Paragon hard disk manager advanced 17 инструкция

Привет, друзья. В этой статье поговорим о решении такой проблемы: если у нас есть загрузочная флешка с файловой системой FAT32, неважно создана она только для компьютеров с BIOS UEFI, или она совместимая с BIOS Legacy, как эту флешку поделить на два раздела, а последний сделать с файловой системой NTFS для возможности хранения файлов весом больше 4 Гб? Это не какая-то сложная операция, её могут выполнить многие менеджеры дисков, эту операцию, друзья, я решил взять в качестве образцово-показательной для демонстрации главного фокуса публикации – возможностей бесплатной версии программы Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17. Те из вас, кто работал с прежними версии этой программы, знают, что она платная, и стоит немалых денег. Но рынок софта не стоит на месте, и вот компания Paragon последовала примеру многих других разработчиков и предусмотрела для некоммерческого использования специальный выпуск знаменитой программы с урезанными возможностями. Давайте рассмотрим отдельные возможности бесплатного выпуска Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17.

Как создать на флешке с FAT32 раздел с NTFS программой Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17

Загрузочная флешка с разделами FAT32 и NTFS

Итак, поставленная задача – необходимость переразметки флешки с созданием на ней раздела с файловой системой NTFS. К постановке такой задачи меня недавно подтолкнул один из читателей сайта: он жаловался на то, что созданная им программой WinSetupFromUSB мультизагрузочная флешка не работает. А ему нужна именно таковая, а не обычная, причём универсальная, совместимая и с Legacy, и с UEFI, и ещё с решением для поддержки файлов больше 4 Гб. Всё это умеет только WinSetupFromUSB: она может создать мультизагрузочную, универсальную флешку с файловой системой FAT32, на которую можно поместить файлы дистрибутива больше 4 Гб. WinSetupFromUSB обладает механизмом разбивки записываемого дистрибутива Windows на части, если в его составе есть файлы, вес которых превышает 4 Гб – максимум, который поддерживает FAT32.

Но вот видимо не всегда все программные возможности работают в идеале, а, возможно, этот читатель где-то допускает какую-то ошибку. Какие у него могут быть альтернативы? Разные. Он может для создания мультизагрузочной флешки попробовать программу WinUSB, однако она не создаёт универсальные флешки, а создаёт либо только Legacy, либо только UEFI. Он может для создания совместимой с обоими типами BIOS флешки использовать ту же программу WinSetupFromUSB, но не брать дистрибутив весом более 4 Гб. Друзья, многие неверно понимают суть ограничения файловой системы FAT32 в 4 Гб на вес одного файла. Здесь важно понимать, что 4 Гб – это лимит веса одного файла в составе установочного ISO Windows, а не веса всего ISO. Взгляните, вот, к примеру, ISO с дистрибутивом последней версии Windows 10 1909 весит 4,75 Гб.

Но самый большой файл install.wim в составе этого дистрибутива весит 3,98 Гб, т.е. вписывается в лимит 4 Гб.

И, соответственно, такой дистрибутив без проблем запишется на флешку UEFI (или совместимую как с Legacy, так и с UEFI) с файловой системой FAT32.

Иной вариант, как может поступить наш читатель – он может не создавать мультизагрузочную флешку, а просто записать обычную. Так, создание мультизагрузочной флешки у этого читателя обусловлено необходимостью содержания на флешке реанимационного LiveDisk’а и нескольких процессов установки разных дистрибутивов Windows. Но если записать в качестве реанимационного LiveDisk’а WinPE 10-8 Sergei Strelec, то нам не нужны никакие пункты установки Windows в меню загрузки флешки. Мы просто после записи LiveDisk’а на флешку создаём на ней папку, можно даже прямо в корне флешки. И в эту папку помещаем все, какие нам надо, установочные ISO с разными версиями и сборками Windows. Если нам надо будет переустановить Windows на компьютере, мы загружаем среду WinPE 10-8 Sergei Strelec. Подключаем установочный ISO Windows.

На смонтированном образе запускаем файл setup.exe.

И устанавливаем Windows, как обычно, используя её классический процесс установки.

И это, друзья, не единственный способ установки Windows, присутствующий на LiveDisk’е Стрельца, их несколько, они описаны в статье «Как установить Windows с помощью Live-диска от Sergei Strelec». А если вам не нравится WinPE 10-8 Sergei Strelec, вы можете записать на флешку любой другой LiveDisk, на борту которого имеются средства установки или развёртывания Windows. Но в любом случае, если у нас имеется сборка Windows с весом файла install.wim (или install.esd) более 4 Гб, нам нужно решение типа предлагаемого WinSetupFromUSB механизма разбиения на части дистрибутива. И таким решением может быть создание на флешке раздела с файловой системой NTFS. Ну а для этого нужно после записи загрузочной флешки переразметить её соответствующим образом.

Программа Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17 Community Edition

В переразметке загрузочной флешки, если она создана отдельно или включительно для BIOS Legacy, т.е. с MBR-загрузчиком нет ничего сложного. Такая флешка видится как диск в управлении дисками Windows, и даже этим штатным средством можно сжать её раздел и создать за счёт сжатого места новый раздел, таким образом поделив её на два раздела — с FAT32 и NTFS. А можно это сделать программой AOMEI Partition Assistant. А вот загрузочная флешка UEFI в том же управлении дисками Windows не оперируется в части сжатия дискового пространства. И не каждый программный менеджер дисков видит её как диск. Например, мою флешку UEFI с WinPE 10-8 Sergei Strelec программа AOMEI Partition Assistant не видит. Но её видит программа Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17 и позволяет оперировать разделами.

Многие опытные пользователи знают программу Paragon Hard Disk Manager по её версии 15, это многофункциональный продукт, совмещающий в себе и продвинутый менеджер дисков и средство резервного копирования. Программа активно поддерживается разработчиками, и сейчас уже актуальна её версия 17 с современным интерфейсом. Плюс к этому, компанией Paragon изменена политика поставки программы: Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17 существует не только в полнофункциональной платной версии, которая стоит €79,95, программа поставляется также в функционально ограниченной редакции Community Edition для использования в некоммерческих целях. В этой редакции можно создавать, удалять разделы, менять их размеры, форматировать, восстанавливать, но нельзя проводить слияние разделов. В ней можно оперировать динамическими разделами и конвертировать стиль разметки диска из MBB в GPT и наоборот. Ну и вот, собственно, эта программа подходит нам для решения нашей задачи.

Скачать Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17 в редакции Community Edition можно на сайте Paragon по этой ссылке:

https://www.paragon-software.com/free/pm-express/#resources

Работа с флешкой в программе Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17

Итак, друзья, у меня есть образцовая UEFI-флешка с файловой системой FAT32. Записанный на ней WinPE 10-8 Sergei Strelec занимает 4,24 Гб, а всё остальное место свободно. В моём случае у меня его мало, поскольку у меня флешка объёмом 7,25 Гб.

На ней я не храню дистрибутивы Windows, а при переустановке подтягиваю их с жёсткого диска. Но стань вопрос, чтобы прийти к кому-то домой из близких, помочь реанимировать и в крайнем случае переустановить Windows, мне, конечно же, понадобилась бы флешка минимум на 16 Гб, на которую я бы поместил установочные ISO системы. Но представим, что моя флешка объёмом от 16 Гб. Что мы делаем с ней, чтобы свободное место выделить в отдельный раздел NTFS?

Запускаем Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17, идём в раздел операций с дисками, кликаем на карте дисков нашу флешку и выбираем слева операцию «Move or Resize».

Здесь в графе «New volume size» видим, что программа сама уменьшила существующий раздел флешки до объёма, по факту занимаемого LiveDisk’ом Стрельца – 4,3 Гб. Но в других ситуациях при уменьшении раздела мы ползунком в этой графе мы можем указать свой размер оставляемого раздела. Внизу, в блоке «Before changes/After changes» мы, переключаясь, можем видеть разметку флешки существующую («Before changes») и после применения запланированной операции («After changes»). И вот при переключении на «After changes» увидим уменьшенный первый раздел флешки с FAT32 и пустое место после него. Жмём «Place in queue».

После этого на карте дисков Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17 кликаем это пустое место и применяем к нему операцию слева «Create volume», т.е. создаём раздел.

В графе «Volume size» можем ползунком отрегулировать размер создаваемого раздела, если мы хотим создать на пустом месте несколько разделов. Если нет, оставляем всё, как есть. А в графе «Volume label» указываем метку раздела. Метка нужна, поскольку по ней необходимо будет ориентироваться в среде WinPE. Файловую систему NTFS нигде не указываем, она будет выбрана для нового раздела по умолчанию. Жмём «Place in queue».

Теперь применяем запанированные операции.

Жмём «Apply».

Затем «Yes».

Дожидаемся завершения процесса применения операций.

И всё. Смотрим в управление дисками: у нас на флешке теперь два раздела, один с FAT32, другой с NTFS. Созданный раздел почему-то не получил автоматически букву диска, но это дело поправимое, прямо здесь, в управлении дисками можем назначить букву.

Проверка флешки

Ну и, наконец, проверим нашу флешку. Загружаем среду WinPE.

И вот в ней виден наш раздел NTFS, куда мы можем закидывать установочные образы Windows, если в их составе есть файлы весом больше 4 Гб.

Для любого пользователя, желающего быть с компьютером на «ты», без утилит разбиения диска и восстановления данных не обойтись. Список этих программ достаточно большой, есть из чего выбирать. Если вы призадумались над приобретением для себя или организации утилиты этого класса, то присмотритесь к Paragon Hard Disk Manager от компании Paragon Software Group (System Utilities), у которого совсем недавно вышла новая версия — 8.5. Среди многих других достоинств этой версии — поддержка новой операционной системы Microsoft Vista.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8.5 — программа, осуществляющая полный цикл обслуживания жесткого диска:

• управление процессом загрузки;
• разбиение диска;
• операции копирования и восстановления;
• обеспечение безопасности системы и данных;
• вывод диска из эксплуатации.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8.5 вышел в двух редакциях: персональной и профессиональной. Нам на тестирование досталась персональная версия, а об отличиях ее от профессиональной мы расскажем ниже.

Hard Disk Manager имеет приятный современный интерфейс, в котором, впрочем, есть недостатки по мелочам. В частности, при создании разделов на больших дисках возникает проблема задания точных размеров дисков. Размер задается ползунковым регулятором, который не позволяет точно задать требуемый раздел, а полей для численного ввода размера нет. Особенно это неудобство заметно на современных жестких дисках большой емкости. И чем больше диск по объему, тем труднее попасть в нужные размеры. Конечно, можно потом воспользоваться функцией изменения размера разделов и подкорректировать эти размеры, но это лишние телодвижения.

И еще одно легкое замечание. Смена видов работ реализована в виде вкладок в главном окне программы. Первой вкладкой разработчики выбрали «Панель дисков». Работа по разметке HDD — важная, но разовая. Главное же в Paragon Hard Disk Manager — выполнение операций архивирования в текущей работе, а также восстановление данных из архива. Переключиться на новую вкладку — не проблема, но лучше все же было бы первой сделать вкладку «Файловый менеджер». Или пусть бы программа открывалась с последней использовавшейся вкладкой. А может, это просто я такой излишне привередливый?

Создание дисков выполняется в отложенном режиме. Это означает, что пользователь может осуществлять форматирование жесткого диска в виртуальном режиме, без внесения реальных изменений на HDD. После создания всего цикла операций можно проверить правильность выбранных команд, а затем нажать на одну единственную кнопку «Применить», и программа начнет выполнение всех заданных операций, которые выполняются довольно быстро. После перезагрузки все диски станут видны в системе.

Теперь архивирование. Алгоритм выполнения архивирования типичен: выбирается объект для архивирования, затем место для хранения архива, затем параметры процесса. И выполняется само архивирование. В новой версии персональной редакции добавлена возможность инкрементного архивирования (то есть копирование лишь тех секторов, которые были изменены с момента получения последней копии). Это существенно повышает скорость процедуры архивирования, что особенно важно при ежедневной операции сохранения данных.

Со временем у любого персонального пользователя собирается целый пакет архивов разных дат. (Что уж тут говорить о корпоративном использовании программы?) Порой бывает трудно разобраться в том, что уже можно удалить, а какую копию нужно попридержать. Для удобства пользователей в обеих редакциях (персональной и профессиональной) реализована функция «База архивов». Также в новой версии появилась возможность создавать обширный текстовый комментарий к каждому из архивов. Теперь вы сможете, не надеясь на свою память, фиксировать в текстовом виде все необходимые заметки для каждого из архивов.

В механизме восстановления данных тоже есть несколько важных нововведений. Прежде всего надо отметить возможность восстановления данных из архивной капсулы без создания аварийных дисков. Как известно, программы восстановления данных могут восстанавливать архивные копии даже при «убитой» операционной системе. Но для этого им нужно включить в БИОС загрузку с CD и иметь сам аварийный компакт-диск.

При использовании Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8.5 для восстановления теперь уже не нужно будет менять настройки параметров загрузки, а также беспокоиться о сохранности аварийного диска. Да и сам CD-привод иметь уже не обязательно. Загрузка компьютера и выполнение любых операций восстановления в случае повреждения операционной системы или иных проблем с загрузкой может осуществляться непосредственно из архивной капсулы.

Другая особенность — функция «Сжать». В некоторых случаях приходится восстанавливать данные на разделы, которые по размеру меньше изначальных, но обладают достаточным местом для восстановления самих данных. В этой ситуации восстановление данных раньше было невозможно. Но теперь это можно сделать без труда.

Восстановление раздела целиком — это, в общем-то, тоже редкая операция, как и разметка диска. Гораздо чаще возникает необходимость в восстановлении каких-то конкретных, частных данных, а не целого образа. Для такого восстановления используется функция подключения архива раздела. При таком подключении архива все дальнейшие операции по восстановлению можно выполнять средствами операционной системы Windows — простая функция копирования.

Все операции в программе выполняются с помощью мастеров. Некоторые из них могут работать в расширенном, для опытных пользователей, режиме. Мастера помогут пользователю правильно и в нужной последовательности выполнить операции по работе с диском и работе с архивами.

