Cloning/imaging

[idoru]

hi,

Besides this buggy trashy pile of horse manure of Acronis boot media CD, what is the best imaging solutions you've come across?

I've just spent 2 hours trying to access a backup image on my NAS within my network created with Acronis Rescue Media 2021 Build 39216 that I gave up and have copied the file to a local PC disk to use it.

When browsing for a source 9 times on 10 it hangs one time in the filter it gives me the full path and subdirectories, one time it hangs at the root, double-clicking on nearby computers makes it hang/freeze, clicking in the left pane, gives an endless hourglass, etc... It is so frustrating that I would throw my PC out of the window.

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And finally the imaging process has left me with a system full of errors, non starting services, windows staying on the desktop when asked to restart, etc...

This isn't the 1st time I'm displeased with this software but I find the functionnality, useability and ergonomy has gone worse.

 

[file3456]

Before I go on and share my unorthodox approach to backup clones, I want to address the possible issue you may be having with the NAS and directory access.

Now, I'm not for sure this is the issue or not, but to me this sounds straight up Samba/NetBIOS BS related. And I say "BS" because Samba is a weak horse when it comes to network shares and NAS access. And NetBIOS is weak sauce in so many ways in terms of security it isn't even funny. This is why I don't use it and turn it off in all network adapters. Even then, I still see creeper Windows reach out on the network to other computers in the house while I'm monitoring my network with a network packet sniffer. I've also read time and time again people having NetBIOS/Samba issues on various tech forums for years and years.

Now get this. If you live in the U.S. you would be familiar with the ISP Comcast. Well, back "in the day" (probably around 15 years ago) people that used Comcast were able to browse other people's computers who were also using Comcast through NetBIOS. This was because of the way the cable broadband ISP operated withen a whole neighborhood. Like a network. LOL! That issue has since been fixed however. But it goes to show you why NetBIOS can be a weak sauce who's a close relative of diarrhea. Here's an old article on the issue. Here's another.

My solution for file transfers? A local only FTP server. Yes, it's mundane, slow and archaic, but it works for me quite well. The better solution would perhaps be WebDAV. If you use WebDAV you can use the excellent FTP client WinSCP to not only browse FTP/SFTP directories, but WebDAV directories as well. WinSCP also supports AWS S3, but I found it slow. For S3 I use the program S3 Browser.

If you want remote access to your FTP/SFTP/WebDAV server without a compromise in security via port forwarding, look no further than Zerotier. This is a program that does NOT need open ports in the router/modem for remote access. It works much like a screen sharing program would work by being a client that creates an IP connection to ZeroTier's servers of which you can connect to and then connect to your resource at home. Be it the aforementioned WebDAV server, NAS server, Team Speak server, your own private Bitwarden (an awesome password manager I currently recommend) server, or some other server. I could roll a small LAMP stack using XAMPP and create a private Wikipedia at home that I can access just for me. The Wiki software is free and open source if I'm not mistaken. I believe the CIA has their own private version who's name I can't remember now. Anyway, you get the point. If you do need open ports, I'd deploy the Pfsense firewall. For FTP browsing on my Android mobile devices, I use the AndFTP App. I'm sure iOS has similar Apps as well.
I like this ability because if I take a very juicy photo, like a crime taking place or what ever, I can immediately upload it at home for safe keeping in my own encrypted possession.

Now onto my unorthodox approach to disk cloning in response to your question for alternatives.

Since I roll FDE (Full Disk Encryption) on all of my computers, I need a very special way to not only clone the HDD sector by sector, but I also have to dump that cloned image to an encrypted container to mitigate cryptanalysis. (Yes, I'm a freaking nerd! But it's all part and parcel of the "nerd ethos", and if I know how to do it, why not)?

So, in the beginning I used to use an awesome and very vestal "bit of kit" called Clonezilla. This is a Linux live boot CD (USB) and will clone sector by sector and works quite well for an FDE HDD. I have used Clonezilla to clone back to new hard drives I have bought so I know it works. And if NAS/cloning is your thing, Clonzilla supports a server version as well. Yes, it's massively nerdy and requires you to read and learn, but believe me, you'll be far better off than paid-for propriety crap. I don't like keeping my hard drives exposed so I store all backup hard drives and media in ~ $35 fireproof safes. I own three thus far. LOL They WON'T keep someone out. They're strictly for fireproofing. WHat good is a data backup if God forbid your houe burns down and alone with it very importat data? Now-a-days, data is as important as a paper birth certificate, renter's agreement, home deed, Social Security card, passport, title to a car, etc. Yes, all that is in my safe's as well. Pro tip: Don't trust a bank's safety deposit box. For one, authorities can take custody of the contents, where's they'd need a judge to sign off on a warrant for your house. And if disaster strikes at the bank, your SOL.

