How to copy your 4GB CF card in about 12 minutes

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 17:14

Hi All,

If anyone is interested in a tutorial for creating a backup of your CF card or cloning it, let me know if you are interested.

We all know how long it can take to copy files onto a fresh CF card etc. Using a computer in Dos (not dos mode within windows) a cheap CF adapter and an old Dos version of Norton ghost you can now create a perfect backup of your precious CF card within minutes.

If there is interest i will create a tutorial for it as it is a little involved. You would be able to clone any 4GB card onto any other 4GB card. I know what a pain it is sometimes partitioning anf formatting them damn things on an Amiga so a Cloning solution is perfect

UPDATE... i moved this thread from below to the top for easier reading....

k, i tried the app from within Windows OS

http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521

and it works very nicely. easy steps....

turn off computer
- connect the CF to IDE adapter to ide cable, plug in CF card.
- turn on comp, load windows (XP Pro for me)
- run the app, select the Physical drive
- select a (new) name for the image to be saved
- select create image (make sure its a NTFS partition for files greater than 2GB
- let it read...

once completed, SHUT DOWN computer...
- put in CF card to be written to
- turn on computer, run the app
- select filename (point to filename previously created)
- select restore image
- after approx 8 minutes your new cloned CF card is ready and WORKS
- I used a Kingston 4GB CF card (for source and the clone)

Now the important info...

- you can only clone a CF card of equal size (buy the same ones)
- ensure you select the correct physical drive to write (reading too, but thats not as critical)
- The program will identify the drive selected as drive phyisicaldrive1, physicaldrive2 etc... once selected it will show you more info about the drive, check the size, it should report 4GB (for a 4GB card) to verify you have selected the correct drive
- The drive image is not compressed so you will need a full 4GB available on a NTFS partition
- don't rush, make sure you understand what you are doing.
- NEVER remove CF card while power is on your computer
- The adapter that i use has an LED to indicate read/writes

I also think that you should be able to use a HDF image providing the size of the hdf file is identical to the CF card to be copied to. (checking next)

mfilos · 23 January 2011, 17:38

I was using Ghost for DOS for a long time and works like a charm. I think that some peepz would be interested as well so it would be pretty cool to make a tutorial for them

craggus2000 · 23 January 2011, 18:09

I would be interested in a tutorial!

fitzsteve · 23 January 2011, 18:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by craggus2000

I would be interested in a tutorial!

+1, I usually do the system/work stuff and then leave the games stuff backing up when I pop out to the shops or something or WinUAE in the background...

Toni Wilen · 23 January 2011, 19:13

WinUAE: Click "Add Harddrive" -> Select drive -> Click "Create hard disk image file" is not easy enough?

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 19:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

WinUAE: Click "Add Harddrive" -> Select drive -> Click "Create hard disk image file" is not easy enough?

yup,

now how do you write that image to a fresh unused CF card ?

The create image is easy to read the CF card and create an image, but is there a way to plug in a brand new CF card and clone the image file on the new card without having to go through the steps of formatting, partitioning, mounting, and file copying?

orange · 23 January 2011, 19:33

I'd use dd, there is windows version of it.

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by orange

I'd use dd, there is windows version of it.

Whats "DD" ?

Retro-Nerd · 23 January 2011, 19:37

Physical Drive Image Creator works too. Try it ages ago with a SD-card.

http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521

TCD · 23 January 2011, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipper2k

Whats "DD" ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd_%28Unix%29

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 19:42

Lets start the ball rolling.

Here is a pic of the ide adapter you would need to buy to hook it up to the ide bus.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/40-Pin-IDE-CF-Com...item414a024846

thyey are dirt cheap

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

Physical Drive Image Creator works too. Try it ages ago with a SD-card.

http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521

Thanks for the link, I'll try this app out today, let you know how it works

Retro-Nerd · 23 January 2011, 19:52

You probably need a card of the same size, if you intend to write the raw backup to another card.

Toni Wilen · 23 January 2011, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

You probably need a card of the same size, if you intend to write the raw backup to another card.

This is the reason why WinUAE won't even attempt to write whole HD images. Writing to bigger HD/CF is of course possible but hd partitioning programs can get confused if drive size changes. IMHO it is not worth the risk.

desiv · 23 January 2011, 20:13

What I've found is that writing data back from an image to a different sized drive can be problematic. So I usually just "Mount" the image and copy the data manually.

