Reply by Linnix September 23, 20042004-09-23
jetmarc@hotmail.com (jetmarc) wrote in message news:<af3f5bb5.0409230220.14394215@posting.google.com>...
> > does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a > > compact flash > > You can use WINHEX to open the CF as "disk" and then select all and > copy it to the clipboard.
First, you need a driver to treat the whole CF as a disk. Second, you have to prevent the rest of window to mess with it.
> Then you can create a new file and paste > the image to store it on your harddrive. In a similar way you can > write the image back to other CF cards, as long as they are of same > or bigger size. Note that not all CF cards with same size marking > are of exactly same size.
As long as you build the image slightly less than the actual size, it can work on all CFs.
> > Anyways, for production I would prefer a batch solution, because it > minimizes chances of operator errors. You know, its easy to cut and > paste one byte off, or have the cat run over the keyboard and ruin > the image for all subsequent cards.
We have a duplicator with 2 CF slots and 2 switches. The first CF holds the system files (<4M) and have space for all CF sizes. The second slot contains either the source (master) or destination (slave) CF. Depends on the switch position upon booting. It will either read or write the CF. We use a networked version, but some would prefer the standalone version. By the way, thanks for all the responses and requests for info. The plan for making it is at http://cfd.linnix.com/dup.txt
Reply by Lewin A.R.W. Edwards September 23, 20042004-09-23
> does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a > compact flash containing an operating system together with some > applications. The new flash disk must be able to boot after the
FYI: No solution that I've tried to this sort of problem is entirely satisfactory (when tested across large groups of CF media and also different BIOSes in the systems that expect to boot off the media). I don't recommend binary copying of CF media in this way. My solution is to format the card as DOS, and use SYSLINUX as the OS loader. SYSLINUX loads the kernel and initrd as ordinary DOS files. The user can update those files by simple drag-n-drop in Windows Explorer. REMEMBER TO REQUIRE THEM TO EJECT THE CARD IN EXPLORER BEFORE REMOVING FROM THE CARD-READER! If a new, blank card needs to be prepared, your batch file simply runs the DOS version of SYSLINUX to "bless" the card, then copies over the kernel and initrd image as files. This solution might not work so neatly for other OSes than Linux, but it should be adaptable for say FreeBSD.
Reply by jetmarc September 23, 20042004-09-23
> does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a > compact flash
You can use WINHEX to open the CF as "disk" and then select all and copy it to the clipboard. Then you can create a new file and paste the image to store it on your harddrive. In a similar way you can write the image back to other CF cards, as long as they are of same or bigger size. Note that not all CF cards with same size marking are of exactly same size. Anyways, for production I would prefer a batch solution, because it minimizes chances of operator errors. You know, its easy to cut and paste one byte off, or have the cat run over the keyboard and ruin the image for all subsequent cards.
Reply by Cliv...@-REMOVE-bundu.com September 22, 20042004-09-22
Rainer.Faulstich@web.de wrote in message news:<e10f790d.0409220131.d126a80@posting.google.com>...
> Hi, > > does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a > compact flash containing an operating system together with some > applications. The new flash disk must be able to boot after the > duplication. It might be possible under unix/linux by "dd if=/dev/xxx > of=/fileonsomedisk" but i'd prefer some non-batch solution. > > Any hints - Thanx > Rainer
I dont' know what you mean buy a non-batch solution, but you can use dd under cygwin on Windows: mount -f -b //./F: /dev/cflash dd of=myImage.bin if=/dev/cflash bs=512 count=xxx dd of=/dev/cflash if=myImage.bin bs=512 count=xxx Where F: is a free drive letter, and xxx is the number of 512 byte blocks you want to read or write. Regards, Clive __________________ Bundu Technology Ltd. http://www.bundu.com Custom hardware & software, design and development. Windows, Palm, Linux & Embedded.
Reply by Linnix September 22, 20042004-09-22
"Meindert Sprang" <mhsprang@NOcustomSPAMware.nl> wrote in message news:<10l2j0k648apl44@corp.supernews.com>...
> <Rainer.Faulstich@web.de> wrote in message > news:e10f790d.0409220131.d126a80@posting.google.com... > > Hi, > > > > does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a > > compact flash containing an operating system together with some > > applications. The new flash disk must be able to boot after the > > duplication. It might be possible under unix/linux by "dd if=/dev/xxx > > of=/fileonsomedisk" but i'd prefer some non-batch solution.
We don't have keyboard or mouse at all for my_server power on my_server wsftp to my_server:/the_directory/file_on_some_disk power off my_server insert compact flash on my_adaptor on secondard IDE channel of my_server power on my_server automatic copy power off my server remove compact flash done contact us at http://cfd.linnix.com for instructions on building my_server.
> > What exactly do you mean by "non-batch solution". Using dd is as simple as > you can get.
I guess they are too lazy with the keyboard.
> > Meindert
Reply by Richard September 22, 20042004-09-22
Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com> wrote in news:41519ac8$0$63271$a1866201
@newsreader.visi.com:

> On 2004-09-22, Rainer.Faulstich@web.de <Rainer.Faulstich@web.de> wrote: > >> does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE >> copy of a compact flash containing an operating system >> together with some applications. The new flash disk must be >> able to boot after the duplication. It might be possible under >> unix/linux by "dd if=/dev/xxx of=/fileonsomedisk" > > It is. That works fine. > > Be warned that sizes of CF cards vary qutie a bit (not all > 256MB flashes are the same size), so you'll get different size > image files from different CF cards > > The folks I knew that were duplicating flashes never had much > luck with windows solutions. >
I have used Elan Memory Explorer software to duplicate PCMCIA memory card images. You can get adapters for CF to PCMCIA that are supported by their software, although I have never used them personally. Not the most elegent solution by any means. -- Richard
Reply by Grant Edwards September 22, 20042004-09-22
On 2004-09-22, Rainer.Faulstich@web.de <Rainer.Faulstich@web.de> wrote:

> does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE > copy of a compact flash containing an operating system > together with some applications. The new flash disk must be > able to boot after the duplication. It might be possible > under unix/linux by "dd if=/dev/xxx of=/fileonsomedisk"
It is. That works fine. Be warned that sizes of CF cards vary qutie a bit (not all 256MB flashes are the same size), so you'll get different size image files from different CF cards The folks I knew that were duplicating flashes never had much luck with windows solutions.
> but i'd prefer some non-batch solution.
Huh? What does "non-batch" mean? -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! Is this where people at are HOT and NICE and they visi.com give you TOAST for FREE??
Reply by Meindert Sprang September 22, 20042004-09-22
<Rainer.Faulstich@web.de> wrote in message
news:e10f790d.0409220131.d126a80@posting.google.com...
> Hi, > > does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a > compact flash containing an operating system together with some > applications. The new flash disk must be able to boot after the > duplication. It might be possible under unix/linux by "dd if=/dev/xxx > of=/fileonsomedisk" but i'd prefer some non-batch solution.
What exactly do you mean by "non-batch solution". Using dd is as simple as you can get. Meindert
Reply by September 22, 20042004-09-22
Hi,

does somebody know a (windows) tool to make a BINARY IMAGE copy of a
compact flash containing an operating system together with some
applications. The new flash disk must be able to boot after the
duplication. It might be possible under unix/linux by "dd if=/dev/xxx
of=/fileonsomedisk" but i'd prefer some non-batch solution.

Any hints - Thanx
Rainer