Programming :: Access To Multi-Partitions Disk Image
Jan 30, 2010
I have a 2GB file which is a dd image of a block device. The block device (a USB-connected flash memory) contains multiple partitions, and therein lies the problem. I want/need to access the various partitions in the image file, but need to do this without actually using a physical flash memory device. If the image was that of a single partition, I could simply mount it on a loop device, and access the filesystem as necessary. However, I can find no kind of virtual block device upon which to write/mount the image.
I've searched the net exhaustively for anything that would seem to allow me to do what I need, but without even a sniff of success. Sadly, I have seen bits of information that suggest "you can't get there from here". Even the outstanding dd tutorial by AwesomeMachine on LQ didn't help. Anyone know of a kind of virtual block device on which a multi-partition image can be written and mounted? Or any other way I can access individual partitions (with various filesystem types on each) and then re-assemble them back to a single image?
Simple question, which implies lot of complexity, unfortunately : how to install Clonezilla and mount multi-partitions cloned image disk under DEBIAN ?
Wishing that one day Linux would be so easy and complete as Windows. But we are gaining more users, so Linux will have more apps
I downloaded an raw SD card image that has two partitions. It caused some file system errors when I tried to dd it directly into an SD card. I am not sure if the card is defective or the image. Is there a way to examine this image without writing it to a physical card? Like trying to mount the partitions separately or checking the tables?
I have successfully set up a multi-seat configuration using 2 nvidia cards with 2 instances of X running at the same time. Thing is now, I can't access my external hard drive or any usb thumb drives I plug in. Normally when they would just open up after I plug them it, I get an error saying "unable to mount, Not Authorized". How I can regain access to this? I am using Linux Mint 10
I am installing Linux on some spare space I left over from my previous two Windows installations.
From within Linux, what's the most risk-free way of imaging these two partitions and saving them to a single image file or archive? I want to preserve the entire partition because I have no idea what I may have forgotten to copy. What is the most suitable program that can do this?
Is there any way to run the partition in a virtual machine at a later date?
After this is done, I want to delete those old partitions and extend my Linux ones.
To make a very low level backup of my laptop prior to upgrading it, I decided to create an iso of the harddisk; while it is doing this, but a bit too far to just cancel and start anew, so I cannot test it out right now I decided to post here.
of course, there are partitions on /dev/sda (there's a swap for example)I may (am pretty damn sure I will) want to access the files within the iso, and that's where I wonder how to tackle that; I'm thinking along the lines of setting up a loopback device (losetup) but I don't think that that will be enough to recognize the partitions. Any thoughts? (or just re-create an image of /dev/sda1 ?)
I have vista and opensuse 11.2 on my computer, the problem is i can't open ext3 partitions from vista but i can the other way. I tried Ext2fsd but the linux partition is always in a read only mood even when i change this option. Also, all folders are empty I downloaded the program as admin and compatable with XP SP2.
i decided to build a home server on an AMD64 (buyed some years ago) for file storage, printer sharing and something else... I've searched a lot for "the best distros for server" and discarding extreme solution (like command line only) what remains is: Ubuntu, Fedora and Debian
Now the problem: how to install more than one distros on the same hdd? what i know is that i need a bootloader (grub/lilo) and partitions for boot,swap, and remaining space will be split for the distro itself.
I think is a good idea to have a partition only for files (/data) that all distros can access, but for sure i'd like to have one /root and one /home partitions each distro!
I can't understand if the correct way is first of all to install a distro (let's say ubuntu), then set up everything such as partitions and bootloader and then install other distros. I'd like to know if it is possible to manage dinamycally the space reserved for distros, so i'll be able to install 2,3,4,5...distros with no problems.
I am trying to create a multi-partition USB key to use to kick multiple OS's whenever I need (1 NTFS partition for Windows image and data storage, one ext3 for boot, another ext3 for Linux distros iso storage and the last one as a Fedora live usb with permanent storage).
I am using a Kingston Data Traveler G2 16GB usb key and I have absolutely no problem to create the partitions and all looks fine. The problem I encounter is that although I can format the 1st partition on the usd key to any fs I want, I am unable to do the same on the other partitions. I tried fdisk+mkfs.XXX (ext2, ext3, fat, vfat, ntfs) and gparted, and no luck.
mkfs.XXX gives me no errors when I run it but when I try to mount the partition in Fedora 14 the OS is unable detect the fs. Gparted allows me to format the fs, gives no errors, shows a format successful message, but when it re-scans the device the fs appears as unknown.