Профессиональная версия

Изменения в профессиональной версии числом поменьше, чем в персональной. Потому что часть нововведений (в частности, инкрементное копирование) уже присутствовали в профессиональной редакции. Но и здесь разработчикам есть чем похвастать:

• функция «Циклическое резервное копирование», позволяющая регулярно создавать резервные архивы и автоматически управлять ими;
• технология Hot Backup для динамических томов.

Резюме

Paragon Hard Disk Manager — удобный и практичный инструмент работы с жесткими дисками и архивирования данных для пользователей любого уровня подготовки. Он одинаково хорошо может сохранять данные как персонального пользователя, так и на предприятии. Особо ценным новшеством в новой версии можно назвать возможность восстановления данных без создания аварийного диска, функцию инкрементного копирования, а также поддержку новой операционной системы Windows Vista.

В случае, когда пользователь устанавливает на свой компьютер новый жесткий диск или же напротив продает за ненадобностью старый, то без этой программы просто не обойтись. Ведь произвести разметку дискового пространства и «гарантировано» затереть информацию, которая хранилась на винчестере с помощью Windows средств — это довольно трудоемкие операции. И уж точно, не вариант для новичка. Поэтому вам, уважаемый читатель, просто необходимо знать о том, где можно скачать Парагон хард диск менеджер бесплатно. Вместе с тем, не лишней окажется и инструкция по использованию упомянутого софта.

Итак, что за «зверь» этот «Paragon Hard Disk Manager»?

Без всякого преувеличения: данное ПО — это своеобразная программная таблетка, которая избавит начинающего пользователя от «жесткой» головной боли: «Как поделить, удалить или же объединить дисковое пространство винчестера?». Более простой способ управлять параметрами и производить редактирование жесткого диска, что называется, нужно еще поискать.

Между тем, если вам по истечению ознакомительного (30-ти дневного) срока программа покажется, скажем прямо, дороговатой, то есть смысл воспользоваться альтернативной версией, которая распространяется на абсолютно бесплатной основе ( здесь вы можете прочесть о традиционном методе управления разделами жесткого диска).

Обратимся к очевидным преимуществам программы:

• Для того чтобы корректным образом произвести разметку дискового пространства теперь не нужно заходить в БИОС и создавать загрузочные флешки — «Paragon Hard Disk Manager» делит винчестер на разделы заданной емкости прямо в среде Windows и не требует от пользователя специализированных знаний из области компьютерного образования.

• Всего несколькими нажатиями можно провести процесс удаления конкретной партиции или же полностью форматировать жесткий диск.

• При использовании условно бесплатной — 15-ой версии Парагона — у пользователя появляется возможность использовать более десятка различных редакционных опций, как говорится, на любой вкус и практически для всех случаев «жизни HDD».

• Многофункциональность Парагона — это понятный интерфейс и легко воспринимаемые несведущим юзером опциональные названия служебных кнопок.

Безусловно, без ошибок наша жизнь стала бы весьма скучным занятием. Тем не менее, Парагон «вразумительно предупредит» об опасности нецелесообразных действий, а посему нет повода не испытать данный инструмент управления разделами жесткого диска, как говорится, в деле.

Однако помните, при использовании этого менеджера нужно быть предельно внимательным и осторожным… В руках незадачливого дилетанта даже такая версия (упомянутого выше продукта) как Paragon Partition Manager Free — это мощное программное оружие, способное напрочь вывести винчестер из строя.

Впрочем, последнее обстоятельство — удел глупых мира сего. Вам же, уважаемый читатель, ничто не угрожает, ведь у вас есть эта инструкция, которая поможет вам понять, основные моменты взаимодействия с программой. Что в конечном итоге приведет вас только к положительному результату.

Организация дискового пространства: практический пример

Итак, скачать «Paragon Hard Disk Manager» можно отсюда . Официальный источник требует пройти короткую регистрацию и только после подтверждения автоматического письма вы сможете скачать демо версию к себе на компьютер.

• Наведите маркер на раздел диска, который необходимо редактировать и с помощью правой кнопки мышки вызовите контекстное меню.

• В зависимости от того какую именно цель вы преследуете, выберете один из представленных пунктов.

Примечание: в нашем случае рассматривается варианты «создание раздела и форматирование определенной области HDD».

• После того как вы произвели все редакционные действия — нажмите на кнопку «Применить».

• Дождитесь завершения всех запущенных процессов.

• В завершение, нажмите клавишу «Закрыть».

Подводя итоги

Безусловно, представленные на фото примеры — это лишь ничтожная часть из того обширного списка функциональных возможностей коими обладает затронутый нами менеджер Парагон. Вместе с тем, для многих пользователей вполне будет достаточно его бесплатной версии «Paragon Partition Manager Free», которую можно загрузить вот отсюда . Впрочем, если ваши интересы в области компьютерной техники чисто профессиональные, то менеджер дисков 15-ой версии — это верный выбор. Железного здоровья вашему винчестеру!

Paragon Hard Disk Manager™ 2009 представляет собой интегрированный набор эффективных в работе инструментов, разработанных специально для разрешения большинства проблем, с которыми может столкнуться пользователь ПК. Его функциональность включает все аспекты жизненного цикла компьютера от выполнения практически любых операций с разделами до установки системы с нуля и обеспечения надежной защиты данных, а также безопасной утилизации жестких дисков.
В этом руководстве Вы найдете ответы на многие технические вопросы, которые могут возникнуть в процессе использования программы.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager

Quick User’s Manual

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 2 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

Table of contents

1 About Paragon Hard Disk Manager …………………………………………………………………………… 5

1.1

HDM E

DITIONS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

1.1.1

Personal Edition………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

1.1.2

Professional and Deployment Editions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

1.2

B

ASIC

F

EATURES

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

1.2.1

File Systems vs. Operations Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

1.2.2

Boot Manager………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

1.2.3

Partitioning operations ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7

1.2.4

Backup, imaging and cloning operations …………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

1.2.5

Operations for advanced users………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

1.2.6

File System Performance Optimization ………………………………………………………………………………………………………8

1.2.7

Disk Wiper………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8

1.2.8

Hard Disk Supported………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8

1.2.9

Safety and Recovery………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8

1.2.10

Usability………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9

1.2.11

Auxiliary utilities……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9

1.3

A

DVANCED

F

EATURES

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

1.3.1

Linux Network Support……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

1.3.2

Batch Mode and Scripts generator …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

1.3.3

Windows NT/2000/2003 Server Support …………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

1.3.4

WinPE / BartPE Support …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

1.3.5

Dynamic Disks Support…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

1.3.6

Multiple Image Access ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

1.3.7

SID Changer …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

1.4

HDM C

OMPONENTS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

1.4.1

HDM for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP………………………………………………………………………………………11

1.4.2

Image Mounter………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

1.4.3

Image Explorer………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

1.4.4

Partition Explorer……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

1.4.5

Easy CD/DVD Recorder …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

1.4.6

Diskette Build Wizard……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11

1.4.7

Net Burner…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….11

1.4.8

Recovery CD…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………12

2 Getting Started……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13

2.1

S

YSTEM

R

EQUIREMENTS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13

2.2

D

ISTRIBUTION

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13

2.2.1

Distributive CD ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13

2.2.2

ESD Online Distribution ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….13

2.3

R

EGISTERING AND

U

PDATING

HDM …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14

2.3.1

Registering HDM in the E-Service System ………………………………………………………………………………………………..14

2.3.2

Downloading Updates and Upgrades ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….14

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2.4

I

NSTALLATION

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………14

2.4.1

Installing HDM……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14

2.4.2

Uninstalling HDM …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15

2.5

H

OW TO

B

URN THE

R

ECOVERY

CD……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15

2.5.1

How to Download the ISO Image……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15

2.5.2

How to Download Paragon ISO Burner …………………………………………………………………………………………………….15

2.5.3

How to Burn the Recovery CD…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………16

2.6

C

ONTACTING

P

ARAGON

T

ECHNOLOGY

G

MB

H……………………………………………………………………………………………….16

3 Hard Disk Manager Functionality…………………………………………………………………………….. 17

3.1

P

ROGRAM

M

AIN

W

INDOW

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17

3.1.1

Menus Commands Overview…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..18

3.1.2

Partitions Visualization Panel…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20

3.1.3

Settings ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21

3.2

O

PERATION

M

ODES

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………25

3.2.1

Operation Dialogs ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….25

3.2.2

Virtual Operations ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….26

3.2.3

Paragon Scripts……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..26

3.2.4

Scheduler ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..26

3.3

P

ARTITION

A

CCESS

M

ODES

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….27

3.3.1

Fast-copying Mode ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..27

3.3.2

Sector-by-sector Mode……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27

3.4

W

IZARDS

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….27

3.4.1

Merge Wizard………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..27

3.4.2

Redistribute Free Space Wizard………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27

3.4.3

Undelete Wizard…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….27

3.4.4

Incremental Backup Wizard …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….28

4 Typical Tasks …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 28

4.1

P

ARTITIONING

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………28

4.1.1

Releasing Some Disk Space for a New Partition………………………………………………………………………………………..29

4.1.2

Redistributing Unused Space between Partitions……………………………………………………………………………………….30

4.1.3

Merging Two NTFS Partitions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….31

4.1.4

Creating a New Primary Partition for the Linux Installation ………………………………………………………………………….32

4.1.5

Recovering Accidentally Deleted Partition…………………………………………………………………………………………………33

4.1.6

Defragmenting Partitions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..34

4.1.7

Wiping out a Partition……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35

4.2

C

OPYING OF

H

ARD

D

ISKS AND

P

ARTITIONS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..36

4.2.1

Cloning Hard Disk in Windows 2000 and XP……………………………………………………………………………………………..36

4.2.2

Upgrading the Hard Disk…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………37

4.3

B

ACKING UP

/ R

ESTORING

H

ARD

D

ISK AND

P

ARTITIONS

………………………………………………………………………………….38

4.3.1

Backing up the System Partition ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………39

4.3.2

Performing an Incremental Backup…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..41

4.3.3

Setting up Regular Scheduled Backups ……………………………………………………………………………………………………42

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 4 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

4.3.4

Generating Script for the Task …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………43

4.4

R

ECOVERY

T

ASKS

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..44

4.4.1

Booting from the Recovery CD ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..44

4.4.2

Rescuing the Data from Disk …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..45

4.4.3

Restoring Operating System From the Local Backup Image ……………………………………………………………………….45

4.4.4

Fixing the BOOT.ini File Incorrect Settings………………………………………………………………………………………………..45

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 5 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

1 About Paragon Hard Disk Manager

Hard Disk Manager 6.0 is a complete, reliable and easy-to-use hard disk toolset, which provides hard disk management, maintenance and disposal, boot management, data and system security and recovery. A convenient and clear interface, several smart wizards and a set of additional utilities make any task regarding the hard disk easily approachable even for home users.

With HDM, it is possible to create any partition configuration of the hard disk including the use of several bootable partitions for different operating systems.

Redistribute Free Space Wizard enables the redistribution of available disk space of created partitions. The defragmentation tool will help improve the hard disk performance while working with NTFS and FAT file systems.

Hard Disk Manager also enables to upgrade the hard disk to a new and larger one using partition copying, provided the size of the copied partitions increase proportionally and maintain the operating system’s working capability.

Hard Disk Manager supports the backup operations of separate partitions and of entire It is possible to create backup images on the local partitions of the hard disk, USB devices, network drives or directly on CD/DVD.

The scheduling and incremental backup features help to regularly update backup images without the user’s participation, and to essentially save disk space.

In case of partition failure, it is possible to easily restore the partition by using either the backup image of the specific partition or disk archive. From the hard disk archive it is possible to restore either the whole disk or certain partitions. With

Undelete Wizard, any accidentally deleted partition can be found and restored.

Hard Disk Manager includes the bootable Recovery CD, providing access to the hard disk even when it is impossible to boot the operating system. After booting from the Recovery CD into Linux or PTS DOS, the user can restore the system partition or the complete disk or, at least, to rescue the data from the disk.

For security purposes, HDM is able to overwrite entire disks or unused space on partitions with special patterns to exclude the possibility of retrieving erased data.

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There are the following Paragon HDM editions:

• Personal

• Professional

• Deployment

Personal Edition covers the basic HDM features described in the

Basic Features

section.

1.1.2 Professional and Deployment Editions

Professional and Deployment Editions support the additional features described in the

Advanced Features

section.

1.2.1 File Systems vs. Operations Overview

For FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, Ext2, Ext3 and Reiser FS file systems (named supported file systems), the knowledge of internal structure for these file systems is used to provide both effective basic and advanced operations of partitioning, copying, imaging, and restoring. Copying, moving and backing up partitions of these file systems can be processed in the

fast-copying

mode.

For all file systems Hard Disk Manager supports basic operations, such as: copy, move, back up and restore partition.

The operations can be accomplished in a sector-by-sector mode.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 7 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

Table I. Supported file systems vs. operations

File System /

Operations

FAT NTFS Ext2/3 FS Reiser FS Other

Format

Copy

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

1

Yes

1

Yes

1

Move

Resize

Backup, Restore

Convert

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

3

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

4

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

1

No

Undelete

Yes Yes

Yes No No

Defragmentation

Yes Yes

No No No

Merge

Yes Yes

No No No

Change Cluster Size

1

Sector-by-sector Mode

2

FAT16 <> FAT32 conversion

3

NTFS > FAT conversion

4

Ext2 <> Ext3 FS conversion

Yes Yes n/a n/a No

1.2.1.1 Copy and Resize Remarks

While copying, the resize function is also available for supported file systems. In case of partition copy, the user can change the size of the target partition. For hard disks, the appropriate transformation of partition sizes is possible in accordance with the target hard disk size.

