On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:40:26 +0100, Robert wrote: >On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:14:19 +0000 >"John ." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Hello misc, >> >> I want to install OpenBSD/amd64 on my laptop (a recent Toshiba amd >> turon with 3GB RAM) and ONLY have OpenBSD on it, but before I do this, >> I need to know how I can image the disk and restore it subsequently. >> It has vista on, and I may need to restore vista should I subsequently >> need to sell the laptop at some future date. >> >> The hard disk was partitioned and formatted at the manufacturers. The >> first primary partition is not visible as usable space - I think this >> if from where the OS was prepped. >> >> Has anyone had this scenario, if so, what did you use to image the >> data? Have you restored it since? >> >> thanks >> > >My tool of choice for this is: dd > >Just dd the whole drive to a file, compress it and store it somewhere. > >Depending on how easy it is to rip out the harddrive and if you have >another system around you can use for imaging that might be the fastest >way. > >Otherwise you can image over the network or to an external medium. >With usb-bootable systems i use a usbstick with openbsd to get a >working enviroment. On older systems a knoppix cd still comes in handy. >Over the network just redirect the output from dd over ssh. > >To restore the image just dd it back onto the drive. > >That's as simple as it gets and works also works for the "funny" >partitions with the factory-restore stuff. >
No it doesn't. Well maybe on some system I haven't experienced but on every one I've looked at it does not. I first ran into it on an IBM NT or 2k box (not mine) that came with a "15GB" drive with a manufacturer's label saying 20GB. I dd'ed am image to experiment with and that image was 15GB and did NOT include a recovery partition. I later found out how to unhide the partition and the image was then 20GB. I have always unhidden the recovery bit on every drive I have worked with since to make backup images possible. Mind out though, unhidden rescue partitions are ready for destruction if carelessness arrives. *** NOTE *** Please DO NOT CC me. I <am> subscribed to the list. Mail to the sender address that does not originate at the list server is tarpitted. The reply-to: address is provided for those who feel compelled to reply off list. Thankyou. Rod/ /earth: write failed, file system is full cp: /earth/creatures: No space left on device