I know it is possible to do this as I had a DataTraveler 101 16GB and it was working fine until I lost it.
I'm setting up my laptop to dual boot (default Vista installation and Ubuntu). There's also a possibility I may add XP later as a triple boot.
My laptop came with two partitions already, the second one labelled "Recovery". I was planning on adding three partitions, one for the Ubuntu installation, one for Swap, and one for storing my files (accessible to both OSs). However, this would be five partitions (or six, if I add XP later).
I've never had to deal with this many partitions before and just learned about the maximum of four primary partitions.
This is the third 9.10 install to do this on two different laptops, so wondering what's up...
In both cases, the goal was to leave a large chunk of unpartitioned disk after the Ubuntu partitions, for a second OS install or a filesystem Ubuntu cannot create like NTFS.
When I install with manual partitions, the system can't boot and asks for me to insert a system disk and press any key. When I reinstall telling Ubuntu to "use the entire disk" it then works.
First laptop, first try:
Remainder of the 500GB disk is free space.
Fails to boot, "insert system disk".
First laptop, second try without the /boot partition:
Remainder of the 500GB disk is free space.
Fails to boot, "insert system disk".
"use entire disk" works perfectly.
Second laptop, first try:
Same thing, non-system disk or disk error, insert system disk.
Second try "use entire disk" is currently in progress but I expect the same to happen.
I need little help on live disk creation and disk image backup.
Can I create live disk using my hard drive installation? If yes then, can I restore the fedora from the live disk to the hard drive. I mean to say that from that live disk can I install fedora again in my hard drive.
Second question is, if I create the disk image of my hard drive( including ntfs & FAT32 partition) , can I restore it in a blank drive. If so , then can os will be restored also?
Currently I'm running 3 operating systems on my machine; Windows XP, Windows 7 and Fedora 14. I've installed them in the following order: XP -> Win7 -> Fedora14, with the idea that this would work fine regarding operating system selection at boot time.
But unfortunately, I just installed Fedora, and now I'm unable to boot Windows 7/XP. When I select the "Other" option in the Grub menu, I get the following error: Code: Error 21: selected disk does not exist To provide as much info as possible, here is a boot info script log:
I have just exported 3 png files out of gimp for a html document I'm working on right now, and they are all almost the same, except I need each to load when the user does something. So the first image will display on the page, and when a user puts their cursor over it, then it will load image 2. When they press it, it loads image 3.
Currently I'm running 3 operating systems on my machine (in order of installation); Windows XP, Windows 7 and Fedora 14. Unfortunately, after I installed Fedora I'm no longer able to boot Windows 7/XP. When I select the "Other" option in the Grub menu, I get the following error:
Code: Error 21: Selected disk does not exist To provide more info, here is a boot info script result: Code: Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010
Boot Info Summary: => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda => Grub 0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive in partition #3 for /grub/stage2 and /grub/grub.conf. => Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc .....
mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically
I'm trying to install a multi-disk (cd's) program and I've run into a snag. It's a windows program so I'm using Wine. The installer is asking for the second disk of a two disk set. However, the program won't release the drive so it won't open. I've searched a bit and discovered the command "eject" but it tells me I'm not root so I can't do that. I'm also worried about the consequences of typing a command I'm not familiar with (as root). I don't want to unmount the drive if that will disable it when I'm not confident I could remount it given my lack of expertise. I just want to eject the disk.
I tried the "straightened paper clip in the little hole on the drive" method. It didn't work. It knocks the drive out somehow and I had to cancel the installation to get it working again.
Code: fdisk -l Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sda1 1 3724 29912998+ 83 Linux /dev/sda2 29256 30401 9205245 7 HPFS/NTFS /dev/sda3 3725 4271 4393777+ 5 Extended /dev/sda4 * 4272 12104 62918572+ 83 Linux /dev/sda5 3725 4271 4393746 82 Linux swap / Solaris
I want ot install a new opensuse 11.4 as yest another OS. Due to the fact that I already have 4 sda partitions, I have to make some changes. What I am thinking about is to copy the sda2 (windows recovery) data to some folder etc (nevermind), then delete the sda2. Then I want to create a new primary partition for the new suse 11.4 and install it. What is worying me is the grub boot menu. I was planning to edit the new one (the opensuse 11.4), with old data.