I mentioned "I used" to use Clonezilla. I now conduct my cloning operations differently as it pertains to FDE needs. And this is probably very niche and unorthodox.

What I do is install Ventoy on a USB drive of some sort (could even be optical media, I'm sure. Haven't tried) and since Ventoy just boots ISO files straight away, I copy the Hiren's Boot CD PE ISO file to the USB drive, and other ISOs like Memtest86 and what not. Then I copy/paste HDD Raw Copy Tool (it's portable) to the USB drive. As well as Veracrypt portable and other portable software. The portable Apps website has a boat ton, and a whole portable Apps suite.

Now I connect my destination HDD for the clone and boot the USB stick containing Hiren's Boot CD PE. This will boot up a Windows 10 PE operating system enviroment from which to work from. Once I have a running Windows environment I go to "This PC" on the desktop and navigate to the root of the USB drive where HDD Raw Copy Tool is located. Now I can clone my main drive with HDD Raw Copy Tool as an IMG file onto the destination drive. Prior to that however, I first use Veracrypt portable to create an encrypted file container that's as large or larger than the source drive (my current OS drive) onto the destination drive for the clone. Then I have HDD Raw Copy Tool write the clone IMG file to that encrypted file container on the destination drive.


Of course, you don't have to use Veracrypt and the methods I outlined above if you don't deploy FDE like Truecrypt, Veracrypt, Bitlocker or some other FDE software. In all cases the cloning process is the same: Have HDD Raw Copy Tool clone from the source disk to the destination disk. Either as an image file, or as a direct 1:1, sector by sector (raw) clone to the destination drive. The one big issue with a sector by sector clone that HDD Raw Copy Tool does is that it will create the same physical drive size on the destination drive. So, if you're needing to change partition size after the clone, the free version of DiskGenius should do the trick. It also has a clone feature. But I've never used it. There's even a portable version.

If you want to turn your currently installed Windows OS into a live bootable environment, I guess WinToUSB will do that, But I have yet to try this. I'm thinking about creating a stripped down version of 7 using NTLite just for SDR (Software Defined Radio) stuff, my scanner programs ("police scanner") and all around general use like taking over the world and what not.

Alternatives to FreeNAS (TrueNAS).

One day I may use a Raspberry Pi for a NAS. Still trying to debate what I should do with the one I got now though. I don't want to use it for a NAS right now. Thinking perhaps for Virtual Radar Server for my own personal use. I ran that software in Windows.

 

[idoru]

That was an answer !

You're right about netbios flaws but my issues with acronis were in using IP adresses : relatively with my use yesterday of macrium I can say that this #§µ@& of acronis is so outdated and outperformed with a very very poor ergonomic interface. I don't understand it's market position.

I didn't know about HDD Raw Copy and this sounds like a really good candidate : I'll try it wnen my repair/update of my 10 years old windows 7 becoming more and more buggy.

Your geeky approach made me smile, I understand it totally but I'm a bit more naive and lazy to come to it. You've succedded reminding me about the windows PE in hiren's boot cd, very useful to launch portable software.
As for the possibility of multiple ISOs on a usb stick, I use Easy2boot to launch ISOs, imgptn and tons of utilities : a 128 Go usb hosts all software needed for every geek on the planet (even hiren's boot cd).

I've thought for such a long time to truecrypt/veracrypt my windows environment, as I'm repairing it (and imaging it) that should be the right time for it.

Anyway, thanks for this precious information !

 

[file3456]

Just know that HDD Raw Copy Tool is really more meant for whole physical backup clones for when drives goes south you can clone it to another or create an IMG file of it for archival use. Even for forensics use. But never the less, it does the job, and very well indeed. Especially for an encrypted computer.

If you do use Truecrypt or Veracrypt, I highly urge you to read the whole manual! Every last bit of it and absorb all of the very useful and interesting information.