• Up to 16 operating systems on one PC

• Operating Windows 9x/ME along with Windows NT/2000/XP/2003

• Various installations of the same operating system (in different languages or different versions)

• Direct booting Linux (skipping LILO)

• Installing Linux beyond 1024-cylinder boundary

• Boots even unrecognized OS

• Importing external bootsector

• Password protection against unauthorized booting computer

• Boots DOS/Windows 9x/ME from second hard disk

• Different configurations can be created for the same physical installation of operating system

• Dynamically adds newly installed operating systems

• Duplicating the boot.ini file to create different configurations

• Create, format and delete partitions (see also

File Systems vs. Operations Overview )

• Hide/unhide partition, set partition active/inactive

• Copy and move partition of any file system, quick

and

sector-by-sector modes

• Resize partitions with data (see also

File Systems vs. Operations Overview )

• Copy with resize (see also

Copy and Resize Remarks )

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• Convert file system o FAT16 to FAT32 and vice versa o FAT16/32 to NTFS and vice versa o Ext2 FS to Ext3 FS and vice versa

• Merge partitions (even partitions of different file systems) (see also

File Systems vs. Operations Overview )

• Undelete partition (see also

File Systems vs. Operations Overview

)

• Check File System Integrity

• Convert Primary Partition to Logical and vice versa

• Set or change drive letter (Windows NT/2000/XP only)

1.2.4 Backup, imaging and cloning operations

• Create or restore an image (backup) of a separate partition or an entire hard disk (see also

File Systems vs.

Operations Overview

)

• Backup includes complete partition or hard disk image – the system will immediately be bootable after restoring or cloning

• Hot Backup (Online backup) – create an image of a running operating system without interrupting it (Windows NT,

2000, XP, 2003 only)

• Incremental Backup (see also

Incremental Backup Wizard

and

Performing an Incremental Backup

)

• Backup directly on recordable and writable CD or DVD

• Place a backup image on hidden partitions (FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3FS)

• Compression for backup images

• Password protection for backup images

• Restore a separate partition from the hard disk image

• Restore separate files and folders from the backup image (Image Explorer, Image Mounter)

• Restore a partition and enlargen its size simultaneously

• Clone the hard disk (see also

Copy and Resize Remarks

)

• Check image file integrity (CRC check)

• Change the partition label (i.e. volume label)

1.2.5 Operations for advanced users

• Change Partition ID (partition signature)

• Change Partition Primary Slot (in Master Boot Record)

• Update MBR (Master Boot Record) with standard code

• Convert NTFS revision (for Windows NT, 2000 and XP)

• Change FAT parameters (e.g. boot size and root size)

1.2.6 File System Performance Optimization

• Change the cluster size (see

File Systems vs. Operations Overview )

• File System Defragmentation

(see File Systems vs. Operations Overview )

• NTFS core structure Defragmentation – MFT (Master File Table)

• Wiping separate partitions, free unpartitioned blocks or complete hard disks

• Clearing only the partition’s free space (existing partitions with data)

1.2.8 Hard Disk Supported

• Supports large hard disks (up to 500 GB tested, 2 TB limit in theory)

• Supports IDE, SCSI and SATA hard disks

• Supports FireWire (i.e. IEEE1394), USB 1.0, USB 2.0 hard disks, ZIP® and Jazz® disks

1.2.9 Safety and Recovery

• Bootable

Recovery CD

• Resuming critical operations after power failure

• Treating bad sectors — surface test can be optionally used for format, copy, move and resize operations

• Retesting disk surface for partitions with data, relocating files from encountered bad blocks

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 9 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

• Automatic generation and sending operations logs over email for quick and easy technical support

1.2.10 Usability

• Scheduler – built-in tool for scheduling recurring operations (regular incremental backup of documents, for example)

• Email notification – to receive operation report over e-mail

•

Virtual pre-execution

• Wizards for most usual scenarios:

• Partition Merge Wizard

• Redistribute Free Space Wizard

• Partition Undelete Wizard

• Clone Hard Disk Wizard

• Backup Wizard

• Automatic updating BootManager boot menu after partitioning operations

• Operations usually not possible under Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP will be automatically performed in special mode during OS reboot

1.2.11 Auxiliary utilities

• Built-in simple Disk Editing utility

• Paragon ISO Burner (to burn Recovery CD image or any other CD image in ISO format)

• ImageMounter – transparent read-write access to an image by a regular drive letter

• Image Explorer – browse backup image, edit and copy files and folders

• Partition Explorer – browse FAT, NTFS, Ext2 or Ext3 FS partitions without drive letter, edit or copy files and folders

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Additional to

Basic Features supported by Personal Edition the Professional and Deployment Editions support the

following advanced features:

• Linux Network Support

• NetBurner

• Batch mode and Script Generator

• Windows NT/2000/2003 Server Support

• WinPE / BartPE Support

• Support of Dynamic Disks under Linux

• Multiple Image Access (deployment only)

• SID Changer (deployment only)

1.3.1 Linux Network Support

The network support on the Recovery CD under Linux provides the ability to map network shares to place or retrieve a backup image over LAN.

1.3.2 Batch Mode and Scripts generator

This is a powerful tool for automation of disk partitioning / copying / imaging operations. All HDM functionality is available in scripts generated by Script Generator or manually written in Paragon Script Language.

1.3.3 Windows NT/2000/2003 Server Support

The Professional edition of HDM supports Windows NT/2000/2003 Server

1.3.4 WinPE / BartPE Support

The support of WinPE / BartPE provides the opportunity to create a Windows-based bootable CD with HDM for recovery purposes

1.3.5 Dynamic Disks Support

HDM Supports the Dynamic Disks Converting to Basic Disks (Dynamic Disks are available under Windows

2000/XP/2003)

1.3.6 Multiple Image Access

The deployment version allows the user to restore a remote backup image to multiple computers simultaneously, while the Personal version allows only one connection at a time.

The SID Changer utility searches the network for Windows installations and then changes their SIDs to automatically generated random SID values to make sure that the user’s access privileges in a workgroup are different.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 11 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

1.4 HDM Components

Hard Disk Manager has components that run in Windows, DOS, and Linux environments.

The Windows components of HDM should be installed under Windows.

The DOS and Linux components can be used only as integral parts of the bootable

Recovery CD

and do not require installation.

HDM contains the following Windows components:

•

HDM for Windows 95, 98, ME

•

HDM for Windows NT, 2000, and XP

•

Image Mounter

•

Paragon Image Explorer

•

Paragon Partition Explorer

•

Paragon Easy CD/DVD Recorder

•

Diskette Build Wizard utility

1.4.1 HDM for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP

There are two versions of HDM for Windows installation:

• HDM for Windows 95, 98 and ME

• HDM for Windows NT, 2000 and XP

They have similar interfaces and offer almost the same functions.

One of the two versions will be installed on the computer, depending on its operating system.

The Image Mounter utility provides the mounting of backup images (assigning of drive letters). Mounted Images are accessible via the drive letter as is usually the case with read-only drives.

The Image Explorer utility helps browse through the contents of backup images and extract selected files or directories without a complete restoration of the partition.

Partition Explorer utility helps browse and edit the contents of mounted and unmounted partitions of FAT16, FAT32,

NTFS, Ext2 and Ext3 file systems.

1.4.5 Easy CD/DVD Recorder

As a built-in utility, Easy CD Recorder offers the user the opportunity to save a backup of a partition or disk directly to compact discs, provided a CD/DVD burner is installed on the computer or available over the local network. CD-R, CD-

RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs and multi-session recording are supported.

1.4.6 Diskette Build Wizard

This utility helps create DOS-based bootable diskettes that contain the DOS-based version of Hard Disk Manager. These diskettes can be used to process locked partitions under Windows ME and to continue interrupted operations, which were performed in the fail-safe mode.

NetBurner enables workgroup users to share a CD/DVD recordable device over the local network.

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Components of HDM for DOS and Linux platforms are integral parts of the Recovery CD. After booting from the Recovery

CD in DOS or Linux the user will work with the DOS or Linux version of the HDM, depending on the choice of environment. Thus, these components do not need to be installed.

The functionality of DOS and Linux versions is basically the same, however, the Linux version has several advanced features to offer. Both versions have similar interfaces.

1.4.8.1 HDM Linux Version

Paragon Hard Disk Manager as a Recovery CD utility offers the user a wide range of opportunities to copy / back up / restore a separate partition or entire hard disk. Under Linux, it provides such functions as:

• Copy partition and copy disk

• Back up partition and back up disk

• Restore partition and restore disk

Using HDM the user can save a backup image on:

• Local drive,

• USB Drive (not available in Personal edition)

• Network drive (not available in Personal edition)

• CD/DVDs, using the function Burn image to CD

A backup image of a partition can be used to restore the whole partition or to export files selectively.

In addition to the Back up / Restore features, HDM allows the user to mount partitions of different file system types and perform basic partitioning operations, such as: create, format, delete, move and resize, modify partition.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager as a Recovery CD utility under DOS provides the same functions as the version under

Linux.

Limitations of DOS version

Using HDM in a DOS environment allows the user to save backup images only on local drives. Network drives and

CD/DVD drives are unavailable.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager

2 Getting Started

13 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

To install and use the Hard Disk Manager on your computer, make sure your system meets the following minimum system requirements:

• IBM AT compatible computer with i486 or higher CPU

• Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP.

• 64 MB of RAM

• 60 MB of free disk space

• SVGA-compatible monitor

• Mouse (recommended)

• CD-ROM drive (is required to install Hard Disk Manager from CD).

Additional system requirements for using the Paragon Recovery bootable CD are:

• ATAPI compatible CD-ROM drive.

• On-board BIOS supports booting from CD first.

Network card is required to transfer files over the network.

Recordable CD/DVD drives are needed to burn backups to compact discs.

Additional Memory requirements

Several operations (changing of a partition size, converting to other file system type etc.) may require larger amounts of memory (more than 64 MB of RAM).

2.2 Distribution

Paragon HDM 6.0 can be purchased as:

• Boxed package from Paragon Technology GmbH and resellers

• Downloadable package over the Internet at the company’s web-site (see

Contacting Paragon Technology

GmbH ).

The boxed package includes a distributive CD, which is a bootable CD (i.e. Recovery CD) and auto-run of Windows installation on the same CD.

2.2.2 ESD Online Distribution

HDM purchased over the Internet contains three downloadable files:

• Self-extracting file for Windows components installation

• Recovery CD ISO image-file

• ISO Burner installation file

These files can be downloaded individually as found necessary.

The self-extracting file contains several Paragon utilities that can be installed under Windows.

An ISO image of the Recovery CD should be used to burn it to a recordable CD/DVD (see

How to Burn the Recovery

CD ).

The ISO Burner installation file can be useful in case the user does not have a program for burning CD/DVDs (see

How to

Burn the Recovery CD

).

The downloadable installation package can also be obtained as an update / upgrade of Paragon Rescue Kit from the E-

Service System (see How to Download Updates /Upgrades ).

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 14 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

2.3 Registering and Updating HDM

Paragon Software GmbH provides a wide array of online services through the Paragon Electronic Service System

(hereafter ESS):

• Registration of new users

• Registration of purchased products for registered users

• Available around-the-clock Downloading center, where registered users can download free updates and upgrades of purchased products. The documentation and language versions are available as well.

• Downloadable free demo versions and open documentation for all users.

• Knowledge Base of the Technical Support Team.

To enter the ESS, visit the web site: ess.paragon.ag

. It is recommended to use Internet Explorer 5+ or any compatible browser.

2.3.1 Registering HDM in the E-Service System

To register as a new user

To register at ESS, if you purchased a Paragon product for the first time, follow these steps:

1. Run the Internet browser and visit the page: www.paragon.ag

2. Select Registration on the Menu.

3. On the renewed page, select the country and the language. Then fill out the registration form. The most important field on the form is the e-mail address. The login password will be sent to this address; secondly, this e-mail address should serve as a login to enter the E-Service System.

To register HDM as a new product

For registered users, who want to register HDM at ESS, follow the steps:

4. Click Login on the menu.

5. On the Login page, in the User Name field enter the e-mail address, which was used for registration. In the

Password field enter the password, which was sent with the registration confirmation. Click the Submit button.

6. If the entered User name and Password are valid, the E-Service System will be accessed. On the menu, click the

Product Registration item. The list of the registered products will appear with the new product registration form.

7. Select Paragon HDM on the list of Base Products. Select the Paragon HDM 6.0 on the list of Products. Type the serial number of the product in the Serial Number field. Click the Submit button.

A confirmation will be sent by e-mail.

2.3.2 Downloading Updates and Upgrades

Updates can be downloaded as follows:

1. Enter E-Service System page. On the menu click the Download Update to see the available updates.

2. Select the desired update and click the Download button.

3. On the Download page, the user can see the list of individually registered products on the top of the page. Below the list of products, the available commercial updates are listed (only for registered products). These updates are free of charge for the registered users. Each item is accompanied by the following information: new features, size of the downloadable file and the date.

Usually, updates and upgrades are the fully functional installation packages of the products. Remove the previously installed version of the program, and install the update/upgrade.

2.4 Installation

To install HDM under Windows either the auto-run of Distributive CD or the downloadable file can be used (see ESD

Online Distribution ). The installation process consists of the following steps:

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 15 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

1. Unzip setup files. Insert the Installation CD into CD-drive or run the downloaded executable file. Select a folder to save the contents of the self-extracting archive. By default, the utility writes setup files to the folder «Paragon Hard Disk

Manager 6.0″ on the current logical drive.

2. Run Setup application. From the folder, where unpacked files were saved, run the SETUP.EXE file. This application will guide the user through the process of program installation. The Welcome page informs that the HDM is being installed. Click Next to continue.

3. Confirm License Agreement. The License Agreement page displays the Paragon License Agreement. Read the agreement and then click the Yes button to accept.

4. Select the location. The Destination Location page allows the user to choose the folder where HDM will be installed. By default, the installation folder will be created as:

C:Program FilesParagon SoftwareParagon Hard Disk Manager 6.0

Click the Browse button to select another folder.

L Do not install HDM on network drives. Do not use Terminal Server sessions to install and run HDM. In both cases, the program functionality will be limited

After you have selected the folder for HDM, click the Next button to continue.

5. The Program’s Folder page enables the user to select the application’s program group for the Start Menu. By default, it will be the program group:

Start Programs Paragon HDM 6.0

Click Next.

6. The Start Copying page allows the user to verify settings , which have already been made and correct them if necessary. Press the Back button to return to the previous page and modify the installation settings. Click the Next button to complete the installation process.

7. The Setup Status page shows the overall progress of the installation. Click Cancel to abort the setup. The Final page reports the end of setup process.

Components included in HDM package are ready to be used immediately after completing the installation process

(restarting is not required).

