Xen users - Nov 2006 - converting ntfs > xen image ? viable?

hi

im wondering if i can ''convert'' and existing physical windows
partition to a
xen image like this:

- mount the existing ntfs fs
- use dd to make a correct sized foo.img file
- loop back mount foo.img
- ntfs format (as bootable?) foo.img
- ''cp -r '' the files from the  mounted ntfs to the mounted and
formated
foo.img
- use the disk=[''file:...foo.img'' etc] clause to use it in xen

I''d just try this myself, but Im having other issues (seems ubuntu
amd64 and
xen dont play well together)  so I cant really experiment with xen or this 
yet - but still need to think through my options and know im heading down an 
achievable path


thanks for input
Glenn

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Hi
> im wondering if i can ''convert'' and existing physical
windows
> partition to a xen image like this:
> 
> - mount the existing ntfs fs
> - use dd to make a correct sized foo.img file
> - loop back mount foo.img
> - ntfs format (as bootable?) foo.img
> - ''cp -r '' the files from the  mounted ntfs to the
mounted
> and formated foo.img
> - use the disk=[''file:...foo.img'' etc] clause to use it
in xen
> 
> I''d just try this myself, but Im having other issues (seems 
> ubuntu amd64 and xen dont play well together)  so I cant 
> really experiment with xen or this yet - but still need to 
> think through my options and know im heading down an achievable path
Why not just mount the partition to the domU?
Xen does not need image files.
disk=[''phy:....'']

And if you want a copy, dd from the existing ntfs partition to a new
partition or file.
No need to mount, format or cp -r....

Regards,
  Steffen


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>> im wondering if i can ''convert'' and existing
>> physical windows partition to a xen image
>> like this:
>>
>> - mount the existing ntfs fs
>> - use dd to make a correct sized foo.img file
>> - loop back mount foo.img
>> - ntfs format (as bootable?) foo.img
>> - ''cp -r '' the files from the  mounted ntfs to the
mounted 
>> and formated foo.img
>> - use the disk=[''file:...foo.img'' etc] clause
>> to use it in xen
>
> Why not just mount the partition to the domU?
> Xen does not need image files.
> disk=[''phy:....'']
>
> And if you want a copy, dd from the existing ntfs >
> > partition to a new
> partition or file.
> No need to mount, format or cp -r....
But then it''s not convenient to backup/duplicate/
archive/make a "template" system/etc.?

For example, how can I do to backup a 20 GB Windows
partition out of which only 1.5 GB is used?

I''m looking infos on this too.

I''ve made various test... I tried to mount a
disk image file then tar/gzip the content.  
I managed to have a stock XP (non-SP2) install
backuped up in a 350 MB file (for 850 MB used on
the disk or so).  

But I only managed to uncompress this archive
back to the exact same disk image file (first
I deleted all the files inside the partition,
then uncompressed...).

I tried to create another disk image file (using
qemu-img create -f raw ...), then mounting the
partition inside that disk image, then untarring/
uncompressing, but it was not working.

Basically I''d like to find a way to backup 
efficiently and reliably Windows XP filesystem,
being able to resize partition etc.

But it doesn''t seem that easy.

I could try to run a DOS Ghost 
from Xen and backup the Windows partition using
Ghost.  But I don''t know if this would work
(I really should try that real soon now that said).
(but even if working it wouldn''t be as convenient
as being able to backup efficiently Windows from
Linux).

At this point I backup whole XP system using
"qemu-img convert" (to compressed qcow format).

The "compressed" image file appears to have a size
corresponding to the used space on the Windows
drive.

So well at least now I can easily backup/duplicate
Windows systems... Though I''ve got a C: drive that
always must have the same size.

Oh well, if anyone has any infos :)






	

	
		
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On Monday 06 November 2006 12:35, Lutrin Jean wrote:
> >> im wondering if i can ''convert'' and existing
> >> physical windows partition to a xen image
> >> like this:
> >>
> >> - mount the existing ntfs fs
> >> - use dd to make a correct sized foo.img file
> >> - loop back mount foo.img
> >> - ntfs format (as bootable?) foo.img
> >> - ''cp -r '' the files from the  mounted ntfs to
the
>
> mounted
>
> >> and formated foo.img
> >> - use the disk=[''file:...foo.img'' etc] clause
> >> to use it in xen
> >
> > Why not just mount the partition to the domU?
> > Xen does not need image files.
> > disk=[''phy:....'']
> >
> > And if you want a copy, dd from the existing ntfs >
> >
> > > partition to a new
> >
> > partition or file.
> > No need to mount, format or cp -r....
>
> But then it''s not convenient to backup/duplicate/
> archive/make a "template" system/etc.?
>
> For example, how can I do to backup a 20 GB Windows
> partition out of which only 1.5 GB is used?
>
> I''m looking infos on this too.
>
> I''ve made various test... I tried to mount a
> disk image file then tar/gzip the content.
> I managed to have a stock XP (non-SP2) install
> backuped up in a 350 MB file (for 850 MB used on
> the disk or so).
>
> But I only managed to uncompress this archive
> back to the exact same disk image file (first
> I deleted all the files inside the partition,
> then uncompressed...).
>
> I tried to create another disk image file (using
> qemu-img create -f raw ...), then mounting the
> partition inside that disk image, then untarring/
> uncompressing, but it was not working.
>
> Basically I''d like to find a way to backup
> efficiently and reliably Windows XP filesystem,
> being able to resize partition etc.
>
> But it doesn''t seem that easy.
>
> I could try to run a DOS Ghost
> from Xen and backup the Windows partition using
> Ghost.  But I don''t know if this would work
> (I really should try that real soon now that said).
> (but even if working it wouldn''t be as convenient
> as being able to backup efficiently Windows from
> Linux).
>
> At this point I backup whole XP system using
> "qemu-img convert" (to compressed qcow format).
>
> The "compressed" image file appears to have a size
> corresponding to the used space on the Windows
> drive.
>
> So well at least now I can easily backup/duplicate
> Windows systems... Though I''ve got a C: drive that
> always must have the same size.
>
> Oh well, if anyone has any infos :)
I have to confess - Im not trying for efficiency for me -  I expect that for 
storage purposes- gzipping the partition will save me space, but if not,
i''ll
live with that. At end of day, If I can re-establish and identical system 
time after time, i''ll be happy

good luck in your quest though Lutrin
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> Découvrez une nouvelle façon d''obtenir des réponses à toutes vos
questions
> ! Profitez des connaissances, des opinions et des expériences des
> internautes sur Yahoo! Questions/Réponses http://fr.answers.yahoo.com
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Xen-users@lists.xensource.com
> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
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