[SLL] backup to Windows, restore on Linux

[Glenn Stone]

On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 05:29:23PM -0700, Adam Monsen wrote:
>Anyone know how to make a backup on Windows that can be restored on
>Linux? I'm trying to help my cousin save his data from his Windows XP
>box, install Ubuntu, and restore the data.
>
>My backup media is 700MB CD-ROMs, there is about 5GB of data that
>needs to be moved over.
>
>The Windows box currently has something called Sonic that can do the
>backup to CD, but I'm guessing it will be in a proprietary format.
>
>I might try using a direct ethernet connection to another computer and
>sending the data over, or installing Cygwin and using that to backup
>to CD somehow on windows. Maybe make a big .tar archive, split it
>using "split", then burn those to separate CDs?

Hardware solution: USB-mounted disk.  Heck, you can get 8GB *flash* drives
now.  *boggle*  Or you can opt for the more conventional brick-powered
external enclosure and standard hard drive; heck, a used drive just big
enough to hold 5GB will probably cost less than the enclosure.

Which brings to mind another hardware solution:  If the case has room (or
you could jury rig it) simply mount an el cheapo used drive.  If nothing
else you could jury rig it in place of the optical drive.  This way may cost
in terms of sweat equity (worst case: pull optical, install drive, backup
data, pull backup, install optical drive, install Ubuntu, pull optical,
install hard drive, restore data, pull drive, install optical) but it'll
work. 

Software solution:  puTTY/WinSCP.  This is a Windows ssh implementation that
basically implements sftp/sshfs in a Commander-like interface, and will let
you point, click, and drag files over to another sshd-enabled machine.  Then
you can scp -r the target directory back into place on the new OS, or just
repeat the procedure in reverse if you're doing a dual-boot box.  

One thing's for certain.  I can guarantee that, in terms of data transfer
speed, either the hardware or the software solution will be faster (and less
frustrating) than burning CD's.  (Assuming you're using 100mb or faster, or
USB2.)  Any more, I don't use CD's for moving data around; I either use a
network or a USB drive (and for increasingly large small quantities of data
(ain't that a fun prhase?) it's the flash drives, not mechanical ones).  

Semi-off-topic.... the use of USB pen drives has increased my mobile musical
enjoyment.  I no longer have to worry about CD's skipping when I hit a
pothole... because the media is now a USB pen drive sticking out of the
dash.  The fun part?  Now they're making MP3 players that are the same form
factor as pen drives... so when you get to your parking spot, you pull the
drive out of the socket, plug in a headset, and continue grooving while you
walk.  ObLinux:  They look just like an ordinary pen drive to the OS.  I use
Amarok to load mine, but you could just as easily do a 

cp -r ~/Mp3 /media/sdb1

and it loads at USB2 line speed.  Boom, you've got tunes!  And they're a
heck of a lot cheaper than an iPod(R)(tm)(eieio) too.  :) (I grabbed a 1gb
Centon at OfficeMax for $20.)

-- Glenn