+--------------------------------------+ | Partition Saving | | | | http://www.partition-saving.com | | Copyright (c) 1999-2007 D. Guibouret | +--------------------------------------+ FAQ Last update: November 26th 2006 Index: ------ Q 1- Can I split a backup file into several smaller files that will each fit onto a CD (700 Mbytes), even if use compression? Q 2- Can Partition Saving copy only the occupied sectors of a partition? Q 3- Do you plan to provide such an option in the future? Q 4- If I want to restore a partition, do I need to use an identical disc having the same format as the original? Q 5- Sometimes it takes a long time to switch from the maximum file size window to the save window. Why? Q 6- Using compression takes a long time. Would not it be quicker to save an uncompressed image file and use an archive utility to compress it later? Q 7- Can I save NTFS partitions? Q 8- Will Partition Saving preserve the long filenames on Windows partitions? Q 9- Is Partition Saving compatible with Windows NT, 2000 or XP? Q 10- How do I create a boot floppy? Q 11- Why does it take such a long time to create a backup file? Q 12- I cannot manage to create backup file on CD. Q 13- Are files created using a prior version compatible with the current one? Q 14- What could be done in case of error? Q 15- Drive letter seems to not be correct. How could I know which is the partition I want to save? Q 16- When I run program, nothing appears. Q 17- What could be done when I get the error message "A sector containing parameters for filesystem could not be read"? Q 18- Could I save my partition on an USB storage device? Q 19- Could I perform incremental backup? Q 20- Could I extract only some files from backup? Q 21- Will my SATA/RAID/... disk be recognised? Q 22- Displayed partition table is empty or has only one partition when I know there are several, what is wrong? Q 23- How can I reach the "mount partition/use automatic naming" window without mouse? Q 24- I cannot create files on NTFS partition. Q 25- My computer does not have a floppy drive. How can I start with DOS? Q 26- Why do I get a message telling me a file could not be created/written? Q 27- Why not allowing creation of file of more than 2047Mb (to fill up a DVD)? ------ 1 Can I split a backup file into several smaller files that will each fit onto a CD (700 Mbytes), even if use compression? ------ Yes. The total size of the file is as it is written (even after compression is used). Be aware that for this program 1Mb is equal to 1024*1024 bytes (everybody does not agree on Mb size, it is sometimes 1000*1000 or 1000*1024 bytes). 2 Can Partition Saving copy only the occupied sectors of a partition? 3 Do you plan to provide such an option in the future? ------ Since V2.20 you can save occupied sectors only for FAT12, FAT16, FAT32 and ext2 partitions (also for NTFS partition since V2.30). I depend on OS information to determine which sections of a partition are occupied. Since I do not have this information for other partition types, occupied sectors only cannot be done for those. If you want to save place when saving partitions different from FAT, ext2 and NTFS one, you could use a program that set all bytes of unoccupied sectors of a partition to the same value such as with compression this will reduce amount of space needed. If you do not have such a program, you could use the advice from Mr Lumir Mik: write a program that creates a file and fills it with the same value. Then erase this file. 4 If I want to restore a partition, do I need to use an identical disc having the same format as the original? ------ Yes if you have saved all sectors of the partition (that was the only option for versions prior to V2.20). Furthermore you can only restore a partition on an identical one and to the same disk location. It is a significant limitation but data can be dependent on the location of the partition on the hard disk. The limitation relating to the type of the partition could be resolved by writing the partition table when restoring, but it is a feature that I have not incorporated yet. Since version 2.20, if you saved only occupied sectors of a FAT or ext2 partition (or NTFS for V2.30), you could restore it on a partition with a different format if certain size constraints are regarded. Nevertheless, the disk must have the same sector size as the saved partition, and the partition type must be the same (or must be compatible since V2.30). 5 Sometimes it takes a long time to switch from the maximum file size window to the save window. Why? ------ This happens when you save your partition over an existing file. If this file is large (e.g. result of a previous backup), it takes DOS some time to delete it. Note that from version 2.10, the file is deleted between the file name window and the maximum file size one (or before the save window in the case of batch mode). 6 Using compression takes a long time. Would not it be quicker to save an uncompressed image file and use an archive utility to compress it later? ------ It depends on the level of compression that you use with your archiver. If you use the maximum level you will waste time since you have to access the drive two more times. If you reduce the level of compression, you will save time but use more space. Note that starting from version 2.10, you can choose a level of compression that will allow you to make a compromise between time required to save and disk space needed (for V2.00, the only level of compression was maximum). 7 Can I save NTFS partitions? ------ Yes, you can. From version 2.30, you can even save occupied sectors only. However since Microsoft have never published specifications on NTFS structure, this was done with using some incomplete information and some rare features that appear in only a few instances are not supported. DOS being not able to access NTFS partitions, you need to have a FAT partition that could be read/write by DOS (either another partition on hard drive, or using network mount, ZIP disk, ...) or use the internal NTFS partition mounting in order to create backup files. Some programs allow DOS to use NTFS partitions (see http://www.cgsecurity.org or http://www.sysinternals.com, but be aware that last one is not compatible with Partition Saving) but in this case you should not use the saving a partition on itself feature. 8 Will Partition Saving preserve the long filenames on Windows partitions? ------ Yes, it is one of the main goal of the program. Indeed, it is not possible to save/restore all files under Windows as some are protected because they are in use. Consequently they must be saved under DOS (or another OS that allows access to Windows partitions). But since DOS cannot recognize long filenames, either saving or restoring must be done at level where file notion does not exist, by physically saving the partition. Moreover this preserves the relative order of sectors, which may have an influence on the operation of some programs. 9 Is Partition Saving compatible with Windows NT, 2000 or XP? ------ Yes, but you need to boot from a DOS floppy disk or CDROM and have access to a FAT partition (please read also question 7). From version 3.00 you could also create saving files on NTFS partition, but for this you have first to create files from Windows with the dedicated option then boot to DOS to perform saving. 10 How do I create a boot floppy? ------ For Windows 9x, click: Start->Settings->Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs, choose the "Startup disk" tab. Insert an empty floppy disk into drive, and click on the "Create Disk" button. If this method is not available for Windows XP, you could choose the "Format" option by right-clicking on floppy drive in Windows Explorer and choose the "Copy system files" option. However in the case the floppy disk is not configured, you have to configure the floppy disk manually. For this purpose you have to create two text files CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT on the floppy disk. In CONFIG.sys you have to install: - The CDROM driver file if you wish to use the CDROM drive. Its name is usually ATAPICD.SYS, CDROM.SYS or <your CDROM mark>.SYS (there are also some generic drivers that come with Windows). For the driver to be loader, you have to write "DEVICE=<file name> /D:<name>" where <file name> is the CDROM driver filename and <name> is any name of you choice that is less than 8 characters (ex: CD0001). - The driver file for the monitor. The one delivered by Windows is called DISPLAY.SYS. For it to be loaded you must write "DEVICE=DISPLAY.SYS CON=(EGA,,1)" (I doubt whether anybody does not have an EGA compatibl...
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