New category: Live USB Creator

[donald]

I would like to suggest a new category "Live USB Creator".

("Live USB Creator" = Portable software for installing one or more live or persistent OS to USB)

I can mention 3 programs listed on TPFC that fit the description easily:
1.) LiLi USB Creator,
2.) Universal USB Installer,
3.) UNetbootin

All three are found in the CD/DVD - Authoring category

I believe the current category "CD/DVD - Authoring" does match these programs as well as "Live usb creator" could. (I think it is a much better descriptor.)

[webfork]

I'm a big fan of portable Linux stuff, but I haven't tried these tools so I have a hard time making a recommendation either way. Given that these tools can be used by even Windows users who have no interest in Linux but need to backup their machine, that seems an important addition.

I would like to make a bigger dent in some of the other categories that have a few too many members (primarily Desktop Accessories) but that's my issue.

[guinness]

And it appears all the examples above were added/suggested by me

I am plus one for the changes suggested.

[Ruby]

I think this is a good idea, and let me be the first in this post to recommend an excellent
system maintenance and recovery distro.

RIPLinuX

Check out the changelog, RIP is constantly being updated with the latest programs.

Download the X version (graphical interface), it's the one with the capital X in the name.

After you download, use one of the USB tools or burn the iso and reboot, you end up in a plain, empty desktop,
upon right-clicking there is a beautiful menu with everything you need to maintain/recover your machine.

There are 3 partition imaging programs: FSArchiver, Partclone, Partimage.
I currently use Partclone (console) and Partimage (GUI) to create images of my Windows system both ~4 GiB.

There are also some good recovery options, one being TestDisk/PhotoRec, which as you can see in the changelog
has just been updated.

There are all kinds of tools for monitoring and finding out exactly what is that machine your on.

RIPLinuX is a snappy little distro, give it a try I'm certain you won't be disappointed!

RIPLinuX home site!
RIPLinuX (README) - Version Inependent, go to home site and click the link, there's alot of info there.
Changelog (README)
Download - Version independent, go to home site and click the link, Bootable ISO (RIPLinuX-xx.x.iso)

[SYSTEM]

There are 3 partition imaging programs: FSArchiver, Partclone, Partimage.
I currently use Partclone (console) and Partimage (GUI) to create images of my Windows system both ~4 GiB.

None of them can clone the Master Boot Record. The images you've created don't help you if something damages your MBR.

Edit: I was wrong, the above paragraph isn't true (see below).

On the other hand, Clonezilla Live (included in Clonezilla-SysRescCD and based on partclone) clones the MBR as well.

[Ruby]

OK, how do I respond to this?

I can see Clonezilla in your signature so I'll be gentle.

None of them can clone the Master Boot Record.

This is simply not true, if you run Partimage you will see it right in the UI.

[Restore an MBR from the image file [source]]

Granted it might only be the MBR and might not contain the partition table for any extended partitions,
I'm not sure if this has been cleared up yet, but it does contain it in the image.

Partimage does not restore the MBR by default.
Clonezilla on the other hand does. But this can quickly go bad if there's been any partitioning
done on the hard drive since the snapshot. Unless of course Clonezilla only restores the code section (first 440 bytes)
of the MBR, I'm not sure if it does or not.

The images you've created don't help you if something damages your MBR.

The image you create is still good and there are numerous ways of building/rebuilding the MBR.

For me, cloning my partition consists of 3 lines in a console window, which I believe uses the same tools as Clonezilla.
Create Image:

Code: Select all

partclone.ntfs -c -d -s /dev/sda1 | gzip -c > /mnt/sdb1/image

Backup MBR:

Code: Select all

dd if=/dev/sda of=/mnt/sdb1/sda-bak.dd count=1 bs=512

Backup partition tables:

Code: Select all

sfdisk -d /dev/sda > /mnt/sdb1/sda-bak.sf

Like I said RIPLinuX is my choice for offline recovery and maintenance, with a wealth of tools,
a handsome UI (albeit plain) and an abundance of man pages there is just no competition.

Hell, I can even listen to some jams or watch a video, try that in Clonezilla!

[SYSTEM]

None of them can clone the Master Boot Record.

This is simply not true, if you run Partimage you will see it right in the UI.

[Restore an MBR from the image file [source]]

Granted it might only be the MBR and might not contain the partition table for any extended partitions,
I'm not sure if this has been cleared up yet, but it does contain it in the image.

You're right. I just booted the latest SystemRescueCd on a virtual machine to verify.

Somehow this ability is not mentioned anywhere on the partimage website...

Partimage does not restore the MBR by default.
Clonezilla on the other hand does. But this can quickly go bad if there's been any partitioning
done on the hard drive since the snapshot. Unless of course Clonezilla only restores the code section (first 440 bytes)
of the MBR, I'm not sure if it does or not.

FYI, defaults of Clonezilla are the following:

• If you're restoring a whole disk, Clonezilla Live first restores the first 446 bytes of the MBR by using dd. After that, the partition table is restored by using sfdisk.
• If you're restoring partitions, only the first 446 bytes of the MBR are cloned. The partition table isn't touched at all.

Of course, the settings can be changed too.

Hell, I can even listen to some jams or watch a video, try that in Clonezilla!

Yes, I admit it's impossible with Clonezilla. You can switch virtual terminal while cloning (Alt-F2), but there is no GUI available.

[Andrew Lee]

I have added a new category for "Live USB Creator" and updated the 3 suggested entries to use the new category.