To uninstall HDM, select the shortcut on the Start menu in the lower left corner of the Desktop:

Start Programs Paragon HDM Uninstall HDM

On the Confirm Uninstall page click OK to confirm the removal of HDM and all its components. No reboot is required to complete the removal process of the program.

2.5

How to Burn the Recovery CD

2.5.1 How to Download the ISO Image

The downloadable package of HDM contains the ISO image of the Recovery CD. It can be downloaded as follows:

1. Visit the company web site

2. Choose the product

3. Enter the registration information or fill out the form

4. Follow the on-screen instructions

2.5.2 How to Download Paragon ISO Burner

If the user does not have any program for burning to CD/DVD, the Paragon ISO Burner is available for download — one of the most convenient tools for burning ISO images.

Paragon ISO Burner utility is free for our registered customers. The downloadable ISO image of Paragon ISO Burner is available at the Paragon’s web site: http://www.paragon.ag

.

To download it, follow the next steps:

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 16 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

1. Choose the end-user option from the Product support box.

2. Choose Paragon ISO Burner from the drop-down list of Paragon products.

3. Choose Update option from the Problems Description page.

4. Type in the registration information.

5. Get the latest version of the ISO Burner.

2.5.3 How to Burn the Recovery CD

The ISO image of the Recovery CD should be burned to a recordable CD/DVD. This task can be completed by the

Paragon ISO Burner utility or by any other CD/DVD burning software.

How to use ISO Burner to burn the Recovery CD:

1. Run the ISO Burner.

2. Insert a blank disc into a writable CD/DVD drive.

3. Click the Burn Wizard icon on the Wizards pane (on the left side of the window)

4. On the wizard’s first page, choose the CD/DVD device to be used to burn the CD.

5. On the second page, choose the ISO file to burn to CD.

6. Click the Next button to complete the process. Remove the CD.

The bootable Recovery CD will serve as a reliable emergency recovery tool.

2.6 Contacting Paragon Technology GmbH

If you have questions about Paragon Hard Disk Manager 6.0, you can find the necessary information following the recommendations to be found in Table I below.

Table I. Contacting services of Paragon Technology GmbH

Service Contact

Visit Paragon GmbH web site www.paragon.ag

E-Service registration and updates

Knowledge Base and Technical Support ess.paragon.ag kb.paragon.ag

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 17 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

3 Hard Disk Manager Functionality

3.1 Program Main Window

HDM offers a user-friendly interface. The main window of HDM contains the

Menu , toolbars and several panels.

The Menu is located at the top of the window. Just below the Toolbar is to be found, which includes the Virtual

Operations toolbar and Operations toolbar.

Virtual Operations Toolbar

On the Virtual Operations toolbar there are icons of controls (actions) for

virtual operations

:

• Apply (launches the real execution of virtual operations)

• Undo (cancels the last virtual operation on the

List of Pending Operations )

• Undo all (cancels all virtual operations on the List of Pending Operations)

• Changes (displays the List of Pending Operations)

• Scheduler (helps schedule tasks)

When

virtual operations

are disabled, there will be no icons on the Virtual Operations toolbar. When virtual operations

are enabled, the icons will be displayed in black-and-white and disabled until the List of Pending Operations

is empty.

Operations toolbar

The Operations toolbar contains icons of frequently used operations for partitions and disks:

• Back up

• Restore

• Burn image and for partitions:

• Create

• Copy

• Delete

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 18 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

• Format

• Properties

Main Window Panels

The Configuration Tree panel is located on the left side of the program’s main window. The panel represents the treelike structure of hard disks and partitions on them.

Below the Menu and Toolbar, on the right side of the program’s main window there are:

•

Partitions Visualization Panel , which graphically presents partitions on system disks and contains all information

about hard disks and partitions on them

• List of Partitions, which is synchronized with Partition Visualization Panel and Configuration Tree panel.

• List of Recent Archives, which contains the list of recently created archives.

3.1.1 Menus Commands Overview

The Menu provides access to all functions of the Hard Disk Manager. It contains submenus and commands:

Function

(Control settings and information)

Shows the contents of a backup image, which enables browsing

Menu command

∇ General

— Show archive info

— Show CD/DVD burners

— Generate scripts

— Save to Scheduler

—Scheduled tasks

— Settings

— Exit

∇ View

•

Toolbar

—Main toolbar

—Virtual operations toolbar

— Large buttons

— Text labels

— Status bar

•

Disk map

— Size

— Proportional View

— Legend

—Configuration tree

—Recent archives list

Displays the list of CD/DVD burning drives

Generates scripts for the operations scheduled on the List of Pending Operations

Creates schedule for task execution

Displays the list of scheduled tasks, allows editing

Allows changing of program settings

Closes the program

(Contains commands to control the interface layout)

(Controls the layout of toolbars)

Shows/hides the Toolbar

Shows/hides the Virtual Operations Toolbar

Switches between large and small buttons in all toolbars

Shows/hides the hints for toolbar icons and buttons

Shows/hides the Status bar

(Controls the layout of Partitions Visualization Panel)

Select the width of PVP’s disk maps

Disk maps have the same size regardless of their capacities. Partitions are shown proportionally to their sizes.

Shows/hides the Legend Panel

Shows/hides the Configuration tree panel

Shows/hides the List of Archives

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∇ Hard Disk

—Copy hard disk

—Create an image of Hard disk

—Burn an image of hard disk to

CD/DVD

—Restore hard disk from image

—Selective partition restore

—Wipe hard disk

—Change primary slot

—View sectors

—Browse disk

—SID Changer

(Contains operations for hard disk)

Copies the contents of the hard disk (Track#0+all partitions)

Makes a backup image of the hard disk (multivolume archive)

Saves the disk image to recordable CD/DVD discs

Restores the disk contents and layout from a backup image.

Restore chosen partitions from the hard disk image, allows independent partitions resizing.

(Multi-pass) wiping of the hard disk.

Re-orders partition entries in MBR

Explores sectors on the disk, allows editing

Explores the contents of FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, Ext2/3 partitions.

(Paragon Partition Explorer

)

Runs the built-in SID Changer on all primary partitions of the selected hard disk.

—Properties

∇ Partition

—Copy partition

(Contains operations for partitions)

Copies a single partition, allows resizing.

—Create an image of a partition

Backs up a single partition

—Burn image of partition to CD

Saves the partition image to recordable CD/DVD discs

—Restore partition from image

Restores the partition from an image, allows partition resizing.

Restores separate partition(s) from a multi-partition image, allows independent resizing.

—Selective partition restore on

HDD

—Create partition

Creates a new partition (primary, extended, logical)

Formats an existing partition to FAT/FAT32, NTFS, Ext2, Ext3, ReiserFS or Linux Swap

—Format

—Delete

Deletes an existing partition

Wipes the contents of a partition by multi-pass overwriting it with a single character

—Wipe partition

—Clear free space

—Resize / Move

—Mount

Wipes unused sectors of selected partition

Relocates the partition with resizing at the same time

Assigns / removes the drive letter assigned to the partition (available only in Windows NT, 2000, XP)

Hides / unhides the partition.

—Hide/Unhide

—Set active/Set inactive

•

Modi fy

—Convert

Sets / resets primary partition as active (=bootable).

(Contains operations which change parameters of file system)

Changes the file system type without reformatting (available for FAT16, FAT32, NTFS)

—Set Label

—Change Cluster size

—Change Root size

Shows properties of hard disk

Changes the volume label in the boot sector of partition

Changes the cluster size of the file system without re-formatting the partition

Changes the Root Directory capacity on a FAT16 partition

Paragon Hard Disk Manager

—Change Boot size

—Change Serial Number

—Change partition ID

—Make primary / Make logical

—SID Changer

—View sectors

—Retest surface

—Check file system integrity

—Undelete

—Browse partition

—Properties

∇

Operations

—View pending changes

—Apply changes

—Undo last operation

—Undo all operations

—Reload

∇

Wizards

-Redistribute Free Space

-Undelete

-Merge

-Scheduler

∇

Help

—Contents and Index

•

Troubleshooting

—Send log files

—About Hard Disk Manager

20 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

Changes the amount of sectors reserved for bootable code on FAT16 and FAT32 partitions

Changes the Serial Number of a partition stores in the boot sector on FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS partitions

Changes the code of the file system type in the MBR/EPT

Excludes a logical partition from the Extended Partition. / Includes a primary partition as logical into the

Extended partition.

Runs the built-in SID Changer for the selected partition.

Explores sectors of the partition, allows editing

Performs the surface test for a partition or a block of free space.

Checks file system integrity (available for FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS file systems)

Finds and recovers an occasionally deleted partition

Explores the partition contents, available for mounted and unmounted partitions. (Partition Explorer)

Displays the detailed properties of the partition

(Contains command to manage virtual operations)

Displays the List of Pending Operations

Immediately executes all queued pending operations

Undoes the last operation on the List of Pending Operations

Cancels all operations on the List of Pending Operations

Re-reads the current state of hard disks (available only when the List of Pending Operations is empty)

(Contains the list of Wizards)

Helps to increase the size of selected partition at the expense of free blocks and unused space on other partitions

Helps to recover an accidentally deleted partition

Increases the size of the selected partition by the size of the second partition, the contents of the second being packed in the folder on the first partition

Helps to schedule tasks for one-time or multiple execution

(Contains help texts)

Starts the program’s Help

(Automated troubleshooting assistance)

Compresses and sends the log to the Paragon Support Team

Displays a short info about the program

For frequently used commands there are hot keys. If recently launched, HDM has several unavailable commands on

General, Edit, Partition, Hard Disk menus. They will be available once the proper object for the operation has been selected (see

Operation Dialogs

).

3.1.2 Partitions Visualization Panel

The main window of HDM includes the Partitions Visualization Panel that graphically represents the layout of all available hard disks and also enables “visual” partitioning (i.e. manipulating partitions in virtual mode).

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 21 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

Each disk of the system is represented by a wide gray bar with a title and a disk map as a colored bar. The disk title includes the hard disk number, which is assigned by the operating system, disk model (manufacturer ID), and capacity in

MB.

Below the title, a disk map with partitions is to be found. The blocks of free, unpartitioned space on this disk map are proportionally sized and color-coded. Each partition is designated by a drive letter and colored according to the type of file system, with unused (free) space on the partition being colored lighter than the displayed color of the used space. Free disk space or unpartitioned space is colored aqua-green.

To get detailed information about particular partition, select a partition and right-click it or click the Properties icon on the

Operations toolbar. The Properties Panel will appear:

• Partition type (primary or logical)

• File system (if one of FAT12/16/32, NTFS, Ext2, Ext3, ReiserFS, HPFS, L-Swap 1&2 file systems)

• Partition number

• Partition size

• The size of used space on partition

• The size of free space on partition

• The number of sectors for one cluster

• The first sector of partition

• The last sector of partition

The Legend Panel on the top of the Partitions Visualization Panel explains the color scheme used for disk and partition presentation:

Partitions on the disk map are sensitive to the user’s actions and can be effectively used for a quick modification of the disk’s layout – for visual partitioning, including such operations as copy, move and resize. All changes made in the

Partitions Visualization Panel are virtual operations, listed in the List of Pending Operations. It is possible to undo several of them beginning with the last, or undo all at any time prior to being executed.

Visual partitioning is also used in the program’s other interfaces: resize and move, and create operation dialogs.

Visual partitioning is also used in the program’s operation dialogs: resize & move and create. The Partition Visualization

Panel is synchronized with the Configuration Tree Panel and the List of Partitions panel. Virtual changes will be visible in all three panels.

3.1.3 Settings

In this section some of program settings are reviewed. Most of them can be found on the tabbed Settings page:

Menu General Settings

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 22 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

Verify data written

If this option is marked, every write-to-disk action is followed by the read-and-compare action. This feature may be helpful in case of running an unstable hard disk.

Copy all sectors 1:1

If this option is marked, copying and imaging of partitions and hard disks will be fulfilled in the sector-by-sector

mode.

If this option is inactive, operations of copying and imaging may be fulfilled in the fast-copying

mode for partitions of

supported file systems. If there are partitions of other file system types on the disk with DOS partitioning scheme, HDM will copy partitions of supported file system types in fast-copying mode, and will switch to sector-by-sector mode to copy partitions of other file system types.

Data loss protection

Activate the option to force HDM to work in the fail-safe mode (also referred to as data-loss protection mode), which ensures more safety for partitioning operations, such as convert file system, move and resize, change cluster size, modify the source partition. Manual interruptions of such operations or power outages during these operations will result in corruption when being modified.

In the fail-safe mode, the program maintains the special journal of operations’ progress. In case of hardware malfunction, power outages or operating system failure, the modified partition may become corrupted and non-operable. However,

HDM will be able to complete the interrupted operation, thus «reviving» the partition.

The journaling of the operation progress significantly decreases the computer’s performance.

If the system has crashed during the operation in fail-safe mode, insert the bootable Recovery CD and restart the computer. HDM will automatically detect the journal of the interrupted operation and complete the operation.

FAT 64 clusters for NT

Check this option to create FAT16 partitions with 64 KB cluster size. Only Windows NT 4.0 supports 64 KB clusters.

Do not hide target primary partitions after copy / restore

The option controls whether the program automatically sets the hidden attribute for recently restored or copied partitions.

The fundamental feature of the restore partition and copy partition functions is the changing of the number and the relative order of partitions. The after-effect depends on how different versions of Windows manage the assigning of drive letters to partitions and whether they are able to operate hidden partitions.

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In case the user wants to restore the system partition, this option needs to be marked, otherwise Windows will be unable to boot from the hidden system partition.

Try to access non-BIOS cylinders

The option works only under DOS and Windows 95, 98, ME. When this option activated, HDM performs a special procedure to define the disk capacity and does not use the value that is returned by BIOS. In Windows NT, 2000 and XP and in Linux this option is not available.

Do not ask for the volume label before deleting

By default, HDM asks the volume label before deleting the partition (to eliminate the chance of occasional deletion).

Convert FAT16 to FAT32 automatically

Activate the option to suppress the warning of the conversion FAT16 file system to the FAT32 during such partitioning operations as: move and resize, copy disk, copy partition, restore disk, and restore partition.

Maximum capacity of FAT16 partition is limited to approximately 2 GB (the limit is 4 GB for 64 KB clusters). For this reason, partitions greater than 2 GB cannot be correctly formatted to the FAT16 file system.

