12:26 PM

I use a sync tool, there are many out there.  It will not preserve the boot system but will preserve the data on the drive.  The main advantage is that it does not have to copy everything, just what's changed.  I happen to use Syncback Pro. 

 

I create a folder on my HDD and sync the entire stick to it.  I do this weekly because I've corrupted the stick too many times and it takes too long to recreate the stuff.  I use it as a backup of many important docs and databases, I also have tons of fairly static stuff - boot ISOs and installation files.  The weekly backup assures me I can get it back just about like it was quickly..






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