Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

[Guest jim]

I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB flash

drives as complete images.

 

Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

 

I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

drives.

 

Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

 

jim

[Guest PD43]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

"jim" <jim@home.net> wrote:

>I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

>them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB flash

>drives as complete images.

>

>Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>

>I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>drives.

 

If your system recognizes the flash drives as a USB hard drive then TI

will work. If the system sees them as something else - like a flash

drive - it won't.

 

Are they formatted NTFS?

[Guest jim]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

 

"PD43" <pauld1943@comcast.net> wrote in message

news:pfec44prvh6qo7vm9l1me2j4m4he9ka3mi@4ax.com...

> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote:

>

>>I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

>>them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>>flash

>>drives as complete images.

>>

>>Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>>imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>

>>I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>drives.

>

> If your system recognizes the flash drives as a USB hard drive then TI

> will work. If the system sees them as something else - like a flash

> drive - it won't.

>

> Are they formatted NTFS?

 

They are formatted with 3 partitions - FAT32, Ext2 and LinuxSwap. They are

used to run Linux from USB drives for system and network utilities.

 

jim

[Guest PD43]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

"jim" <jim@home.net> wrote:

>

>"PD43" <pauld1943@comcast.net> wrote in message

>news:pfec44prvh6qo7vm9l1me2j4m4he9ka3mi@4ax.com...

>> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote:

>>

>>>I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

>>>them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>>>flash

>>>drives as complete images.

>>>

>>>Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>>>imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>>

>>>I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>>drives.

>>

>> If your system recognizes the flash drives as a USB hard drive then TI

>> will work. If the system sees them as something else - like a flash

>> drive - it won't.

>>

>> Are they formatted NTFS?

>

>They are formatted with 3 partitions - FAT32, Ext2 and LinuxSwap. They are

>used to run Linux from USB drives for system and network utilities.

 

From what I gather, they have to be NTFS to work.

[Guest Big_Al]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

jim wrote:

> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB flash

> drives as complete images.

>

> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>

> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

> drives.

>

> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>

> jim

>

>

Probably because of the relatively small size and lack of complexity

there will not be support for it yet. Normally USB drives contain no

boot info etc, *normally*. A zip file backup is all I do. That or

just copy to another HD.

[Guest PD43]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

Big_Al <BigAl@MD.com> wrote:

>jim wrote:

>> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB flash

>> drives as complete images.

>>

>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>

>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>> drives.

>>

>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>>

>> jim

>>

>>

>Probably because of the relatively small size and lack of complexity

>there will not be support for it yet. Normally USB drives contain no

>boot info etc, *normally*. A zip file backup is all I do. That or

>just copy to another HD.

 

Sorry, Al old boy... Acronis True Image will do it as long as the

system sees the drive as an external drive, not as a flash drive.

[Guest Frank-FL]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

 

"jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB flash

> drives as complete images.

>

> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>

> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

> drives.

>

> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

 

Use the bootable Acronis CD

ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

Backup

My Data

Removable Drive

 

Back up what you want to where you want.

[Guest jim]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

>"Frank-FL" <bbunny@bqik.net> wrote in message

>news:etZ%>23w1nxIHA.2360@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>

>"jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

>news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>>I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>> flash

>> drives as complete images.

>>

>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>

>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>> drives.

>>

>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>

>Use the bootable Acronis CD

>ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

>Backup

>My Data

>Removable Drive

>

>Back up what you want to where you want.

 

Nope. It only "sees" the FAT32 partition - not the Ext2 or LinuxSwap

partitions.

 

Nice try though.

 

jim

[Guest Fred S *****]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

 

 

jim wrote:

>> "Frank-FL" <bbunny@bqik.net> wrote in message

>> news:etZ%>23w1nxIHA.2360@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>

>> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

>> news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>>> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I screw

>>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>>> flash

>>> drives as complete images.

>>>

>>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>>

>>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>> drives.

>>>

>>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>> Use the bootable Acronis CD

>> ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

>> Backup

>> My Data

>> Removable Drive

>>

>> Back up what you want to where you want.

>

> Nope. It only "sees" the FAT32 partition - not the Ext2 or LinuxSwap

> partitions.

>

> Nice try though.

>

> jim

>

>

Jim,

 

I hope you've considered a simple thing like creating the needed

partitions followed by a COPY to the second external.

 

If space is the issue and you need the compression then you might need

to image.

 

Consider Terrabyte's Image for Windows or even Boot-It-NG - both of

these create images based on the bios - so it the drive shows it will

be able to image.

 

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/products.htm

 

I just tested it using my Kanguru USB 2 thumb drive, created an image

with no problem, then erased the thumb drive, then restored the image -

worked just fine.

 

In my opinion, Terrabyte's products are solid - I've used them for years

on all kinds of systems. This company was the favorite of the MVP's here

for years and in particular when the late Alex Nichols was the patriarch

of the group.

 

Fred

[Guest jim]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

 

"Fred S *****" <"Fred S"@anonymous.com> wrote in message

news:%23ylU5OoxIHA.1436@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>

>

> jim wrote:

>>> "Frank-FL" <bbunny@bqik.net> wrote in message

>>> news:etZ%>23w1nxIHA.2360@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>

>>> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

>>> news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>>>> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I

>>>> screw

>>>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>>>> flash

>>>> drives as complete images.

