Windows imaging (first release)
Sector-level image of Windows partition (admin rights required) by internal imager or... dd (!)
Yes, now there is a (GNU coreutil) dd embedded in the Windows executable (used for test the buffered -stdin)
Suggestion: fill to zero unused space before imaging (save space)
zpaqfranz f c:\ -zero
How to extract the zpaq archive after formatting the C partition?
Simply, you can't :)
Imaging of partitions (of course C too) is NOT (yet) something like Acronis or Macrium
It is (or should be) a full-backup that, in case of emergency, you need to
- Restore (extract from .zpaq the .img)
- Mount with something else (es. OSFMount https://www.osforensics.com/tools/mount-disk-images.html), then copy-and-paste your files
- OR open the .img with 7zip (supposing NTFS format), then extract with 7zip
- OR write back the image with "something" (example dd) into a virtual machine, or even the "real" HW (booting from USB key, for example)
work in progress...
Switch -dd (Windows)
Make an image with dd, via a script (beware of antivirus)
zpaqfranz a z:\2.zpaq c: -dd
Two additional parameters: -minsize bs and -maxsize count (just like dd)
Cannot use more add() parameters, but yes the -key (for encryption)
Next releases: dd-over-VSS
Switch -image (Windows)
Use internal imager to backup a partition. It is possible to use almost all "normal" add switch PLUS the new -buffer, useful for SSD
zpaqfranz a z:\2.zpaq e: -image
zpaqfranz a z:\2.zpaq c: -image -buffer 1MB -key pippo
-buffer X switch (in add)
Use a larger input buffer (zpaq's default is 4KB), typically 64KB or 1MB
-image switch in extraction (Windows)
Restore huge image w/smart progress, by default every 20MB or -minsize X
print_progress() cannot handle huge file (ex. vmdks) due to seek-and-write on
filesystems without "smartness"
example: seek @ 300GB and write 1KB
FS must write 300GB of zeros, then 1KB
with a slow spinning drive this can seems a "freeze"
=>when extracting this kind of file use -image and even -minsize something
if something is 1 all writes (and seeks) will be showed
zpaqfranz x copia.zpaq -to z:\prova\ -image
buffered -stdin
Much faster, good for archiving mysqldump piping into zpaqfranz
Minor fixes
- On -NOJIT (ex. Apple M1) shows more info on failed allocx
- Extended Windows error decoder
References:
stdin
Apple M1
Imaging