Create bootable backup of entire drive with incremental backups from windows

[DarthMight]

Hey guys

Currently I am running Windows 7 Ultimate (400GB) and OSX 10.6(100GB). I mainly use windows 7 (don't ask why). Anyways I am wondering how I can create a bootable backup of my entire drive (both partitions) form my windows side. Also the software should be able to handle incremental backups, so that the backup don't forever and ruin the backup drive. I have tried a few different pieces of "cloning" software but they don't seem to handle the GPT partition (the efi partition?) very well. I don’t know much about partitions. My goal is to create a fast (incremental) bootable backup so if I plug my backup drive in and hold option down four (2 windows and 2 osx) bootable partitions should appear. If that is not possible switching the hard dives is also an option.

Thanks

 

[balamw]

I am wondering how I can create a bootable backup of my entire drive (both partitions) form my windows side.

You can't boot Windows from an external USB HDD reliably, so unless this is a Mac Pro, or you have a particular drive that does work you can't accomplish what you want without swapping the drive.

The incremental nature of the backup is also problematic since Windows doesn't "get" HFS+ and thus the cloning tools would have to be bitwise and slow for the OS X partition.

Can you be more explicit about the tools you have tried and that haven't worked for you? My guess is that Acronis True Image Home 2011 with Plus Pack would handle the Windows side of things, but you'd still need to come up with a path for the Mac OS X partition.

B

 

[DarthMight]

Hmm ok thanks for your reply. I can resort to swapping the drives.

I guess what I could do is to have two backup drives (or partitions) and use Carbon Copy Cloner for the OSX side. However CCC does not backup the windows partitions.

I have tried BlackArmour Backup and DiskWizard both tools offered for free by Seagate with a purchase of their drive. Correct me if I am wrong but I think both are built upon/with Acronis True Image. For some reason both of them do not recognize my c: drive. "Does not support window dynamic disc, EZ-Drives, ect". When I go to disk Management I and right click on Disk0 the option of "Convert to Dynamic Disk" still appears so I am lost. I don't think I need my disk to be dynamic. Also I doubt the clones will be incremental. On a side note the drive I used to backup osx (using CCC) was not recognized EVEN after I formatted it NTFS (same error).

I have also tried MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition 5.2. The clone featured actually cloned all three partitions (including efi). But it does not support incremental backups.

I guess right now I am just looking for an incremental cloner of either the whole drive or just the windows partition.

Thanks again
D

 

[balamw]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think both are built upon/with Acronis True Image.

The freebies based on True Image usually do not include the "Plus Pack" which provides GPT support.

I've had great success with it in the past, though not for imaging my Boot Camp partition.

B