# Using Dump/Restore  for Win7 NTFS C:



## BostonDriver (Apr 19, 2012)

Is it possible to use dump and restore to backup and restore a Windows 7 C: drive (NTFS)?

The ultimate goal is to backup Win7 on a MBR and restore to a GPT partition and use GRUB2 to boot it.  The Windows based tool I've looked at so far want to destroy the GPT partition.  I'd rather not.

Win7 is 64bit Pro, which can boot from GPT.  GRUB2 is already booting FreeBSD 9 and Fedora 16 off the disk. 

Thanks


----------



## Crivens (Apr 19, 2012)

dump would not do it, as it is file system specific.
I have heard of positive results when using tar for this job.


----------



## phoenix (Apr 19, 2012)

In theory (untested), you should be able to boot off a Unix LiveCD of some kind, and use dd(1) to backup the *partitions* (not the entire disk).  Then re-partition the disk using GPT.  And then use dd(1) to restore the *partitions*.

You may want to test it with a separate harddrive, just to make sure.    Or, do a dd(1) of the entire drive and keep it as the "fail-safe" recovery.


----------



## aa (Apr 19, 2012)

You cannot use tar(1), it breaks Win7 hardlinks and many system files could not even be read; neither dd(1), as physicaldrive/volumes recorded as absolute bytes position, thus they are not moveable from the Win's viewpoint.


----------



## Crivens (Apr 19, 2012)

aa said:
			
		

> You cannot use tar(1), it breaks Win7 hardlinks and many system files could not even be read; neither dd(1), as physicaldrive/volumes recorded as absolute bytes position, thus they are not moveable from the Win's viewpoint.



That information was from XP, where it worked. But you are very likely right with the hardlinks of Win7 - but that the partitions are not movable? That would be a design disaster IMHO.


----------



## BostonDriver (Apr 20, 2012)

Crivens said:
			
		

> dump would not do it, as it is file system specific.



Just curious.  Is it due to quality of ntfs support in FreeBSD? e.g. could this work on Linux, AIX etc. or is there something inherent in dump itself?


----------



## BostonDriver (Apr 20, 2012)

phoenix said:
			
		

> In theory (untested), you should be able to boot off a Unix LiveCD of some kind, and use dd(1) to backup the *partitions* (not the entire disk).  Then re-partition the disk using GPT.  And then use dd(1) to restore the *partitions*.
> 
> You may want to test it with a separate harddrive, just to make sure.    Or, do a dd(1) of the entire drive and keep it as the "fail-safe" recovery.



Whatever I try, the original disk is going to be removed from the system and kept in a safe place.  If time (and free backup space) permit, I might try dd(1) just to see what happens.


----------



## acheron (Apr 20, 2012)

You can try ntfsclone from sysutils/ntfsprogs. I was using it with success to save/restore a WinXP ntfs partition.


----------