HDM suggests that the FAT16 file system should be converted to FAT32 when the resulting size of a partition exceeds the maximum size for the FAT16 file system. By default, the program warns the user about the file system conversion since several old operating systems do not support FAT32:

• Windows NT 4.0 and earlier versions

• Windows 95 OSR1

• All DOS versions that precede the MS-DOS 7.1 (from Windows 95 OSR2)

• MS Windows 3.11 and earlier versions

1-based numeration of hard disks

Activate the option in order to use the 1-based numeration of hard disks. By default, HDM uses the zero-based numeration of hard disks and partitions.

Surface test

This option defines the default value for the media surface test sub-operation. The available values are:

Table II. Types of media surface test

None

Normal

No surface test

Single-pass read test

Extreme

Three-pass read-&-write test

This option affects the following operations: format partition, copy partition, resize and move partition, restore partition, and retest the surface (this operation ignores the setting Surface Test = NONE).

While performing the surface test, HDM detects bad sectors and marks them as unusable.

Compression level

This option defines the compression level for imaging operations. Using the image compression significantly slows the overall operation performance.

Table III. Approximate values for the compression ratio and speed deceleration

Level

None

Compression Performance

Fast

Normal

No compression

95-80 %

(1.05 – 1.25 times squeezing)

65-70 %

(1.4 – 1.5 times squeezing)

No deceleration

~90 %

(~1.1 times slower)

60-70%

(1.4 – 1.7 times slower)

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 24 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

Best

40-50 %

(2.0 – 2.5 times squeezing)

10-12%

(8 – 10 times slower)

In fact, the real value of compression ratio fundamentally depends on the statistical characteristics of the data being compressed. The efficiency depends on the CPU and hard disk performance.

On Backup page there are options:

• Do not back up temporary files

• Do not control archive integrity

• Group box of Hot backup options

Do not back up temporary files

This option allows the program to ignore unimportant files when creating backup archives. This saves time and reduces the size of the backup archive. If the option is activated, the current version of the program ignores the contents of the

PAGEFILE.SYS and HIBERFIL.SYS system files on NTFS partitions, but saves the information on their sizes and locations. When restoring an NTFS partition, HDM will generate the contents of these two files.

If this option is disabled, HDM backs up these files along with others on a partition.

Do not control archive integrity

The option controls the generation of the integrity validation code while creating backup archives. With this option deactivated, the program has a 2-7% performance gain, but the probability of occurring faults increases.

Hot Backup options

• Offers the choice between using Hot Backup or restarting the computer in BlueScreen.

• Automatically launches Hot Backup when the partition is locked.

The Operations page contains a group box with options for virtual operations and the Close progress dialog

automatically option.

Virtual operations are enabled

Mark this option to switch the program to the virtual operations mode. All operations (that support virtual execution) will

be placed on the List of Pending Operations

for later execution. See details in

Virtual operations section.

Smart mode for virtual operations

In the smart execution mode, HDM executes all time-consuming operations as virtual operations, i.e. places them on the

List of Pending Operations

for later execution. Quick operations are executed immediately, when no pending operations are listed.

Quick operations are:

• Hide/Unhide partition

• Set partition active/inactive

• Mount partition

• Set partition Label

Virtual operations are disabled

Choose this option to force the program to execute operations immediately. All operations will be fulfilled immediately after the operation’s parameters have been defined.

Close progress dialog automatically

While executing operations, HDM displays the Progress Information window, which contains the performance statistics and other information. By default, the window remains open (and the program pauses) until the user presses the Close button. Check this option to force the program to automatically close the Progress Information window after completing every operation.

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 25 OF 46 Quick User’s Manual

3.1.3.4 SID Changer Page

SID Changer utility is available only in HDM Deployment Edition.

SID – Security IDentifier, the binary structure that is associated with some object in the system, is used to distinguish between user access privileges in workgroup local networks. By default, the SID Changer searches Windows installations and then changes SIDs in the found Windows instances to automatically generate random SID values.

The SIDs can be changed manually via the command line as well.

The page contains options:

• Perform SID changing after disk copy

• Perform SID changing after partition copy

There is also the group box for SID Changer Mode with alternative values:

• Default

• Manual (recommended for experienced users only).

Send operation complete report by e-mail

On the user page, there is a checkbox for the option Send operation complete report by e-mail. The option can be useful in cases when the program has to perform operations, which will take considerable time. Enter the e-mail address to be used for notification of completed operations.

Timeout before reboot the system automatically.

Some operations require the system to be rebooted. By default, in such situations, the program stops the execution and waits until the user confirms the reboot. Set the timeout to eliminate these pauses.

Enter the timeout value for: Timeout before reboot the system automatically. Choose a value between 0 and 120 sec.

Set / Change password

It is possible to protect the computer from incompetent or unauthorized modification of disk contents by setting a password for the physical execution of the operations.

To set the password, press the Set/Change password button.

Hard Disk Manager supports the on-the-fly changing of the interface language. This page contains the list of available language interfaces.

3.1.3.7 Locale Info Page

By default, HDM takes locale settings from the system. However, you can customize default locale settings such as: time zone and language of file names.

These parameters affect the conversion of file systems «FATxx NTFS» and «NTFS FATxx».

NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 file systems use different standards for file names and file time stamps (Created, Modified and Last access times). The program uses Locale (=Regional) Settings in order to correctly convert these values.

Incorrect settings may lead to corruption of non-English filenames.

All HDM operations can be accomplished by using the operation dialogs. Some operations offer wizards, but in most cases wizards are interfaces for tasks which combine several operations.

To fulfill an operation:

1. Select an object for operation: a partition, a free block or a disk.

2. (On the Menu and Operations toolbar, most operations are unavailable until the proper object of operation is not selected).

3. Choose an operation to be performed on this object.

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4. On the operation dialog page, set up values for parameters and select from the options.

5. (As a rule, all controllable parameters of an operation are located on one dialog page. The program offers consistent default values for all operation parameters; these values can be used or changed).

6. Click OK on the dialog page to complete the selection of parameters.

7. If the virtual operations are disabled, the program executes the operation immediately. Otherwise, the program queues the operation on the List of Pending Operations. To execute an operation successfully, click the Apply icon (see

Virtual operations

and

Partitions Visualization Panel

).

HDM supports virtual operations. Virtual operations are operations which may be pending. When virtual operations are

enabled, the program does not execute operations immediately, but places them on the List of Pending Operations to

execute them later.

The program has three modes of operations execution:

• Virtual operations enabled (also referred to as virtual execution mode)

• Virtual operations disabled (also referred to as immediate execution mode)

• Smart mode for virtual operations (mixed mode).

The modes are controlled by appropriate options (for details see section Settings Overview:

Operations Page ).

When virtual operations are disabled (option

Virtual Operations Disabled

, see Settings Overview ), any operation will be

executed by the program immediately after the parameters of operation are defined.

When virtual operations are enabled (the default mode), several virtual operations can be performed on the hard disk and the expected layout (i.e. the virtual state) of the hard disk can be previewed before HDM will actually execute operations.

All virtual operations are queued on the

List of Pending Operations . If the result is not the expected, one or all virtual

operations can be undone. No changes will physically take place on the hard disk until they have been applied (by clicking the Apply icon on the Virtual Operations toolbar).

Virtual operations mode provides additional protection from accidental actions, which may destroy data on the hard disk.

List of Pending Operations

When virtual operations are enabled, the program does not execute operations immediately, but queues them on the List of Pending Operations. The user can examine the list prior to fulfilling the operations. If the List is empty, the icons on

Virtual Operations toolbar are disabled.

To view the List of Pending Operations, select on the Menu:

Operations View pending changes

or click on the Changes icon on the Virtual Operations toolbar.

The Pending Changes dialog appears if the List is not empty. On the dialog page the two disk maps are displayed:

• Your partitions before operations map displays the original state of the disk

• Your partitions after operations map displays the virtual state of the disk after changes have been made

At the bottom of the page there are the buttons: Apply, Undo last, Undo All, Close.

The operations on the List of Pending Operations can be used to create scripts or to be saved to the Scheduler.

HDM Professional and Deployment Editions support batch processing of disk management operations. Paragon Script

Language provides the ability to construct very flexible and smart scripts for automated working. Script is a simple text file that can be automatically created by the Script Generator for

virtual operations

or manually by experienced users.

The scripts mechanism is used for scheduling tasks (see Scheduler

) as well.

For more details please refer to Paragon Script Language Manual.

3.2.4 Scheduler

There are some situations when scheduling of operations is useful. Using HDM the user can create tasks which include several operations (for example, backing up several partitions on the disk).

The Scheduler will help planing one-time or multiple executions of a task.

The Scheduler includes the editor for the scheduled tasks available.

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3.3 Partition Access Modes

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In the fast-copying mode, the program uses the knowledge of the file system structure to detect which sectors of a partition are not used by files or metadata. The program optimizes read / write operations to skip unused sectors. This technique accelerates significantly the execution of basic operations.

This mode is available only for FAT12/16/32, NTFS, Ext2 FS, Ext3 FS, Reiser FS. This is the default mode of operations execution. In fast-copying mode, every operation begins with the file system integrity check. In case of a corrupted file system, the program shows the error message «Incorrect file system» and cancels the operation.

By default, HDM processes partitions of supported file systems in fast-copying mode and automatically switches to

sector-by-sector mode when processing other file systems.

This mode of operations execution is available for all file systems. In the sector-by-sector mode, the program simply processes all sectors of a partition; even corrupted partitions can be processed in this mode. This mode of operation

execution requires more time for processing a partition than in fast-copying

mode.

HDM can be forced to work in the sector-by-sector mode for all partitions (see the Copy all sectors 1:1

in Setting

Overview).

3.4 Wizards

Several wizards are available for certain operations and tasks in HDM. A wizard guides the user through the set of wizard’s pages. Each page contains a simple question and offers a limited number of possible answers. As the user proceeds through these pages, the wizard collects enough information to initiate the required operation. Finally, HDM will execute the operation.

Wizards may be easier to use at first, however, they do not allow the user to configure an operation in detail and to use some of the extended options of operations. For complete control of operations execution, use the operation dialogs (see

Operation dialogs

).

This wizard consolidates the space occupied by two partitions, packing the contents of the second partition in the folder on the first partition. The order in which two partitions are selected, is important because the contents of the second

chosen partition will be placed in the folder of the first chosen partition (see Merging two NTFS partitions ).

Limitations:

Only NTFS, FAT16 or FAT32 partitions can be merged. For partitions of other types of file systems the operation

Merge will not be available.

3.4.2 Redistribute Free Space Wizard

This wizard always operates in the virtual execution mode.

This wizard helps to increase free space on one partition at the expense of unused space on others in the following way.

After the user has selected the target partition, the wizard will add the space that is equal in size to all blocks of free space if there are any on the disk. By default, the wizard will add to the target partition the 50% of unused space of other partitions, which have been selected to donate space. The user can manually control what part of unused space will be left on a partition. The wizard will recalculate the positions of the partitions, and move their contents to new locations (see

Redistributing Unused Space Between Partitions

).

The Undelete Wizard helps recover an accidentally deleted partition.

This wizard operates in immediate execution mode.

To delete a partition, disk management software removes only the references to a partition in the Partition Table, and onpartition data becomes unavailable. Consequently, an occasionally deleted partition can be recovered once the valid record in the Partition Table has been restored.

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To find and restore a partition, HDM scans sectors on the hard disk in order to detect servicing structures of a file system that have been occupying a deleted partition. Then, HDM can restore the appropriate entry in the Partition Table.

Limitations:

Only primary and logical partitions can be undeleted. The program allows the restoration of partitions of the following types: FAT16 & FAT32, NTFS, Ext2 & Ext3, ReiserFS.

The program can only find and restore a partition on unpartitioned disk space. When new partitions have been created on the location of deleted partitions, HDM cannot find and recover the deleted ones.

It is impossible to undelete a partition, if it has been wiped out by HDM or other utilities.

The current version of HDM allows the user to restore only one deleted partition at a time. To undelete several partitions the user has to apply the undelete partition operation several times.

The current version of HDM supports DOS partitioning scheme. Deleted partitions on Dynamic Disks cannot be restored using HDM!

The program cannot undelete partitions, which have corrupted boot sectors.

Only one partition can be recovered at a time. To recover several deleted partitions the user needs to run the specific wizard several times (see

Recovering accidentally deleted partitions

).

3.4.4 Incremental Backup Wizard

The Incremental Backup Wizard helps to create an incremental backup of a partition.

Standard backup image includes all contents of a partition. In case the user needs to create multiple backup archives of the same partition, unchanged data is duplicated in all archives and takes additional space on backup media.

HDM provides allows to archive only changes in the partition’s contents with respect to a complete archive.

The creation of an incremental archive usually takes more time than the creation of an ordinary one. However, an incremental archive usually requires less space than the appropriate number of ordinary full archives or backup images.

Once the complete image of partition is created, it can be used as a base or parental image for incremental backup. HDM verifies when the parental image corresponds to the partition being imaged. To distinguish between partitions, the program uses such partition’s attributes as: location, capacity, file system type, and the serial number.

The program performs the exact bitwise comparison of the previous partition’s data (saved in the parental image) with the current data (that is actually the partition itself). The difference in contents is saved in the new volume of incremental backup archive.

The volumes of the archive can be stored in different locations.

Limitations

The Incremental Backup Wizard is currently enabled only for single primary and logical partitions.

The HDM is not capable to perform incremental backups for the list of files.

The use of the Incremental Backup Wizard is explained in section

Performing an Incremental Backup

.

4 Typical Tasks

This chapter describes how to use HDM to accomplish common user’s tasks in disk partitioning, hard disk and partitions imaging and copying, and maintaining the operating system’s working efficiency.

4.1 Partitioning

HDM provides powerful tools for all disk partitioning needs. The user can create a new partition to hold data, encrypt data and hide the partition. The user can create a new partition for another operating system and manage several operating systems on the computer as well. The user can merge partitions, delete them, redistribute unused space on partitions and many more. If the user accidentally deletes a partition, it can be restored with HDM.