>>>>

>>>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to be

>>>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>>>

>>>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>>> drives.

>>>>

>>>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>>> Use the bootable Acronis CD

>>> ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

>>> Backup

>>> My Data

>>> Removable Drive

>>>

>>> Back up what you want to where you want.

>>

>> Nope. It only "sees" the FAT32 partition - not the Ext2 or LinuxSwap

>> partitions.

>>

>> Nice try though.

>>

>> jim

>>

>>

> Jim,

>

> I hope you've considered a simple thing like creating the needed

> partitions followed by a COPY to the second external.

>

> If space is the issue and you need the compression then you might need to

> image.

>

> Consider Terrabyte's Image for Windows or even Boot-It-NG - both of these

> create images based on the bios - so it the drive shows it will be able to

> image.

>

> http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/products.htm

>

> I just tested it using my Kanguru USB 2 thumb drive, created an image with

> no problem, then erased the thumb drive, then restored the image - worked

> just fine.

>

> In my opinion, Terrabyte's products are solid - I've used them for years

> on all kinds of systems. This company was the favorite of the MVP's here

> for years and in particular when the late Alex Nichols was the patriarch

> of the group.

 

Sweet!

 

I'll test it and report back in a few minutes.....

 

jim

[Guest jim]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

 

"jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

news:zJF1k.4278$bF6.2890@bignews1.bellsouth.net...

>

> "Fred S *****" <"Fred S"@anonymous.com> wrote in message

> news:%23ylU5OoxIHA.1436@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>

>>

>> jim wrote:

>>>> "Frank-FL" <bbunny@bqik.net> wrote in message

>>>> news:etZ%>23w1nxIHA.2360@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>>

>>>> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

>>>> news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>>>>> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I

>>>>> screw

>>>>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>>>>> flash

>>>>> drives as complete images.

>>>>>

>>>>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to

>>>>> be

>>>>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>>>>

>>>>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>>>> drives.

>>>>>

>>>>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>>>> Use the bootable Acronis CD

>>>> ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

>>>> Backup

>>>> My Data

>>>> Removable Drive

>>>>

>>>> Back up what you want to where you want.

>>>

>>> Nope. It only "sees" the FAT32 partition - not the Ext2 or LinuxSwap

>>> partitions.

>>>

>>> Nice try though.

>>>

>>> jim

>>>

>>>

>> Jim,

>>

>> I hope you've considered a simple thing like creating the needed

>> partitions followed by a COPY to the second external.

>>

>> If space is the issue and you need the compression then you might need to

>> image.

>>

>> Consider Terrabyte's Image for Windows or even Boot-It-NG - both of these

>> create images based on the bios - so it the drive shows it will be able

>> to image.

>>

>> http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/products.htm

>>

>> I just tested it using my Kanguru USB 2 thumb drive, created an image

>> with no problem, then erased the thumb drive, then restored the image -

>> worked just fine.

>>

>> In my opinion, Terrabyte's products are solid - I've used them for years

>> on all kinds of systems. This company was the favorite of the MVP's here

>> for years and in particular when the late Alex Nichols was the patriarch

>> of the group.

>

> Sweet!

>

> I'll test it and report back in a few minutes.....

>

> jim

 

Terabyte's product definitely did the job. The only down sides are (a)

having to boot to DOS to do the image of the USB drives (if Acronis can

backup Windows while it runs from Windows backing up a USB drive from

Windows seems trivial by comparison) and (b) it is reeeeaaaalllllyyyyy slow.

It took almost 20 minutes to backup a USB 2.0 8GB drive and a full 58

minutes to restore it.

 

Still, its better than losing your data, and its the only software solution

I have found to create copmplete images of bootable Linux USB drives as of

this writing.

 

Thanks for pointing it out!

 

Jim

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

jim wrote:

> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

> news:zJF1k.4278$bF6.2890@bignews1.bellsouth.net...

>>

>> "Fred S *****" <"Fred S"@anonymous.com> wrote in message

>> news:%23ylU5OoxIHA.1436@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>

>>>

>>> jim wrote:

>>>>> "Frank-FL" <bbunny@bqik.net> wrote in message

>>>>> news:etZ%>23w1nxIHA.2360@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>>>

>>>>> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

>>>>> news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>>>>>> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I

>>>>>> screw

>>>>>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up

>>>>>> USB

>>>>>> flash

>>>>>> drives as complete images.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to

>>>>>> be

>>>>>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>>>>> drives.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>>>>> Use the bootable Acronis CD

>>>>> ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

>>>>> Backup

>>>>> My Data

>>>>> Removable Drive

>>>>>

>>>>> Back up what you want to where you want.

>>>>

>>>> Nope. It only "sees" the FAT32 partition - not the Ext2 or LinuxSwap

>>>> partitions.

>>>>

>>>> Nice try though.

