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Number : 212 Date : 2001-06-16 Author : Kan Yabumoto Subject : Re: restoring from full CD backup Size(KB) : 5
Let me add to Dan Anderson's earlier post which is correct. Recently, I posted a technique in a newsgroup as a solution to restore the C: drive from a backup copy in another partition. Although the CD backup (I assume the packet-writing type such as DirectCD) complicates the issue by not maintaining the same SFN in its backed up copy, the general strategy should work in over 90% of the cases in my estimation (let me explain the adverse effect of SFN-related issue at the end). Here's my suggestion to restore the Win9x system (C:) drive from DOS. In the case of backup in a regular (non-CD) drive 1. boot up into DOS (6.x or 7.x). 2. FDISK and FORMAT the C: drive (can start from scratch). 3. SYS C: // make C: bootable (to DOS) 4 reboot and install SMARTDRV for faster action 5. XXCOPY16 D:\ C:\ /CLONE/NW/X*~?*.*/S0 // only the root directory 6. XXCOPY16 D:\WINDOWS\ C:\WINDOWS\ /CLONE/NW/X*~?*.*/DL3 7. reboot without floppy (you should be in Win9x now). 8. Open up a DOS BOX and do the following inside the DOS Box 9. XXCOPY D:\ C:\ /S/NL // convert existing SFN to LFN 10. XXCOPY D:\ C:\ /CLONE/BB // copy remaining files 11 reboot and done. In the case of a backup from CD (by DirectCD), the exclusion specifier in Steps 5 and 6 should be /X????#???.* rather than /X*~?*.* In this scheme, Steps 5 and 6 are to copy the key Windows files from the backup copy into drive C (only the root and the windows directory) and avoid any files which have a LFN. That is, under normal circumstances, all longnames will have SFN like PROGRA~1 (but with DirectCD, it will be named PROG#710). So, Step 5 and 6 for DirectCD should be replaced by: 5. XXCOPY16 D:\ C:\ /CLONE/NW/X????#???.*/S0 6. XXCOPY16 D:\WINDOWS\ C:\WINDOWS\ /CLONE/NW/X????#???.*/DL3 By excluding the files/directories with LFN in these steps, possible name collisions of LFN in Step 9 will be averted. Also, with DirectCD, in Line 10, add /NX0 to avoid the futile effort of preserving SFN in restoring from the CD to the disk. Since Win9x's booting procedure do not involve any LFN-named objects, the reboot at Step 7 should go without problems. ------------- Potential problems using CD-based backup: Earlier, I said in over 90% of the cases, this scheme works well. This estimation is based on the fact in many newsgroup postings people say they have "no problems" using either drag-and-drop or plain XCOPY method to backup the entire C: drive to D: and swap the system hard disk without any problems. If you read our XXTB #10 (our official /CLONE technique bible), we warn the potential hazards of ignoring the SFN-LFN relationship. Dispite the potential problems, most people get by without worrying about the SFN-LFN mismatch. After all, although we know many people have been burned by the problem, the great majority of Win9x users don't experience problems. That is because unless you are a very heavy users and add/remove LFN-named files and directories frequently, you may stay lucky even though you would be taking chances on SFN-LFN issue which is certainly a real problem. So, knowing that in 90% people can get by without having serious problem with the SFN/LFN problem, this technique can make you restore the system disk from CD based backup. I can't guarantee that the LFN-SFN problem may not bite you, but it work in most cases. Eventually, we will address this issue with XXCOPY. We are thinking about adding a bullet-proof mechanism to store and restore the SFN/LFN relationship (by creating a catalog file rather than relying on the file system's built-in mechanism to keep track of SFN which the DirectCD file system does not support). ---------- Note that this version is simpler in Step 6 than what I described earlier in Msg #142 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xxcopy/message/142) which Dan cited. Whereas the earlier version uses 6 different lines to selectively copy the various parts in \Windows\ directory, this version simplifies by just one line. Note that even though the earlier version has more lines, it was more specific and avoid copying many non-essential files for the temporary Win9x reboot purposes. Either version works but this one-line version is simpler to type in and works equally well. Since all of the files must be eventually copied, one can argue the one-line version is as fast. But then, by deferring the copy of the majority of the non-essential files until Step 10 in the 32-bit environment will make the file copy operations even faster. So, either way is OK. But, now I like this current one-line version in Line 6 slightly better than the multiple version. Kan Yabumoto ================================================================= At 2001-06-15 18:37, greggann sweeney wrote: >As I am new to the group, this question may have been >answered many times. In any case what should one do >to restore the C:\ drive given the following: >1) I have a mirror image of the C:\ drive on 3 CD's > thanks to xxcopy. >2) The C:\ drive obtained a virus and must be >re-formatted and F-disked. > >What is the best way to get back to where I was before >the virus hit without reloading from the WIN-98 start- >up CD but utilizing the mirror image I have on the 3 >CD's >Thanks for any ideas anyone might have
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