L Prior to performing any partitioning operations on the hard disk, back up the system partition and any valuable data or make reserve copies of partitions or the entire disk. Although HDM provides all necessary safety measures these operations are still highly risky

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safety measures, these operations are still highly risky

The HDM provides standard partitioning functions for all file systems:

• Create

• Move and resize

• Delete

• Format to a particular file system

• Merge

• Undelete

For supported file systems these operations can be fulfilled in fast-copying

mode. For other file systems these operations are executed in sector-by-sector copying mode.

All these operations can be fulfilled in virtual execution mode. This mode provides an additional level of safety (for

details see Virtual operations

).

HDM has wizards for several partitioning tasks:

•

Redistribute Free Space Wizard

•

Merge Wizard

•

Undelete Wizard

4.1.1 Releasing Some Disk Space for a New Partition

The user wants to create a new partition, but there is no unallocated space on the hard disk. However, there are several partitions on the hard disk, some of which have unused space. HDM does not offer an operation to create the new partition on unused space of other partitions. The user should manually define a sequence of resize/move operations on existing partitions in order to release some free disk space and pack it up into one block of unpartitioned space. After that, the user can create a new partition on this unpartitioned free space.

HDM differentiates between primary free space and logical free space: within the primary free space (unpartitioned free space between primary partitions), primary partitions or an extended partition (if there is none on the disk) can be created, while within the logical free space (free space on the extended partition), only logical partitions can be created.

Scenario

Follows the steps below to release some free space for a new primary partition:

1. In the main window of HDM on the

Partition Visualization Panel

select the hard disk, on which a block of free space is to be created. Select a partition, which has some unused space. If the selected partition is not the first on disk, proceed to Step 3.

2. If this is the first partition, click on the right edge of the colored bar, which presents a partition. The cursor changes to a two-headed arrow shape:

Now the user can shift the edge to the left by drag-and-drop method. By doing this, free space from the partition is released (displayed in aqua-green):

The user will see the size of this block of free space on the List of Partitions (see

Main Window Panels ) below

the Partitions Visualization Panel at the appropriate position, second on the list. If the resulted block of free space is the size needed, proceed to Step 5.

3. Select another partition which has unused space on it. Drag–and-drop next partition’s left edge to the right or right edge to the left (considering where the user wants to have a block of free space), thus releasing the unused space:

If some free space is available in that place, the released free space will merge with it. Go to the Step 5 if the user has the required size of free space. If this is not the case, repeat this step with another partition.

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4. Now the user has partitions, which are separated by blocks of free space. The user has to move the partitions so that several blocks of free space will merge into one. Choose the place where the user wants to have the target free space.

If there is another block of free space to the right, select the partition between them. Move the right edge of the partition to the right, thus expanding it over the block of free space:

The partition will increase in size. Then, move the left edge of the selected partition to the right, thus releasing free space from under the partition. As a result, the target block of free space will be larger in size because of the joined block of free space:

If there is another block of free space to the left of target block, select the partition between them. Move the left edge of the partition to the left, thus expanding it over the block of free space:

The partition will increase in size. After that, move the right edge of the selected partition to the left, thus releasing free space from under the partition. As a result, the target block of free space will be larger in size because of the joined block of free space:

Repeat until a block of free space of required size at the desired location has been achieved.

5. When the user has the sufficient block of free space, apply the pending operations by clicking the Apply icon.

Result

Now the user has a block of free space sufficient in size to hold a new primary partition.

4.1.2 Redistributing Unused Space between Partitions

The user may want to increase the size of one partition at the expense of unused space on other partitions. HDM has a wizard specially designed for this task. It is called the

Redistribute Free Space Wizard

. The wizard always operates in the

virtual operations mode.

Scenario

To redistribute free space between partitions using the wizard, the following steps are recommended:

1. On the main window of the HDM, select:

Menu Wizards Redistribute Free Space Wizard

The wizard starts and its Welcome to Redistribute Free Space Wizard page opens. Click Next.

2. Next wizard’s page displays a list of local hard disks graphically presented on the Partitions Visualization Panel by disk maps (see

Partitions Visualization Panel

). The partitions and unpartitioned space on the disk map are presented by proportionally sized colored bars, with the free space on partition being displayed lighter in color than the used space of a partition. By default, the first partition on the disk is selected. The selected partition is shaded.

The user has to choose the target partition, the size of which will be increased at the expense of other partitions. Now on the Partition Visualization Panel, the target partition is colored grey, the unused space on the partition displayed in light gray.

Then click the Next button.

3. What to redistribute page. On the disk map, the user can see that all blocks of free space have been added to the target partition, and appropriate partitions have been moved to new locations. By default, the partition next to the target partition is selected to donate free space if available. It is shaded on the disk map.

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The user can choose any partition (not only adjacent) to take a part of the free space available. By default, the program leaves 50% of the unused space on a partition and removes another 50% to add it to the target partition.

The user can also manually remove more or less free space from the chosen partition by moving the slider at the bottom of the window.

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If the partition is empty (i.e. without used space on it), it cannot be selected

Click the Next button to continue.

4. Revise the changes page. Now the user can preview the changes planned for the hard disk. On the wizard’s page the user can see graphical presentations of the original layout of the disk and preview the resulting layout. Thus, the user can compare the state of the hard disk before and after planned changes. Click the Back button to return to the previous page to make corrections. To accept the changes, click Next.

5. Ready to apply your changes page. The Wizard prompts the user to confirm applying the changes. By default, the option No, let me reconsider is checked, which helps avoid an occasional applying of the operations.

If the user confirms the changes, the Next button will be enabled. Clicking Next launches the execution of all pending operations.

6. Applying changes page displays the task execution progress. The first progress bar shows the progress in executing the current operation, while the second bar indicates the overall progress.The Wizard informs the user about the current operation in the report box in the center of the page.

If the task has been completed successfully, the Finish button becomes available.

7. Click Finish to complete the wizard, and the changed layout of the hard disk will be displayed in the Partitions

Visualization Panel.

4.1.3 Merging Two NTFS Partitions

Use the

Merge Wizard

to consolidate the disk space, which originally belongs to two adjacent partitions, into a single, larger partition. The order, in which two partitions have been chosen, is important because the contents of the second chosen partition will be placed in the folder of the first chosen partition.

Scenario

To merge two adjacent partitions, follow these steps:

1. On the Wizards menu select Merge or

Menu Wizards Merge

Now the wizard commences.

2. What to expand page. The Merge Wizard’s first page prompts the user to select the first partition for the merge operation. The selected partition is shaded.

3. What to merge with page. On this wizard’s page the first partition selected in Step 2 is shown in gray. Now, the user has to choose the second partition for the merge operation.

When selected, the second partition is shaded as well.

The contents of the second selected partition will be placed in the folder of the first chosen partition, so the user has to choose a folder name which will contain the second partition’s files.

If the user wants to select the merge operation options, check the box at the bottom of the window. Click Next to continue.

4. On the wizard’s page Revise the Changes, the user can see the disk map prior to modifications (i.e. the original disk layout) and the disk map that reflects the result of changes to be made. To accept these changes, click the Next button.

Result

The two partitions will be merged. The first partition will be larger in size than the second partition. Browsing the partition, the user will find the contents of the second partition in the folder specified in Step 2.

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4.1.4 Creating a New Primary Partition for the Linux Installation

HDM enables the user to create new partitions on the hard disks of the computer.

The user can only create a new partition on unallocated space (a block of unpartitioned, free space). The user cannot create a new partition on unused space of an existing partition. Since HDM distinguishes between primary and logical free space, check if the free space is the desired type. The unallocated space will be logical if the free block is located on the

extended partition, or primary otherwise.

For a Linux installation the partition should be located on primary space, and the size of the partition should be at least 1

GB.

Limitations:

The program supports only hard disks that use the DOS partitioning scheme (in Windows 2000 and XP these disks are named Basic Disks). If the user creates a new partition (applicable for all file system) on a new hard disk, a partition will be created assuming the DOS partitioning scheme.

Do not create a new partition on the disk, which is positioned in front of a bootable system partition — this is a potentially dangerous operation!

Do not use the create partition function in order to recover or restore the recently deleted partitions. Use the

Undelete Wizard

instead.

Scenario

To create a new primary partition for the Linux installation, follow the steps below:

1. Select a location for a new partition. On the

Partitions Visualization Panel or in Configuration Tree select a

block of free disk space to create a new partition. A new partition will be located within the designated block of free space.

L

When no unpartitioned free space is available on the disk, the Create icon or create command of the Partition menu will be disabled (see

Operation dialogs

). When no unpartitioned free space is available, the user has to redistribute disk space to make room for a new partition.

After releasing some free space, the create command and Create icon on Operations toolbar are available

When a block of unallocated space is selected, click the Create icon on the Operations toolbar.

2. Assign properties to a new partition.

After the user has selected a block of free space, the Create Partition dialog appears.

There are three options offered on the dialog page:

• Choose the type of a new partition

• Specify the size of the partition

• To format partition to a particular file system

Choose the type of a new partition

The user can choose the type of partition from the drop-down list containing two options: primary, extended (or logical if inside the extended partition).

Specify the size of the partition.

Define the size and the position of a new partition within the destination block of free space. For the Linux installation, the size of the partition should be at least 1 GB.

There are two ways:

• Manually shift the boundaries of visual partition (receiving approximate values),

• Using three spinner boxes (more accurate values): New Size, Free Space Before, Free Space After.

The capacity of the new partition must not exceed the size of the selected block of free space.

The Free space before spinner control defines the position (in MB) of the new partition relative to the beginning of the block of free space.

The New size spinner control defines the size (in MB) of the new partition.

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The Free space after spinner control defines the amount of free space (in MB) at the end of the new partition. The

Partitions Visualization Panel and spinners are synchronized; the changing of any of these elements affects all others.

During the execution of the operation, the program will approximate these values to meet the partitioning rules for DOS

partitioning scheme. Hence, the final values may slightly differ from the ones that were initially given.

Format the new partition

Check this option, or the partition will be unusable. For a Linux installation the user needs to format the partition to Ext3FS or other Linux supported file systems.

Click the Next button.

3. Format the partition dialog opens. Here the user can define parameters of formatting process, such as:

• type of file system

• volume name (optional, for identification use)

• surface test

• advanced parameters. Group box of advanced parameters appears when you click on the Advanced button. The only available option here is Cluster size.

Cluster size for Ext2/Ext3FS may be 2 (Default), 4 or 8 KB.

Select the file system among those supported by Linux: Ext2/Ext3FS. Click the Next button.

4. Mounting the partition. Operating systems require that names (i.e. drive letters) are assigned to partitions.

Windows 95, 98, ME automatically assign drive letters to all partitions of supported file system types during the startup.

For Windows NT, 2000, and XP, HDM will let the user assign a drive letter to the new partition by selecting:

Menu Partition Mount Assign

Select any available drive letter. Click the Finish button.

Result

The partition is ready for the Linux installation.

4.1.5 Recovering Accidentally Deleted Partition

The user can find and recover a deleted partition with HDM. The Undelete feature of HDM reduces the hazard of occasional partition deletion. The

Undelete Wizard

is available to perform this task. The Undelete Wizard does not use

virtual operations; all operations will be executed immediately.

Scenario

To find an occasionally deleted partition, follow these steps:

1. To start the wizard, select the option:

Menu Wizards Undelete

The wizard displays the fist page: Welcome to Undelete Partition Wizard. To continue, click Next.

2. Where to Look for Deleted Partition wizard’s page presents tree-like structure of available hard disks, partitions and unallocated space on them. Select a block of free space, where a deleted partition has been located. The selected item will be highlighted. Click the Next button.

3. Looking for partitions page. The progress bar at the upper part of the wizard’s page displays the block of free space and the relative position of the current scanning procedure. The user can cancel the task at any time. The scanning result will be displayed in the Table in the center of the wizard’s page under the header: The following partitions have

been found.

In the Table the following attributes of partitions are displayed: file system, type, capacity.

L A checkbox is available with the option: I want to choose file system

filter and search criteria, at the bottom of the window. The search for the deleted partition will be faster, if the user knows what type of file system was installed on the deleted partition. This option is used by experienced users

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4. After the search has been completed, the wizard displays the What to Undelete page.Here the user can select which recoverable partitions should be undeleted. In the table in the center of the page, the program displays the partitions, their attributes and whether they are mutually intersected.

L

Remember, only one of the found partitions can be deleted

5. Mark one of the found partitions to be undeleted (recovered). Click Next.

6. Undeleting partitions. The wizard now recovers the partition.

7. Completing the Undelete Partition Wizard. To physically restore a recently deleted partition, click Finish.

Result

The recovered partition will be presented on the List of Partitions and on the Partitions Visualization Panel.

4.1.6 Defragmenting Partitions

The HDM provides the defragmention for NTFS and FAT partitions. The defragmention of the Master File Table ($MFT) file is supported for NTFS partitions as well.

Defragmenting $MFT

The Master File Table (MFT) contains information about every file and directory in an NTFS partition. The operating system uses data stored in the MFT to retrieve files. For each file, MFT contains file permissions, the name and size of the file, the date and time it was created and the date and time it was modified.

MFT is stored as system file $MFT, located in a special MFT zone of NTFS partition. $MFT is also subjected to fragmentation as any other file, but it is unavailable for common defragmenting utilities.

Scenario

To defragment a FAT or NTFS partition, follow these steps:

1. Close all programs. Even when the data partitions are unlocked, the system partition may still be locked. Prepare to restart the computer.

2. Choose the partition to defragment, which is a NTFS or FAT partition on one of the synchronized panels: the

Configuration Tree panel, List of Partitions or Partitions Visualization Panel .

3. Choose the operation from the Menu:

Menu Partition Modify Defragment

Or right-click the selected partition to call the context menu. Select from the Partition menu:

Modify Defragment…

Define operation parameters. Full defragmentation of a partition dialog opens. On the first page, partition’s attributes are displayed:

• partition’s drive letter

• file system type

The last of the buttons is the Advanced button, clicking it opens the Extended options group box.

Select the order in which files/directories should be placed. There are three sliders on the lower part of the window:

• Folders/Files

• File size

• Modification time

These sliders define the order in which the fragmented files will be processed. Each slider has three positions: first, as is, last. The user can use such criteria as:

• The earlier a file has been created, the less likely it will be requested from the system. It is advised to put seldomly used files at the top of the list for processing.

