Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I'd forgotten the number 1 rule.....

I'd forgotten the number 1 rule of linux. Flexibility.

Out there in the real world you need specific tools to do specific jobs. Linux is the same desktop distro's are great for day to day computer usage but what about when you need something more specific?

Well over the last few days I've revived my love of System Rescue Cd as a tool it's like the rescue/admin equivalent to a swiss army knife. As part of the iso testing I do for Ubuntu the windows installer Wubi and Migration-Assistant are hardly tested. So as I was requested to work on these for Release Candidate I thought there needs to be an easier way to do this other than installing windows over and over. So I thought about using ghost and then remember a similar project called partimage.

Partimage does pretty much everything ghost can do but cost nothing however it doesn't like copying a mounted file system at which point I remember System Rescue CD it's a great tool not only is partimage on it but it also now comes with a basic X session so you can run things like QTParted the partition magic clone.

This tool has been great and has saved a load of hassle I just up-date Windows XP setup my emails and bookmarks etc, then create a backup image and then run Wubi. Once I've destroyed the image I simply re-record it and start again.

:) Happy bunny (It takes about 15 mins to restore windows to it's former glory) and then I can start again :)