Code: ###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux### title Desktop -- openSUSE 11.2 - 2.6.31.5-0.1 root (hd0,3) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31.5-0.1-desktop root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HTS542525K9SA00_080105BB0F00WDHE41DC-part4 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HTS542525K9SA00_080105$ initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.31.5-0.1-desktop .....
Now my question is will the settings of (hda0,n), change due to the fact that I have deleted the sda2? I have a lot of unused space at the end of my disk and want to create a new "sda2" there.
I am pretty new to Ubuntu and am practicing on an old desktop as a file print and domain controller for a work from home business while I build and configure a Linux server. My question is as follows: I have a laptop running windows 7, my wife has a MacPro running Snow Leopard, the kids have desk top running Ubuntu 10.04, I have a 500GB additional disk in the spare desktop which I want to use as a netork drive that will:
1) Win 7 backup location from the Laptop 2) Store backups of large photoshop files and other graphicsy type stuff from my wifes macpro. 3) Act as a shared directory for all of us 4) Store large multimedia files, mpegs etc
What is the best disk partition format - Am I restricted to NTFS due to the requirements to store Win 7 Backup files Secondly can anyone point me in the direction of a URL for getting the Samba permissions sorted for Windows 7, The kids PC dual boots Win XP and Ubuntu 10.04 Win XP is no problem to network but in Win 7 I can see all the shares in the network map but I always get permission errors both from the Ubuntu PC and Win 7 laptop. Most of the help files and manuals deal with 98/Me/XP and not windows vista / 7 that I can find.
I'm wondering if there's a way so that several people can log onto my computer at the same time. When they connect it goes to the login screen and they choose their account and log in. Everybody has a different account and sees a different desktop. Is that possible?
I have what I thought was a simple task of creating ISO images of my Windows 7 system partion and boot partiton (the C drive) on my physical hard drive that I could use to load Windows 7 onto a virtual machine. Anyway, I'm running Ubuntu off the CD drive and I can see my drive partions (checked using the fdisk -l command). I have tried many iterations of the mkisofs command, but no matter what I do I get the error message: unable to open disk image file 'dev/sdb/win7sys.iso'. I don't understand why it's trying to open an ISO file it is supposed to be creating. The -o FILE option sets the output file name, so the message makes no sense to me. Below is an example of a simple and longer version with more options that I have tried to create an image of my sytem partiton (sda1) and save it on an external drive (sdb) with the file name: win7sys.iso (the next step I think would be to create or merge both partition images as one iso file for the VM). But I can't get past this error.
* Note that the output after the -o parameter is the desired destination /dev/sdb (my external drive) for the image file and /dev/sda1 is my Windows 7 system or boot partition (sda2 is what Windows sees as the C drive).
I need to set the CR4.MCE bit for all the cores on my system (4). I'd like to write a linux kernel module for that, but I am not sure how to proceed: How do you sequentially access all of the CR4 registers? I have read the Intel manuals and they describe a way to initialize each core, but this is done in the bios.
I have 2 image files, image 1 which is 16MB, has multiple partitions, where the boot partition has a 2.4 kernel in it, and image 2, which is 32MB, has a single partition with a 2.6 kernel.
I wish to add those extra partitions from image 1, into image 2, either by adding them within the 32MB(which means cutting back on the size of the existing partition), or adding them to the end of the image(which means extending the image beyond 32MB).
The boot partition for both images is ext2, while the rest of the partitions in image 1 is just raw data.
I'm working with these images in Mandriva Linux 2009.
How can I achieve what I want to do? I think it should be with fdisk and/or mkfs but I'm not sure how? I've tried using gparted to regenerate the partitions from a new image file with the following steps: dd if=/dev/zero of=image.img bs=32M count=1 gparted image.img
Then I created a 30M boot partition. However, I'm not able to create the rest of the partitions as they are smaller than 1MB, which seems to be the min supported. I need precise control of the start/ending sectors of each partition.