• If larger files are defragmented first, the larger blocks of disk space will be released first.

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• Folders are small files, which do not fragment very often. It is advised to defragment them at the beginning of the process.

Check the option

Do not save PAGEFILE.SYS and HYBERFIL.SYS

. These files are used by the operating system as temporary files because they are initiated at a new Windows session and are used only during the current session. Their contents are unimportant otherwise; excluding them from processing diminishes the time required by operation.

After the user has defined the parameters, the OK button is clicked.

1. Apply all pending operations by clicking the Apply icon on the Virtual Operations toolbar. The execution of operation begins.

2. HDM requires a confirmation to reboot the computer, which then runs the task in the BlueScreen mode. The program informs the user about the particular operation execution in the report box in the center of the page.

4.1.7 Wiping out a Partition

When the user deletes a partition, the operating system or other disk management software merely removes the references to a partition from the Partition Table. Special software is capable to recover deleted partitions or partially restore data. For example, HDM supports the

Undelete

function.

The functions wipe partition and wipe hard disk allow the user to irreversibly destroy all the contents of a partition or of the entire hard disk by overwriting all its sectors with unusable data.

The following objects can be wiped out:

• Single partition of any type

• Blocks of free space

• Entire extended partition

• Entire hard disk

• Unused space on partitions of supported file system types.

The program performs multi-pass wiping and post-operation checking of a wiped space for traces of data. The HDM supports only a simplified version of the wipe out function: the program overwrites the partition space with a single character.

L If the operation has been interrupted by the user, some data may be left intact. However, the possibility of recovering this data is minimal because the program destroys the essential system information

To wipe out only the unused space on a selected partition, the function Clear Free space is available. In this case only unused clusters will be overwritten.

Scenario

To wipe out a partition or a block of free space on a hard disk, simply follow these steps:

1. Select a partition or a block of free space on the hard disk on the

Partitions Visualization Panel

or on the List of

Partitions. Right-click it to call the context menu and select Wipe partition. Or select:

Menu Partition Wipe partition

2. Define the parameters of operation divided into two groups:

• Hex mask, ASCII mask, Number of passes

• Check, Percentage to check.

Parameters of the first group define what character will be used for overwriting and in how many passes overwriting will be done. Values of Hex and ASCII masks are synchronized. By default, “OO” is used, the available range of hexadecimal values being from “00” to “FF”. By default, the number of wiping passes is “1”, while the maximum value is “100”.

The parameter Check defines whether to perform a post-operation check of wiped space for traces of data. The available range for Percentage of disk space to to be checked ranges from 0% to 100%, the default value is 0%.

When values for parameters are chosen, click OK.

3. Apply the operation: click Apply icon on the Operations toolbar.

4. If the partition is locked, the program asks the user to restart the computer to process the locked partition or cancel the operation.

• In Windows 95 and 98, HDM uses the DOS session as a single-task environment.

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• In Windows NT, 2000 and XP, HDM uses the Bluescreen mode.

• In Windows ME, HDM requires to reboot from a bootable diskette or Recovery CD (recommended).

5. The Progress Information window displays:

• Elapsed time and estimated remaining time

• Averaged read and write speed

The operation may take several minutes up to several hours, depending on the parameters used and on the hardware performance.

4.2 Copying of Hard Disks and Partitions

HDM enables the copying of partitions of any type. Partitions of supported file system types can be processed in the

fastcopying mode, while other file systems can be processed in sector-by-sector mode.

The program allows you to copy a primary partition into the extended partition (so that a primary partition becomes a

logical one). In addition to this, logical partitions can be copied outside the extended partition (so that a logical partition becomes a primary one).

Copies of partition can be saved on:

• mounted logical drives

• mapped network drives

• unmounted partitions formatted to NTFS, Ext2 and Ext3

HDM is capable to copy not only separate partitions but also entire hard disks.

During hard disk copying, the program copies controlling records of the disk partitioning scheme, the bootstrap code and all partitions.

Generally, HDM is capable of copying hard disks with any partitioning scheme, in the sector-by-sector copying mode.

For disks with DOS partitioning scheme, the program provides many functional extensions for copy hard disk operation, for example, proportional copying of partitions.

Copies of hard disk can be saved on:

• mounted local drives

• mapped network drives

In addition to creating a reserved copy for recovery purposes in case of a system malfunction, copying a hard disk may be used for:

• cloning hard disks (for example, for the system administrator)

• upgrading, i.e. replacement of the hard disk by a new larger one.

4.2.1 Cloning Hard Disk in Windows 2000 and XP

HDM is a potent tool for hard disk cloning. The disks copying method allows to successfully transfer standard bootstrap code and other system service structures, which enables Paragon Boot Manager and LILO to run on cloned disks without re-installation.

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In case the user has the Windows 2000/XP operating system, this specific procedure is required in order to avoid problems with the new copy of a hard disk

Scenario

To clone (copy) hard disk with the operating system Windows 2000 and XP, follow these steps:

1. Connect both source and destination disks to the computer. Restart the computer and run HDM.

2. Using HDM, copy the source disk to the destination one in fast-copying

mode or in sector-by-sector mode. The copying mode may be chosen on the Settings page:

Menu General Settings Operation

After the source disk is selected on the Partitions Visualization Panel

, the Copy command is available from:

Menu Hard Disk Copy

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On the Copy Hard Disk dialog page, choose the destination disk and click the Apply button.

3.

(!)

When copying is completed, shut down the computer.

4.

(!)

Disconnect (physically) the source hard disk.

5.

(!)

Boot the computer from the destination hard disk. No problems should occur during the startup process.

L Windows 2000 and XP keep information in a special database about all mounted and dismounted partitions of all hard disks that have been connected to the system. The partitions are identified by the hard disk serial number and the relative partition’s order.

During hard disk cloning, this database is copied as well. The database of partitions is automatically updated at the initial startup.

Skipping two last steps, the source hard disk has been connected during the first startup of the destination disk. At startup, Windows finds both disks: the old hard disk and the new one; it leaves the drive letters on the old one as they are and appoints new drive letters for partitions on the destination disk, and updates the database for partitions on the new disk.

After the source disk has been disconnected, the destination disk becomes unusable:

Windows is unable to boot from this disk because now the partition to boot from has an invalid drive letter

Result

Now, both hard disks can be used on a different computer or separately on the same computer without any problems.

4.2.2 Upgrading the Hard Disk

To upgrade the hard disk without the DOS partitioning scheme, simply copy it as in Section

Cloning the hard disk in

Windows 2000 and XP

.

For disks with the DOS partitioning scheme, HDM provides some extended functions. For example, HDM is capable to copy the disk with a proportional resizing of all partitions of supported file system types. This function is useful when old hard disks are replaced by newer and larger ones.

Scenario

1. Connect both source and destination disks to the computer. Boot the computer and run HDM. Select the source disk on the

Partitions Visualization Panel.

2. Select the operation. If the source disk is selected, right-click it to call the context menu. Select Copy Hard Disk.

Or on the program’s Menu:

Menu Hard Disk Copy Hard Disk

3. On the operation dialog page there are disk maps. Select the destination disk.

L

All the contents of the destination disk will be destroyed at the very beginning of the operation

4. Define parameters of Copy Hard Disk operation. By default, HDM offers to copy without size change. Define the destination disk size. The slider at the bottom of the dialog will let the user define the portion of the destination disk which will be reserved for copied partitions. The default values can be used for other parameters (they work in most cases). So, click OK to confirm and to continue.

5. To complete the operation, HDM offers to restart the computer, since the copying cannot be performed while the source disk is locked.

• In Windows 95 and 98, HDM uses the DOS session as a single-task environment.

• In Windows NT, 2000 and XP, HDM uses the Bluescreen mode.

• In Windows ME, HDM requires to reboot from a bootable diskette or Recovery CD (recommended).

L In case the user has the Windows 2000/XP operating system, the specific procedure is required in order to avoid problems with the new

copy of a hard disk. See Comments in Cloning the hard disk in

Windows 2000 and XP

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6. When the copying procedure has been completed, shut down the computer.

7. Disconnect (physically) the source hard disk.

8. Boot the computer from the destination hard disk. No problems should arise during the startup process.

4.3 Backing up / Restoring Hard Disk and Partitions

Standard HDM functions include:

• creating of backup images of a partition or a hard disk

• restoration of a partition or a hard disk from its backup image

It is important to regularly back up the system and data and keep backups in different locations to protect oneself from downtime in case of system malfunction. HDM has tools to help create backups for separate partitions, for entire hard disks, to save the archives on CD/DVDs, even on remote CD/DVD drives accessible via local network.

Moreover, the user can make backups of the data or system partition automatically on schedule. To make the archive

more compact, the user can perform an incremental backup (see also Incremental Backup Wizard and

Performing an

Incremental Backup

), during which only changes with respect to the base (or parental) image are saved.

Partition backup image

The backup image of a partition includes not only contents of all files but also file system metadata. With metadata the operating system keeps all information associated with its files: the exact structure of directories, location of files on the disk, security information, access quotas and many more. HDM is able to compress the data so that the image file will be

smaller than the partition or disk it contains (for details see Compression level ). This saves disk space and transfer time

when the file is copied.

Disk backup image

Disk backup image includes the partition’s images and system data, such as controlling records of used partitioning

scheme, and the bootstrap. In case of disk malfunction or corruption of data, the backup image of the hard disk can be used for complete the restoration of the system’s efficiency. The disk backup image, also referred to as a disk archive, always consists of multiple volumes. HDM makes it possible to restore only separate partitions using the disk backup image.

HDM is capable of creating the image of a hard disk with the DOS partitioning scheme in the

fast-copying and sector-by-

sector mode, while disks with other partitioning schemes are imaged only in the sector-by-sector mode.

Where backups can be saved

HDM allows the saving of backup images on the following:

• Mounted local drives

• Mapped network

• Unmounted partitions formatted to NTFS, Ext2 and Ext3.

CD/ DVDs

Multivolume images

An image of a hard disk or an extended partition is always referred to as a multivolume image. By default, HDM creates the image of a partition as a single file. However, there are situations when creating a backup as a single file may be inconvenient or impossible.

A multivolume image will be created when the user wants to place a large backup image:

• on a FAT32 partition. Since this file system limits file size to 4 GB, the user needs to split the image in volumes of 4 GB or less.

• on a mapped network drive. The network redirector supports only files less than 2 GB in size. Therefore, the user needs to split an image in volumes of 2 GB or less in order to avoid access problems.

• on removable media, such as CD/DVDs. In this case, the user can force the program to split the image in volumes of required size (i.e. the capacity of one compact disc).

Generally, HDM detects such situations automatically and splits large images in multiple volumes of manageable size.

The primary volume of a backup image holds information about the archive and its volumes. The program supports both automatically generated and manually defined volume filenames.

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Processing locked partitions and locked disks

The system partition or hard disk with the Windows operating system is always locked. A data partition is locked if there are files opened by the user or an application.

HDM processes locked partitions and locked disks differently in different operating systems; moreover, it uses different components in different versions of Windows.

• For Windows 95 and 98, HDM uses the DOS session as true single-task environment. HDM restarts the computer in DOS and launches the DOS version of HDM. After completing the operation, HDM reboots the computer into

Windows.

• For Windows NT, 2000 and XP, HDM uses the

Hot Backup to back up locked partitions and disks or the

Bluescreen mode.

• For Windows ME, HDM requires to restart the computer from a bootable diskette or Recovery CD

(recommended).

Restoring a partition from its backup image.

HDM enables the user to restore a hard disk from its backup image or restore partitions from their backup images or restore separate partitions from the image of entire disk. For this operation the user needs the backup images previously created by HDM. Do not use backup images made by other programs to restore a partition or disk with HDM.

L

After the partition is restored, it will contain only the changes made prior to backing up. All changes that were made after backup will be lost

4.3.1 Backing up the System Partition

HDM allows the imaging of locked partitions and disks, but the processing of them differs for different operating systems.

The sequence of actions depends on the type of storage to be used for saving a backup file or archive. The image can later be used as the parental or base image for incremental backup (see also

Incremental Backup Wizard and

Performing an Incremental Backup ).

Scenario for Windows NT, 2000 and XP

For these versions of Windows, the typical scenario is as follows:

1. Define proper program’s settings on the page:

Menu General Settings General

On the Settings page, select tab General and clear the option Copy all sectors 1:1.

On the Settings page select tab Backup and check the options

Do not back up temporary files and the option Always use Hot Backup

.

On the Operations page check the option Virtual operations enabled .

2. On the

Partitions Visualization Panel select a partition for which a backup image is to be created. The selected

partition will be highlighted in all three panels. Right-click on the partition to call the context menu. Choose the command

Create an image of partition.

3. Create an image dialog opens. Parameters of the backup operation are divided in five groups:

• Split image settings control the creation of multi-volume images of required volume size and the automatic generation of volume filenames.

• Compression settings control the compression level.

• Encryption settings allow to encrypt the image contents and set up an access password.

• Archive label allows to attach a brief description to the image file

• Location settings allow the user to select the most convenient storage for the image.

Sizing

Check the options Split image and Set names automatically. If you are not going to save the image on CDs, choose the maximum image size as 2000 MB.

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At the bottom of the first group box, an approximate image size is evaluated in MB. Depending on the compression level the user chooses: Normal, Fast, Best, None – the estimation of size value will vary.

Choose Normal.

Encryption

To restrict the access to the archive, check the option Enable encryption. In this case the user must select a password for the access to the archive.

Archive Label

Type the archive label (i.e. descriptive text) to mark the archive.

Choose a location to store the image.

By default, DHM generates a file name for the image using the disk number and the drive letter (or the partition number) and suggests the local drive, which has the maximum size of unused space, as the location for the partition image.

The user can type another file name, and select any partition, which has enough unused space to hold an image. Simply press the Browse arrow to the right of the field.

When the file name and the location are selected, click OK to continue.

4. Click the Apply icon to launch the execution of operation. HDM processes the partition according to chosen options. While the task is executing, the program displays information about the task progress on the Progress

Information page:

• elapsed time and estimated remaining time,

• estimated archive size

• averaged read & write operations speed and summarized data transfer rate

The report box shows what particular operation is running at the moment. In case a multivolume image is created, the writing of each volume is treated as sub-operation, and the program displays information about sub-operation progress.