Now, without getting into a giant debate with someone that's bound to chime in here about how Truecrypt "isn't secure", it really isn't per say. You just have to use it differently and understand the risks. By far the biggest would have to be the Evil Maid hack/attack. This attack can still be performed with a Veracrypt encrypted computer, but the bootloader will (or should) warn you about the fact the bootloader was tampered with. I take it a step further and clone my bootloader and compare it myself against an SHA256 bit hash using Bootice. I followed the Trucrpt audit. Then all of a sudden (odd timing) the "secretive" Truecryprt creators said it wasn't secure and to use Bitlocker. This was at the same time as the audit! Once the audit was complete I read the finding at the website, and I watched the hour long or so presentation from the audit team on YouTube at the DEFCON convention. I also read something years ago about a Truecrypt Dev. I don't remember it all though, but it was interesting to say the least.. And a quick Google search. We Now (Probably) Know Why the TrueCrypt Developers Abandoned the Project

Many reading this may ask why the paranoia? It's not so much paranoia as it it just all around good common sense from my perspective in knowing how things can get hacked into and what not. For example, I know how and have wiped the Windows user account password. It's no big deal at all. Plus, you don't even have to do that. If I wanted data on a drive (my Bro's) I just clone the disk and now I have your private life. With FDE (Full Disk Encryption) none of that is possible. If I clone the encrypted disk all I get is encrypted data. I can't hack the Windows user account because Windows and all of your files are encrypted. So there's no SAM or registry to get at. ALL of the data is encrypted.

Having said all that, if someone has tax documents, bank records and what ever else on the computer, think about the possibility of that data getting in the wrong hands. Now FDE doesn't stop malware. Not in the slightest. That's why anyone looking into using Veracrypt needs to read the whole manual. You really have to exercise good practices for malware and hack prevention. Which means no Piratebay crap and lots of other things.

Now, with flash memory being the predominate form of hard drive out there, it's frowned upon to use such a medium for FDE. But in my opinion it can be done, but in a certain way. What I do is that if I'm going to install Windows on a new flash drive, be it SSD or NVMe, I first install Windows. After that I encrypt the whole lot right away. After which I can now install programs and copy backup data to this now encrypted drive. Doing it this way will ensure no data can be read off the drive that wasn't encrypted in the first place except for the Windows install. Which of course is nothing at all. It's just a standard Windows install comparable to everyone else's. It's the after effect of what you install and all your data that will be the most important that gets encrypted.

When I upgraded my SSD to a larger SSD I cloned the current SSD to the new SSD bit for bit in encrypted form using Clonezilla. I believe I then had to use Windows to extend the remaining partition. So not one ounce of unencrypted data should be able to be read from the drive. I could put that theory to the test with some software I have and try to recover any legible data from the sector by sector clone. I doubt I'll find any deleted data. And this software is Pro as well. Might be comparable to what the authorities would use. I have no idea.

There are of course ways into an encrypted system. RAM analysis, side channel attacks (TEMPEST or what ever), etc. It really all depends on who you're guarding your data from. And depending on who that is your encryption methodology changes. Being perfectly honest, if you're wanted by the CIA or some other three letter agency, I'd refrain from using anything electronic anyway. Impossible in this day and age, but if you had to it should be done very wisely and knowing how to do it. Capacitors store an electric charge. If it has a capacitor, it has the capability of rating you out. LOL One day this will extend to the quantum realm and the radio magnetic part of the spectrum of light. You don't even wanna know. I can't remember now, could have been France, but they already came out with the first super computer using light. I had that idea around 2007 so it's cool to see something like that which works. It's massive now like the first computers, but before long it'll be watch size and smaller. Like I said, you don't even wanna know. I applaud everyone's need for privacy in any way shape and form (very hard to do actually). But the future is going to be just beyond when it comes to your privacy. And with it will probably come the "three sea shells." Lets just put it that way. That movie predicted the tablet among other things a couple decades before they showed upon the consumer electronics market. Well, when I was a kid watching DuckTales (guess it was my inventing time) I envisioned the smartphone. That was when brick phones were out. This was around circa 1993. The cell signals at the time weren't digital or encrypted. Was an interesting era...

Easy2Boot looks damn interesting, thanks. I'm definitely going to give that one a try. It may turn into my new recommendation. Just reading about it has me thinking it's like the Docker of USB boot drives. Docker (software) - Wikipedia

In addition to HDD Raw Copy Tool, there's RoadKil's Raw Copy. Many moons ago I tried it with some PS2 game save cards but I don't think it worked out too well. LOL So I haven't used it since. I used to use Game Shark which allowed me to save game saves to USB as individual files and then I'd take those individual game files and back them on my computer and other media all over hell. LOL I bet I could fire up one of my old PATA ("IDE") drives and find my saves somewhere.


RoadKil's website also has some other cool stuff there. And so does Nirsoft. I find it funny that the name is RoadKil and uses images of cats. LOL! Maybe that's the joke? I don't know. HAHA

=off topic=

I see now you're from France. Do you speak French by chance? If so, I like this song, but I'm not sure what it's about. LOL Matmatah - Lambe An Dro (clip officiel) - YouTube

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Here's some better Info. about that Google link. Paul Le Roux - Wikipedia