Requesting assistance for backup software

[Gotenks98]

Hi all,

 

I am needing some kind of imaging software that is free that will allow me to backup my SD card as an image file that I can restore later. The sd card is used for my Raspberry Pi 2 currently. I am needing to perform a demo of how it works so I need to strip out all the custom stuff I have by re-flashing the SD card to the default settings. The issue is the card has linux partitions on it so Windows will not see the files by default. Also the current backup solution that I have backs up the 32gb SD card however the image is still 32gb. It does not account for the free space. I need something that does some kind of compression and not have a huge image for something that should be at most 5 to 6gb of data. Any free suggestions that can be used to backup a Raspberry Pi SD card from a Windows computer?

[BinaryData]

Hi all,

 

I am needing some kind of imaging software that is free that will allow me to backup my SD card as an image file that I can restore later. The sd card is used for my Raspberry Pi 2 currently. I am needing to perform a demo of how it works so I need to strip out all the custom stuff I have by re-flashing the SD card to the default settings. The issue is the card has linux partitions on it so Windows will not see the files by default. Also the current backup solution that I have backs up the 32gb SD card however the image is still 32gb. It does not account for the free space. I need something that does some kind of compression and not have a huge image for something that should be at most 5 to 6gb of data. Any free suggestions that can be used to backup a Raspberry Pi SD card from a Windows computer?

Well, you can use WinRAR, but I'm not entirely sure how well the compression would work.

EaseUS - Todo Backup Free

This might work as well. I use MagicISO for my ISO stuff. I actually paid for my copy.

[aphanic]

I'm afraid that free may not be possible.

 

The problem here lies in the partition type you need to backup, be it an Ext/Reiser/XFS you need software capable of understanding their structure to be able to smartly backup the partition, otherwise it is a "sector by sector" backup so to speak which is why you end up with a 32GB image instead of a smaller one.

 

I seem to recall Acronis products to be able to deal with some types of Linux partitions but I don't remember the specifics, which you could use to make and restore the images. Also R-Tools ones (R-Studio, R-Drive) may be useful as well, they focus on data recovery and restoration so the image won't probably be as small as possible (think forensics, etc.); but it does understand Ext2/3/4.

 

From Windows may be another problem as well, the support for such kind of partitions is lacking aside from a couple of things to gain read access.

 

Have you considered a Linux distribution like CloneZilla? I would be free and would of course support the partitions you have to deal with.

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

 

Perhaps you could try Clonezilla?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

[BinaryData]

Hello,

 

Perhaps you could try Clonezilla?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

Totally spaced on Clonezilla.

[+BudMan MVC]

Why not just use the same tool you use to write the images with in windows..

 

http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

 

I know for a fact this can take the image of the SD, etc.. Have done it multiple times..

[LaP]

Try AOMEI Backupper.

 

http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html