We had a server we were trying to move to different hardware. We've done it often without problems, but this one was being a pain. Destination was larger, but it just wouldn't boot. We tried, Ghost, Ghost4Linux, dd, and Acronis... This was a Netware server, so all the attempts were "binary", but still nothing. We eventually went P2V to VMWare and were able to get a working VM. (It's happily there today.. ;-)

I like the concept of the WinUAE create an HDF for an image.. Never thought about that..
I'm planning on trying to rsync my Amiga data in some way now that I have it going on ethernet, but that sounds nice as a backup..

desiv

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 21:06

k, i tried the app

http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521

and it works very nicely. easy steps....

turn off computer
- connect the CF to IDE adapter to ide cable, plug in CF card.
- turn on comp, load windows (XP Pro for me)
- run the app, select the Physical drive
- select a (new) name for the image to be saved
- select create image (make sure its a NTFS partition for files greater than 2GB
- let it read...

once completed, SHUT DOWN computer...
- put in CF card to be written to
- turn on computer, run the app
- select filename (point to filename previously created)
- select restore image
- after approx 8 minutes your new cloned CF card is ready and WORKS

- I used a Kingston 4GB CF card (for source and the clone)

Now the important info...

- you can only clone a CF card of equal size (buy the same ones)
- ensure you select the correct physical drive to write (reading too, but thats not as critical)
- The program will identify the drive selected as drive phyisicaldrive1, physicaldrive2 etc... once selected it will show you more info about the drive, check the size, it should report 4GB (for a 4GB card) to verify you have selected the correct drive
- The drive image is not compressed so you will need a full 4GB available on a NTFS partition
- don't rush, make sure you understand what you are doing.
- NEVER remove CF card while power is on your computer
- The adapter that i use has an LED to indicate read/writes

I also think that you should be able to use a HDF image providing the size of the hdf file is identical to the CF card to be copied to. (checking next)

Retro-Nerd · 23 January 2011, 21:11

Quote:

- after approx 8 minutes your new cloned CF card is ready and WORKS

Nice, now you have to change your thread title.

Anemos · 23 January 2011, 21:34

I need about 4-5min to take full backup 4GB CF with 99% memory full..
The clone program can not tell (coz you will hit me for a months..)

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anemos

I need about 4-5min to take full backup 4GB CF with 99% memory full..
The clone program can not tell (coz you will hit me for a months..)

lol, it all depends on the speed of the SD card, not sure of the rated speed of the kingstons

Anemos · 23 January 2011, 21:42

SD? we talk for CF i think ..

my CF is Sandisk type I 4GB the best or the best cards..

kipper2k · 23 January 2011, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anemos

SD? we talk for CF i think ..

my CF is Sandisk type I 4GB the best or the best cards..

Damn, CF card i meant, gettin harder to keep stuff in the old noggin

23 January 2011, 17:14	#1
kipper2k Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Thunder Bay, Canada Posts: 4,323	How to copy your 4GB CF card in about 12 minutes Hi All, If anyone is interested in a tutorial for creating a backup of your CF card or cloning it, let me know if you are interested. We all know how long it can take to copy files onto a fresh CF card etc. Using a computer in Dos (not dos mode within windows) a cheap CF adapter and an old Dos version of Norton ghost you can now create a perfect backup of your precious CF card within minutes. If there is interest i will create a tutorial for it as it is a little involved. You would be able to clone any 4GB card onto any other 4GB card. I know what a pain it is sometimes partitioning anf formatting them damn things on an Amiga so a Cloning solution is perfect UPDATE... i moved this thread from below to the top for easier reading.... k, i tried the app from within Windows OS http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521 and it works very nicely. easy steps.... turn off computer - connect the CF to IDE adapter to ide cable, plug in CF card. - turn on comp, load windows (XP Pro for me) - run the app, select the Physical drive - select a (new) name for the image to be saved - select create image (make sure its a NTFS partition for files greater than 2GB - let it read... once completed, SHUT DOWN computer... - put in CF card to be written to - turn on computer, run the app - select filename (point to filename previously created) - select restore image - after approx 8 minutes your new cloned CF card is ready and WORKS - I used a Kingston 4GB CF card (for source and the clone) Now the important info... - you can only clone a CF card of equal size (buy the same ones) - ensure you select the correct physical drive to write (reading too, but thats not as critical) - The program will identify the drive selected as drive phyisicaldrive1, physicaldrive2 etc... once selected it will show you more info about the drive, check the size, it should report 4GB (for a 4GB card) to verify you have selected the correct drive - The drive image is not compressed so you will need a full 4GB available on a NTFS partition - don't rush, make sure you understand what you are doing. - NEVER remove CF card while power is on your computer - The adapter that i use has an LED to indicate read/writes I also think that you should be able to use a HDF image providing the size of the hdf file is identical to the CF card to be copied to. (checking next) Last edited by kipper2k; 24 January 2011 at 16:39.

