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Yes sorry I didn't take on board completely your directive (in this overview) not to install anything foreign on Sys:

My days of looking for holes is over

@amigadave
If you want to copy the actual partition layout from one harddisk to another, I suggest using Media Toolbox (in System). After opening the original harddisk, the menu provides several options for saving. I suggest using "Save profile" TWICE, first time choosing the MediaToolbox option, and second time choosing the Plain binary option. This will give you two files, at least one of which should work (MTB can be a bit flakey sometimes).

Now go to the new harddrive, open the menu & choose the matching "Load profile" option (probably on the MediaToolbox file). This should duplicate the partition layout. IIRC it will proportionally resize all partitions to fit the new harddisk, so you may want to reduce the size of any OS4 partitions back to a sensible (small) size afterwards. BEWARE that all partitions will have identical (device) names to your existing partitions, which will cause problems, so you MUST manually change their name (from say "DH0" to "DH0new", etc).

When done, click OK, then Save to disk, then you will need to reboot. Then go to Sys:System/Format to format the new partitions (making sure you don't accidentally format your original ones!). Again, I suggest giving different (volume) names (e.g. "Work2" instead of "Work"). Finally you can copy the contents from your old harddisk to your new one (see next post).

Regarding copying a partition from your old HD to a new one:

Do NOT drag'n'drop old partitions onto the new ones! While this MIGHT work, it (a) will be very slow (it will even copy empty space!), and (b) might not work correctly if the partitions are of different sizes (which is very likely). I think this was really intended for copying floppy disks, so I don't know how it will handle hardddisks.

I've never tried OnyxSoft's Backup program, but it sounds like it is the simplest option, since it has a GUI.

Personally speaking I currently use a couple of my own Shell programs to do jobs like this. First I use my AmigaAttributes program to backup all the links to a single file. Then I use my FolderSync2 program to actually copy all the files/etc (using Backup mode) from one partition to another. Finally I'd use my AmigaAttributes program again to recreate the links on the new partition. (Eventually I hope to add link support & a GUI to FolderSync2, at which point it'd be kinda similar to OnyxSoft's Backup program, but more aimed at keeping two folders or partitions bi-directionally synchronised). Both programs can be downloaded from http://cshandley.co.uk/ , but FolderSync2 is probably way out of date, so I might need to upload a new version if anyone runs into problems with it...

There is a RAID device for AOS4. It should be able to mirror disks. I have never tried it. It can be found from the OS4Depot and Aminet:
http://os4depot.net/index.php?function= ... device.lha
http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/swraid_device

For the benefit of newer AmigaOS 4 users could you outline how you deal with third party libraries etc that are normally installed on the SYS: partition using your method ?. Do you use multiple assigns to directories on another partition ?

tonyw wrote:You don't need to duplicate all the system software on a backup. That is all easily replaced by a reinstall.

What takes time to replace is all your private settings. They are all you have to save and you can save them all on a USB stick or a CD or anywhere you like.

Firstly, there should not be anything but system software installed on your system partition (my opinion only, of course). Don't install OWB or Timberwolf on SYS:, use a separate partition for all your external applications. That leaves the system partition clean for updates and new OS releases every six months.

I maintain, on another partition, a directory called "MyPrefs". MyPrefs contains:
MyPrefs/Devs/Internet/#?
MyPrefs/S/User-startup
MyPrefs/S/Shell/#?
MyPrefs/Prefs/Env-Archive/Sys/#?.prefs
MyPrefs/Kickstart/Kicklayout

That's it. When I have to reinstall the OS, I start with a clean partition, install, then just "Copy all clone MyPrefs/ Sys:". Done.

I only backup software that I've obtained as archives. I just copy it onto a CD-RW. If it's available on line (like all the OS releases), I don't keep copies at home.

tonyw wrote:You don't need to duplicate all the system software on a backup. That is all easily replaced by a reinstall.

What takes time to replace is all your private settings. They are all you have to save and you can save them all on a USB stick or a CD or anywhere you like.

Firstly, there should not be anything but system software installed on your system partition (my opinion only, of course). Don't install OWB or Timberwolf on SYS:, use a separate partition for all your external applications. That leaves the system partition clean for updates and new OS releases every six months.

I maintain, on another partition, a directory called "MyPrefs". MyPrefs contains:
MyPrefs/Devs/Internet/#?
MyPrefs/S/User-startup
MyPrefs/S/Shell/#?
MyPrefs/Prefs/Env-Archive/Sys/#?.prefs
MyPrefs/Kickstart/Kicklayout

That's it. When I have to reinstall the OS, I start with a clean partition, install, then just "Copy all clone MyPrefs/ Sys:". Done.

I only backup software that I've obtained as archives. I just copy it onto a CD-RW. If it's available on line (like all the OS releases), I don't keep copies at home.

That is probably good advice for users that received an OS4.x install CD, or DVD, but since those are not available yet for OS4.1.5 from who ever is making them for Hyperion and since AmigaKit did not include an ISO of the 4.1.5 CD, or DVD on my hard drive (they are now for all later shipped X1000's), I have no way of doing a "re-install" of OS4.1.5 System software. Hence my desire to create a "Restore" CD, or DVD, from my existing installation, in addition to cloning my hard drive to a different hard drive so I can remove my large 1TB hard drive for use in a different computer.

Thanks to everyone who replied to this thread. I have downloaded the Onyx backup software archive and will take a look at it and sort through all of your answers to try and determine which method will meet my needs the best. I hope amigasociety, who started this thread has got the answers he needed and I apologize if I hi-jacked it from him.

Not a problem AmigaDave.

Yes I have been using the Backup from OnyxSoft :
http://www.onyxsoft.se/backup.html

Seems to work easily. I believe it even only saves new and changed files on backups after the last so you always are left with the last condition of the files.

I will have to read their pages again to confirm that but 2nd backup was faster it seemed.

Anyway, I see the exact same folders on my external backup drive now. Not sure one could somehow make it bootable but I guess as long as I have backups, I could rebuild from them.

tj

Note that if you want exactly the same partition, you have to use the clean button before doing a backup.

In case of problem, if you copy back your file using backup, it should be bootable.

People suggested my program "BackUp", and I would also recommend that, of course

The biggest advantage of using BackUp instead of drag'n'drop in Workbench or DirOpus is that it creates incremental backups, which means when you like to renew your backup it will only copy new and changed files, not everything again. This makes it thousands times faster than making a full backup everytime.

The clean functionality allows you to keep your backup in sync by removing old deleted and renamed files and directories from the backup.

It doesn't compress or encrypt the backup in anyway which means it will be easily accessible even without the BackUp program. Compressing makes little sense these days. Especially since large data like pictures, music and video is already compressed way harder than any non-destructive algorithm can do.