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Howto Fix Windows by restoring a previously made Tar backup copy.


Apr 16, 2005
David Gleba
V0.02


Purpose:

This method involves making a backup of a newly installed MS windows 2k/XP,
using Linux and restoring it when Windows becomes broken or infected
seemingly beyond repair.

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1.
Introduction:
You install Windows, add the software you need to get going, and back
it up.

If there is a problem that is not easily fixed, you will at some
point deem the installation easier to restore than to fix.

This takes you through the process.

Advantages of this system:
-you can back it up to any media including the very same ppartition
it is installed on.
-you can rename the old system and keep it on the disk
until you are comfortable that all the files you need from the
old system are retrieved.
-no need to format your drive.

This same procedure can be used to backup a Linux system as well.

1b.
Requirements:
-fat32 format for windows partition. Not NTFS.
-Kanotix live CD
-Windows CD
-disk space for backup. A 2.3 gig winxp install is about 11.2 gig backed up.


2.
Partition the drive as per the following:

Use Windows XP/2K setup CD to create empty unformatted
partitions the sizes listed in the table below
for the first three partitions. 
Use Kanotix live Linux CD or similar CD for the rest. 
It may be possible to use Kanotix to do all
the partitioning, although I am not sure I have 
tested that.

c: 	hda1	FAT16	1G	Optional:Compatible format, use for booting and
				   things that insist on being on c: drive.
d:	hda5	FAT32	6.1G	Windows XP Main installation
e:	hda6	FAT32	6.4G	Windows XP testing installation
	hda7	swap	350Meg	Linux Swap
	hda8	ext3	5.3G	Linux (EG: Mepis)
	hda9	ext3	5.45G	Linux (EG: Debian-Kanotix)
f:	hda11	fat32	29.9G	Data (rest of the disk can be data)
etc...

I don't think Linux can reliably write to NTFS, so I recommend
Fat32 disk format.

Note that you don't have to partition this way, it's just
more flexible since you can run more than one operating system
from the disk, and you can save stuff on one partition while
working on or erasing another.

Be carefull not to exceed the windows 127meg partition limit.

Use different partition sizes to help uniquely identify
each partition.

Once this partitioning is done, the likelyhood of needing
to change this is very low.

I do change format of a partition at times. Eg: from reiser
to ext3.

Don't use too many partitioning programs on the same disk.
In this case, start with Windows XP, then use Kanotix thereafter.


3.
Install WindowsNT/2k/XP on d: 

Then Add the software you need to get productive.
for example:
-serv.pack 2
-norton internet security
-printer: laser 4p
-java
You may want to back it up before it gets 'broken'.
-openoffice
-msn messenger
-firefox
-flash plugin for firefox
-editpadlite
-winrar or winzip
-MSoffice-2000
-adobe pdf reader
-nero burning rom
Then back it up before it gets 'broken'.

4.
Backup the windows system:

Boot up the Kanotix CD and from a command prompt
run the following commands. You may have to edit it
to suit your partitions.

su	[to change to root user]
cd /mnt/hda5
#tar -czvf   /mnt/hda11/bwinxp-j-pf-b4l06.tgz  /mnt/hda12/"Program Files"/*
#tar -czvf   /mnt/hda11/bwinxp-j-ds-b4l06.tgz  /mnt/hda12/"Documents and Settings"/*
#tar -czvf   /mnt/hda11/bwinxp-j-b4l06.tgz    /mnt/hda12/winxp/* 

Store these files somewhere like a DVD, another hard disk, or even on the same
hard disk that you backed up.

If you want to backup a linux o/s:
tar --index-file=tarout5 --one-file-system -czvvf /mnt/hda14/bkd9hda5-mep-b5c29.tgz /


Since this method makes the Windows folders listed below 'expendable', it is advisable
to store your files/music/pictures/etc [this is your data] in another folder.

"Program Files"/*
"Documents and Settings"/*
"winxp"/* 


Create a folder named something like c:\data and store all your files you want to keep
there. Make subfolders in the c:\data folder.

Some things cannot be kept elsewhere, such as Internet Explorer favourites, so you
have to come up with a way around it or back them up. In this case you can:
-import them to yahoo.com bookmarks periodically.
-rename the "Documents and Settings" folder before you resstore and pluck the
	necessary info from it later.


5.
Restore:

If your system becomes broken and it can't be easily fixed, then
you can restore the backup and be running again.

The backup was taken after you installed just enough software
to be productive.

It will have some desktop.ini files showing up in menus and
such, but these are easily deleted. The file permissions/attributes
will not be ideal, but Windows doesn't respect those in many
cases anyway.

You can delete the folders that will be restored or
just rename them for safe keeping. 
If you rename them, you can get what files
you need from them in the next few weeks/months after restoring
and then delete them when you no longer have great need
for them.

Boot up the Kanotix 2005-01 CD and from a command prompt
run the following commands. You may have to edit it
to suit your partitions.


cd /mnt/hda5
#restore
#tar -xzvf  /mnt/hda11/bwinxp-j-pf-b4l06.tar.gz
#tar -xzvf  /mnt/hda11/bwinxp-j-ds-b4l06.tar.gz 
#tar -xzvf  /mnt/hda11/bwinxp-j-b4l06.tar.gz


If you want to restore a linux O/S:
tar --same-permissions -xzvvvpf /mnt/hda14/bkd9hda5-mep-b5c29.tgz




End.


Keywords:
backup, restore, fix Microsoft Windows XP 2000 2k,
Linux, tar, 
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Revision history.

V 0.01   initial version Apr 5-2005
v 0.02   additions, May17-2005	
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