23 January 2011, 21:06	#15
kipper2k Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Thunder Bay, Canada Posts: 4,323	k, i tried the app http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521 and it works very nicely. easy steps.... turn off computer - connect the CF to IDE adapter to ide cable, plug in CF card. - turn on comp, load windows (XP Pro for me) - run the app, select the Physical drive - select a (new) name for the image to be saved - select create image (make sure its a NTFS partition for files greater than 2GB - let it read... once completed, SHUT DOWN computer... - put in CF card to be written to - turn on computer, run the app - select filename (point to filename previously created) - select restore image - after approx 8 minutes your new cloned CF card is ready and WORKS - I used a Kingston 4GB CF card (for source and the clone) Now the important info... - you can only clone a CF card of equal size (buy the same ones) - ensure you select the correct physical drive to write (reading too, but thats not as critical) - The program will identify the drive selected as drive phyisicaldrive1, physicaldrive2 etc... once selected it will show you more info about the drive, check the size, it should report 4GB (for a 4GB card) to verify you have selected the correct drive - The drive image is not compressed so you will need a full 4GB available on a NTFS partition - don't rush, make sure you understand what you are doing. - NEVER remove CF card while power is on your computer - The adapter that i use has an LED to indicate read/writes I also think that you should be able to use a HDF image providing the size of the hdf file is identical to the CF card to be copied to. (checking next) Last edited by kipper2k; 23 January 2011 at 21:21.

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23 January 2011, 17:38	#2
mfilos Paranoid Amigoid Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Athens/Greece Age: 45 Posts: 1,978	I was using Ghost for DOS for a long time and works like a charm. I think that some peepz would be interested as well so it would be pretty cool to make a tutorial for them

23 January 2011, 18:09	#3
craggus2000 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Braintree, Essex, UK Age: 39 Posts: 126	I would be interested in a tutorial!

23 January 2011, 19:13	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,506	WinUAE: Click "Add Harddrive" -> Select drive -> Click "Create hard disk image file" is not easy enough?

23 January 2011, 19:33	#7
orange Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Belgrade Posts: 567	I'd use dd, there is windows version of it.

23 January 2011, 19:37	#9
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,438	Physical Drive Image Creator works too. Try it ages ago with a SD-card. http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=74521

23 January 2011, 19:52	#12
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,438	You probably need a card of the same size, if you intend to write the raw backup to another card.

23 January 2011, 20:13	#14
desiv Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Salem, OR Posts: 1,767	What I've found is that writing data back from an image to a different sized drive can be problematic. So I usually just "Mount" the image and copy the data manually. We had a server we were trying to move to different hardware. We've done it often without problems, but this one was being a pain. Destination was larger, but it just wouldn't boot. We tried, Ghost, Ghost4Linux, dd, and Acronis... This was a Netware server, so all the attempts were "binary", but still nothing. We eventually went P2V to VMWare and were able to get a working VM. (It's happily there today.. ;-) I like the concept of the WinUAE create an HDF for an image.. Never thought about that.. I'm planning on trying to rsync my Amiga data in some way now that I have it going on ethernet, but that sounds nice as a backup.. desiv

23 January 2011, 21:34	#17
Anemos 70X7 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ἑλλάς Posts: 1,078	I need about 4-5min to take full backup 4GB CF with 99% memory full.. The clone program can not tell (coz you will hit me for a months..)

23 January 2011, 21:42	#19
Anemos 70X7 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ἑλλάς Posts: 1,078	SD? we talk for CF i think .. my CF is Sandisk type I 4GB the best or the best cards..

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