Shadow copy and windows backup fails

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark K Vallevand
  • Start date Start date
M

Mark K Vallevand

We'd like to use Windows Backup (ntbackup.exe) on our EWF CF drive.

Ntbackup.exe works fine if shadow copy is not used to save in-use files and
system information. If shadow copy is used, it fails. It looks like shadow
copy needs to get huge file on the volume. I think it wants 100mb. That's
simply not available. Even if we force free space on the volume, it doesn't
work consistantly.

Restoring files is also interesting. EWF runs out of memory during the
restore, so we are forced to restore piece-by-piece. EWF has a known
maximum of 256mb, so we expected this.

Has anyone developed and strategies for using Windows Backup on a
EWF-protected volume with limited free space?

Our current plan is to do offline backups and restores by booting from an
alternate boot device (USB). But, there are other issues with this plan.
We'd sure like to use Windows Backup on a live XPe system to backup and
restore system information (mainly registry) and selected data files. Even
better if we can backup and restore everything.
 
Hi Mark,

Sorry I don't understand what you are trying to do, but let me ask few
questions.

I don't use ntbackup with XPe so I don't know its requirements.

-You have XPe image on your CF that is protected by RAM EWF, right?
-You want to restore files where (to partition protected by EWF)?
- RAM EWF does not have maximum of 256 MB it is an error in documentation.
It will use as much as it can of your memory (not kernel memory).

Has anyone developed and strategies for using Windows Backup on a
EWF-protected volume with limited free space?
Click to expand...

Do you want to use active XPe to reimage its volume (disk)?
Even better if we can backup and restore everything.
Click to expand...

Like whole CF disk?

You can create application for backup, and restore of your disk. (If you
have system or admin credentials when you start it)
This can be done in few lines of code.
Use CreateFile(\\\\.\\PHYSICALDRIVE0, ..... to open your disk for read and
write this will bypass EWF, and after you reboot your new image will load.


Thing that I don't understand is why don't you simply change CF?

Regards,
Slobodan
 
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