[NTLUG:Discuss] HD backup / replacement / restore / Linux install

[Robert Citek]

trry wrote:
> Project:                    (350 Mhz Dell Latitude laptop, 128M RAM)
>   Replace  4.8G HD with 40G HD
>   Restore current Win 2k on small /dev/hda1 partition
>   Create couple more larger partitions for Linux
> Here's my plan - (watch for [possible] flaws).
>   Boot laptop via live CD, (slax),
>   Mount nfs on LAN via wireless link

While nfs should work, ssh will probably be a lot faster.

>   Make an image and copy to nfs server
>          dd if=/dev/hda1 | gzip - > /pub/image.gz

Using ssh:
  dd if=/dev/hda1 | ssh $user@$host 'gzip - > /pub/image.gz'

>   Install 40G dirve
>   Make 4.8G partition, and a couple others

Give yourself some room.  You've got 40 GB.  Make hda1 ~ 5 GB.

>   Format /dev/hda2 ext2
>   Boot to live CD again

Are you sure?  Aren't you already in slax to create the 4.8 GB partition
and format /dev/hda2?

>   Copy image.gz to /dev/hda2

Again, you could use ssh.

>   Install image onto /dev/hda1
>        gzip -d < image.gz | dd of=/dev/hda1

Since the partition is now larger than the file system, you can expand
the filesystem using ntfsresize (if ntfs) or parted (if vfat).

> At present, I'm creating the backup image and writing it to the nfs
> server, (and it's taking very long time).  So, that's where I am now
> and just wondering"
> Is my method is ok?
>   What are the chances that my image will be accurate?

Pretty good if using ssh.

>   Are there another [faster / more efficient] method of creating the
> image on another computer?

The fastest is to use a firewire or USB2 adapter.  This guy will handle
PATA, SATA, and laptop drives:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2329300&Sku=M501-1220

It's what we use at BWorks[1] to image, clone, wipe, and repair drives.

[1] http://bworks.org

Regards,
- Robert