If the automatic filename generation is disabled, the program pauses after the writing of each volume and prompts for the next volume file name.

Result

After the operation is completed, the partition image will be listed as an archive in the List of recent archives. This image

can be used as a base image to create an incremental backup (see also Incremental Backup Wizard

and

Performing an

Incremental Backup

).

Scenario for Windows 95/98

For Windows 95/98, HDM uses the “true” DOS session as the single-task environment.

Limitations of the DOS session:

DOS does not work with partitions larger than 8 GB .

Burning of images to CD/DVDs is not available in DOS.

Avoid using network mapped drives for saving backup images: network resources are unavailable in DOS session because the DOS environment is not configured to support networking.

Drive letters may differ for DOS and Windows sessions.

Scenario.

1. Define proper program’s settings on the page:

Menu General Settings General

On the Settings page select tab General and clear the option Copy all sectors 1:1.

On the Settings page select tab Backup and check the options

Do not back up temporary files .

On the Operations page check the option Virtual operations enabled .

On the Partitions Visualization Panel

select the partition to be imaged.

The program checks whether a partition is locked or not. When locked, HDM wants to restart the computer. Press OK to reboot the system and complete the operation, and Cancel to abort the operation. Then, HDM launches the DOS-version

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as a non-interactive application. The DOS version performs the operation, and displays the progress of the operation and statistics. When the operation is completed, the program reboots the computer.

Result

After rebooting back to Windows, the partition image will be listed as an archive in the List of recent Archives.

4.3.2 Performing an Incremental Backup

This function is only available for single logical or primary (not extended) partition.

The user must select the recently made backup archive for the chosen partition and with the Incremental Backup

Wizard can create a new volume for this archive, which only contains changes in partition contents.

The volumes of the incremental archive can be stored in different locations.

Scenario

To update the image of unlocked partitions, follow the steps below:

1. Select the target partition with its image to be updated. The user can select a partition on the

Partitions

Visualization Panel or on the List of Partitions synchronized with the Panel and on Configuration Tree panel (see

Interface Overview

).

Select menu command:

Menu Wizards Incremental Backup Wizard

The wizard starts and displays the Welcome page. Click Next to continue.

2. On the Select Base Backup Image of Partition page, browse the folders to find the previously created backup image of the target partition as a base image. Click the Next button when the image is selected.

3. View Base Image Options on the next page. The program shows the properties of the selected backup image and the disk map with the target partition in color, others – in gray.

Below the disk map, the Archive label attribute of the target partition is displayed.

Under the Archive label field, there are four “informational” checkboxes. The appropriate checkbox is marked if the archive is:

• encrypted

• compressed

• splitted

• (created in) sector-by-sector (mode)

The following attributes of base partition archive can be viewed on the page:

• file system

• drive letter volume label

• boot sector

• sector / cluster ratio

• size (capacity)

• size of used space.

4. Set options for Incremental Image. The parameters of the backup operation are divided into three groups:

Sizing, Archive label, Archive settings.

The group box Sizing includes options:

• Split image which controls the creation of multi-volume images of required volume size

• Set names automatically enables automatic generation of volume filenames

• Compression settings control the compression level. The type of compression can be chosen from the dropdown list.

The Archive label field allows the user to attach a brief description to the image file.

The Archive settings contains three input fields for Drive, Folder and Image Name to select the most convenient storage for the image.

By default, the program suggests several consistent values for all parameters. In most cases, the user can simply click the OK button to confirm the settings. (For more detailed parameters description, see 4.2.1 Step 4.) Type the label name

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of the archive and select the location where the archive is to be stored. The user can place it on the other partition, on the local disk, on a network disk or on removable media such as CD/DVDs.

Click the Finish button.

5. Apply the operation.

Result

As a result, the user will obtain a new volume of an updated archive.

4.3.3 Setting up Regular Scheduled Backups

There are some situations when scheduling of operations is useful. For example, backups can be can be made during night time automatically. HDM will enable the user to create tasks for scheduled execution.

Scenario

To prepare a scheduled task for the system, follow the steps below:

1. On the Main window of HDM, using the

Partitions Visualization Panel

and Operations toolbar performs the operations, which are to be scheduled, (to fulfill in the automated mode). Check that the required operations are present on the

List of Pending Operations . If the list is not empty, the icons on the Virtual Operations toolbar are colored and

available for use.

L

At this point do not apply the resulted pending operations!

2. Click on the Scheduler icon on the Virtual Operations toolbar to define time and conditions for the operation’s execution. The Scheduler starts. Click Next to continue.

3. The New Scheduled Tasks page allows the user to name a task to be scheduled and describe it. Remember, a good description of the task will help find the task on the list of tasks.

The List of Schedule Types enables the user to define the time condition for the task execution. The drop-down list contains the following options:

• Once

• At System Startup

• At Logon

• Daily

• Weekly

• Monthly

Only one of the options can be chosen.

4. Depending on the user’s choice, the New Scheduled Tasks page will contain a form for proper scheduling of the task. For periodical options the user will be suggested to fill out the following fields:

• Start time (the time when the task starts)

• Every day/week/month (the period between tasks)

• Task is active from (the date when the task starts for the first time)

• To (the date when the task starts for the last time)

If the Once option has been chosen, the dialog will allow the user to define the date and the time when the task should start.

Click OK to continue.

5. The task will be executed according to the schedule.

6. In order to edit the task schedule, select:

Menu General Scheduled tasks

7. The Scheduled Tasks dialog page opens. The page has two panels.

The available tasks are listed on the left panel. The control buttons are located at the bottom of the left panel: to start a task, to stop, to edit and to delete a task.

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The right panel contains two tabs: Task and Schedule. On the Task tabbed page the program displays Task Name, its location and command for its execution from the command-line.

8. On the Schedule tabbed page the time setting parameters of the task are displayed. The user can edit these parameters to create the new schedule for the task.

Click OK to finish editing the scheduled task.

4.3.4 Generating Script for the Task

First, the user has to turn on the virtual mode of operations execution, create the whole task or jobs (for example, backing up several partitions on the disk) in the virtual mode.Instead of applying operations, generate scripts for the task.

After HDM has generated the script-file for the task, which includes all operations on the List of Pending Operations, use the Scheduler Wizard to plan a one-time or multiple execution of the task.

Scenario

To generate a script for the task, follow the steps below:

1. Select

Menu General Settings Operations

On the Operations page check the option Virtual execution enabled (see

Virtual operations for more details).

2. On the Main window of HDM, using the

Partitions Visualization Panel and Operations toolbar perform the

required partitioning / copying / imaging operations for selected disks / partitions, which are to be executed later on as a batch or scheduled task in the automated mode.

L

At this point do not apply resulted pending operations!

3. To generate a script, select the following menu command:

Menu General Generate Script

This command is unavailable if there are no operations on the List of Pending Operations.

4. Define parameters of the operation. On the operation’s dialog there are several options:

• Turn on confirmation. With this option checked, during the script execution, the interpreter will pause to prompt the user’s confirmation or other input. With this option cleared, the program will not stop during script execution using default values for parameters if needed.

• Call apply after each operation. The script processing module queues operations on its own List of Pending

Operations. The script command Apply all is similar to the apply action of the HDM itself, since it forces the module to execute all pending operations.

• Check for errors after each operation. With this option checked, the program inserts a special code in script, which checks the status of the last executed operation and stops the script processing if there are errors of any kind.

• Put current settings into script file.

After selection is completed, click the OK button to continue.

5. The program allows the user to select a filename for a new script file. The default file extension that is reserved for scripting files is .PSL. However, a script can be saved under any filename.

6. When the script for the task has been generated, the user can save it to the program’s Scheduler. Select the following command on the menu:

Menu General Save to Scheduler

Or use the Scheduler icon on the Virtual Operations toolbar. Then follow Steps 3 and 4 in

Setting up regular scheduled

Backups .

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In case the operating system becomes unbootable, the user can restore the system from an archive or a backup copy on the computer, on CD/DVDs, or on a network computer using the Paragon Recovery CD. The user can retrieve the data from the hard disk before installing a new system in case it was not backed up.

Paragon Recovery CD is the Linux-based bootable CD, which contains the Hard Disk Manager, installed and configured for Linux and DOS platforms, and other utilities. The Recovery CD gives the user the choice of running the utilities under

Linux or PTS DOS; in both cases the similar functionality is given.

The user has the option to boot into Linux Safe Mode. This mode is helpful for a number of non-standard situations, such as interfering hardware settings or hardware problems. In this case only basic files and drivers (such as hard disk drivers, a monitor driver, and a keyboard driver) will be loaded.

There are many particular problems the user can solve by using the Recovery CD. This chapter includes the scenarios for several typical tasks.

4.4.1 Booting from the Recovery CD

To load an operating system (Linux or PTS DOS) into the memory of a computer, insert the Recovery CD into CD/DVD drive and restart the computer. The Boot menu appears:

• Linux English (will be loaded by default),

• Linux German,

• Linux Russian,

• Linux, Safe mode,

• PTS DOS

To move within the menu use the arrow keys of computer keyboard.

L If the Boot menu is not displayed after restarting your computer, check if the computer is configured to start from a CD/DVD first (BIOS should have an option «Load from CD first«)

Linux Start-up Menu

When Linux is loaded, the “Linux Start-up menu” appears:

• File Manager MC (Midnight Commander) — allows the user to browse files and folders and to perform standard file operations.

• Paragon Hard Disk Manager

• Configure network connections. The Network Configuration Wizard assists the user to define the required network parameters for sending a backup image of a partition to a network computer or for retrieving one from it

• Simple Recovery Wizard

• Linux command line. This mode provides a root access to all standard Linux functions by typing the operating system commands in the command line (recommended for experienced Linux users only).

• Power off

• Reboot

To shift along menu items, use the arrow keys of computer keyboard.

PTS DOS Start-up Menu

PTS DOS localization menu

Once chosen, PTS DOS displays a localization menu, which contains the choice of three language interfaces and the

PTS DOS command line mode:

• English

• German

• Russian

• PTS DOS command line. In this mode the user obtains a root access to all standard DOS functions through the command line of the operating system (recommended for experienced DOS users only).

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Specific language interfaces have the same PTS DOS Start-up menu options.

PTS DOS Start-up menu

Each language PTS DOS Start-up menu includes:

• Paragon Hard Disk Manager

• Simple Recovery Wizard.

• NTFS — Ext2FS driver. To access non-DOS file systems under DOS the user needs to install the Paragon IFS driver. The current version supports NTFS, Ext2FS, Ext3FS access.

There are several restrictions in PTS DOS mode:

• no support for CD/DVD burning,

• no support for network access,

• read-only NTFS/Ext2-Ext3FS access.

4.4.2 Rescuing the Data from Disk

An operating system re-installation process destroys all the data on the system partition. The user may need to save the important data files located on the system partition. If Windows fails to boot, the Paragon Recovery CD may help to solve the problem.

The following steps are recommended:

1. Insert the Paragon Recovery CD into the CD/DVD drive

2. Reboot the computer

3. Choose the File Manager MC item from the Linux Start-up menu. The user will be able to copy important information from the unbootable system partition to a safe place on the computer (for example< to other than system partition). The user can also copy them to any other local network computer. In this case, to configure the network connections, it is suggested to use Network Configuration Wizard in the Linux Start-up menu

4. Eject the Paragon Recovery CD from the CD/DVD drive

Now the re-installation process can be started.

4.4.3 Restoring Operating System From the Local Backup Image

It may happen that the user needs to restore the failing operating system from a backup file saved on a local hard disk. In this case, the following steps are recommended:

1. Insert the Paragon Recovery CD into the CD/DVD drive

2. Reboot the computer

3. Choose the Hard Disk Manager on the Start-up menu.

4. On the Hard Disk Manager Menu select:

Menu Partition Restore partition from image

5. Select the backup image on the local hard disk

6. Define the parameters of the operation

7. Apply the operation

8. Exit the Hard Disk Manager

9. Eject the Recovery CD

10. Reboot the computer

The restored operating system will start loading.

4.4.4 Fixing the BOOT.ini File Incorrect Settings

Sometimes the restoring of the primary bootable system partition may result in a mismatch between the number of the system partition registered in the system file BOOT.INI and the actual number of the restored partition on the disk. This can cause software conflicts during the Windows startup. The same problem can arise if other disk managing tools are used as FDISK or Windows Disk Administrator.

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If the number of the Windows system partition is invalid, the following error message will appear after Windows starts loading:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<Windows root>system32hal.dll.

Please re-install a copy of the above file.

The problem may be fixed by one the following methods:

• editing the BOOT.INI

• using Change Primary Slot function of Hard Disk Manager.

To solve the problem by editing the BOOT.INI

1. Insert the Paragon Recovery CD into the CD/DVD drive

2. Reboot the computer

3. Choose the File Manager MC from the Start-up menu of a Linux version. Press the F4 key in the Midnight

Commander to call the Editor and edit the BOOT.INI file

4. BOOT.INI FILE has two sections:

[operating systems]

[boot loader]

In the

[operating systems] section of

BOOT.INI find the string fragment

: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS…

Change the number of the Windows system partition (in a string fragment: partition(x)) to match it to the system partition number in [boot loader] section of the file.

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Partitions are numbered starting with 1, while disks are numbered starting with 0

5. Eject the Recovery CD

6. Reboot the computer.

To solve problem by using Change Primary Slot function

To correct the invalid numbering of partitions in the Partition Table, the following steps are recommended:

1. Insert the Paragon Recovery CD into the CD/DVD drive and reboot the computer

2. On the Boot menu, select Paragon Linux

3. On the Linux Start-up menu, select Paragon Hard Disk Manager:

Hard Disk Manager Partition Modify

4. Select the disk on the list of partitions, then select the Change Primary Slot command on the Hard Disk menu.

5. On the Change Primary Slot page, the program displays the actual state of the Partition Table. Find and select the partition, which has an invalid number in the table. Compare the order of partitions slot numbers and their start sectors, which reflect the actual positions of partitions on the disk.

6. Select the required partition and move it UP or DOWN the list of partitions by using the UP and DOWN arrow buttons on the right side of the Partition Table‘s window.

7. Click the OK button.

The entry, which corresponds to this partition in the Partition Table, will be changed.