>>>>

>>>> jim

>>>>

>>>>

>>> Jim,

>>>

>>> I hope you've considered a simple thing like creating the needed

>>> partitions followed by a COPY to the second external.

>>>

>>> If space is the issue and you need the compression then you might need

>>> to

>>> image.

>>>

>>> Consider Terrabyte's Image for Windows or even Boot-It-NG - both of

>>> these

>>> create images based on the bios - so it the drive shows it will be able

>>> to image.

>>>

>>> http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/products.htm

>>>

>>> I just tested it using my Kanguru USB 2 thumb drive, created an image

>>> with no problem, then erased the thumb drive, then restored the image -

>>> worked just fine.

>>>

>>> In my opinion, Terrabyte's products are solid - I've used them for years

>>> on all kinds of systems. This company was the favorite of the MVP's here

>>> for years and in particular when the late Alex Nichols was the patriarch

>>> of the group.

>>

>> Sweet!

>>

>> I'll test it and report back in a few minutes.....

>>

>> jim

>

> Terabyte's product definitely did the job. The only down sides are (a)

> having to boot to DOS to do the image of the USB drives (if Acronis can

> backup Windows while it runs from Windows backing up a USB drive from

> Windows seems trivial by comparison) and (b) it is reeeeaaaalllllyyyyy

> slow.

> It took almost 20 minutes to backup a USB 2.0 8GB drive and a full 58

> minutes to restore it.

>

> Still, its better than losing your data, and its the only software

> solution

> I have found to create copmplete images of bootable Linux USB drives as of

> this writing.

>

> Thanks for pointing it out!

>

> Jim

 

Come to think of it, maybe BING will also let you partition copy one USB

drive to another. I bet it will! But you do have to boot up on a

floppy, or on another USB drive, (in Maintenance Mode), and do it "down

there" at the DOS level - and NOT in Windows. Interesting. Guess we all

learn something here.

[Guest Fred S *****]

Re: Looking for an app to image my USB drives.....

 

 

 

jim wrote:

> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

> news:zJF1k.4278$bF6.2890@bignews1.bellsouth.net...

>> "Fred S *****" <"Fred S"@anonymous.com> wrote in message

>> news:%23ylU5OoxIHA.1436@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>

>>> jim wrote:

>>>>> "Frank-FL" <bbunny@bqik.net> wrote in message

>>>>> news:etZ%>23w1nxIHA.2360@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>>>>

>>>>> "jim" <jim@home.net> wrote in message

>>>>> news:Nqq1k.198$qI6.187@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>>>>>> I have some USB flash drives that I'd like to image - just in case I

>>>>>> screw

>>>>>> them up or lose them - but I can't find any software that backs up USB

>>>>>> flash

>>>>>> drives as complete images.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Some of my drives have several partitions, so the USB drive needs to

>>>>>> be

>>>>>> imaged completely - just like you can do with an internal hard drive.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I have Acronis True Image Home 11 but it won't even see the USB flash

>>>>>> drives.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Have you seen software used to image USB drives?

>>>>> Use the bootable Acronis CD

>>>>> ATI Home (full) not the (safe)

>>>>> Backup

>>>>> My Data

>>>>> Removable Drive

>>>>>

>>>>> Back up what you want to where you want.

>>>> Nope. It only "sees" the FAT32 partition - not the Ext2 or LinuxSwap

>>>> partitions.

>>>>

>>>> Nice try though.

>>>>

>>>> jim

>>>>

>>>>

>>> Jim,

>>>

>>> I hope you've considered a simple thing like creating the needed

>>> partitions followed by a COPY to the second external.

>>>

>>> If space is the issue and you need the compression then you might need to

>>> image.

>>>

>>> Consider Terrabyte's Image for Windows or even Boot-It-NG - both of these

>>> create images based on the bios - so it the drive shows it will be able

>>> to image.

>>>

>>> http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/products.htm

>>>

>>> I just tested it using my Kanguru USB 2 thumb drive, created an image

>>> with no problem, then erased the thumb drive, then restored the image -

>>> worked just fine.

>>>

>>> In my opinion, Terrabyte's products are solid - I've used them for years

>>> on all kinds of systems. This company was the favorite of the MVP's here

>>> for years and in particular when the late Alex Nichols was the patriarch

>>> of the group.

>> Sweet!

>>

>> I'll test it and report back in a few minutes.....

>>

>> jim

>

> Terabyte's product definitely did the job. The only down sides are (a)

> having to boot to DOS to do the image of the USB drives (if Acronis can

> backup Windows while it runs from Windows backing up a USB drive from

> Windows seems trivial by comparison) and (b) it is reeeeaaaalllllyyyyy slow.

> It took almost 20 minutes to backup a USB 2.0 8GB drive and a full 58

> minutes to restore it.

>

> Still, its better than losing your data, and its the only software solution

> I have found to create copmplete images of bootable Linux USB drives as of

> this writing.

>

> Thanks for pointing it out!

>

> Jim

>

>

Jim,

 

I have BOTH, Image for DOS and Image for Windows. THe latter runs in

Windows and that's what I used for your test project. Better yet, when

you buy image for windows, you get image for DOS free.

 

Glad I could help.

 

Fred