when restoring a partition, not all target's files deleted

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rybshik
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:11 am

when restoring a partition, not all target's files deleted

Post by rybshik »

I have been using IFL for backing up and restoring Windows OS since Win XP , then Win-7 and now Win-10, with the latest IFL version 3.22.
I notice that, when "byte-for-byte validation" restoring a partition (or entire disk), ifl does not necessarily delete all and every file on the target partition, so those un-removed files propagate to the newly restored system.

What is the intended IFL restore behavior? Does it merely (over)-writes files and folders on the target partition without deleting all and every pre-existing files?

For example, I created a Win-10 machine back up and subsequently installed a new paid Windows app which required an activation key.

Then, I restored the backup and it obviously did not have the app. However, when I installed the app again, it picked up the activation key without my involvement. Obviously, the activation key file was not deleted during the restore process.

To make sure that it was indeed the case, I wiped out the entire disk with Win-10 CMD diskpart > clean and then restored the backup again. This time the activation key was removed.

When restoring a partition, is there a quick and easy way to force the deletion of all Win-10 OS files on the target partition, without wiping the entire disk?

I tried the following: Booted IFL flash, mounted Windows OS partition, run Midnight Commander to manually delete all files and folders. Unfortunately, there is a folder "System Volume Information", which has sub-folders and files which cannot be deleted.

According to Google, it has to do with files ownership and those files cannot be simply deleted by Windows
CMD del * /A:S /S /F. Neither they can be simply deleted in Linux, at least by a novice Linux user.

MORE:
Instead of wiping the entire disk, I also experimented with deleting only Windows OS partition (diskpart > delete partition) and then IFL restoring only that partition. Unfortunately, Windows did not boot because the disk was not restored exactly as it was before.
I had to wipe the entire disk and then to restore the entire disk to be ok
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by Brian K »

rybshik wrote:
>
> To make sure that it was indeed the case, I wiped out the entire disk with Win-10 CMD
> diskpart > clean

Did you use clean or clean /all

"clean" only wipes the first and last MiB. You can recover all partitions and data after a "clean".
rybshik
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:11 am

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by rybshik »

> Did you use clean or clean /all

Yes, I used "clean /all" for the experiment. Although, not sure if that was really necessary.
Unfortunately, "clean /all" takes significant time, which makes it inconvenient.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by DrTeeth »

On Sun, 7 Oct 2018 04:29:17 EDT, just as I was about to take a herb,
rybshik disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>> Did you use clean or clean /all
>
>Yes, I used "clean /all" for the experiment. Although, not sure if that was really necessary.
>Unfortunately, "clean /all" takes significant time, which makes it inconvenient.

I was under the impression that a restore did what it says. Restoring
a backup implies that what is present on the drive is wiped during a
restore. A restore could be useless if the problem file/files/etc is
not removed during a restore.
--
Cheers,

DrT

"If you want to find out what is wrong
with democracy, spend five minutes with
the average voter". - Winston Churchill
TeraByte Support(PP)
Posts: 1644
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:51 am

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by TeraByte Support(PP) »

The partition sectors and file system are put back like they were when the backup was created. If you have concerns about data on the drive located in the partition's space that wouldn't be overwritten you can use the "Wipe Unused Sectors" option to clear those areas. There is also an option to delete the partition prior to restoring if that is necessary ("Delete Restore Destination" in settings).

Regarding the Windows app activation, I would assume that it was connected to your account and reactivated automatically since the system was recognized. When you make other changes (like cleaning) it may detect a new/unrecognized system and be deactivated. When restoring, a lot of this depends on options selected (changing the ID/GUID's, different partition position, etc.). You don't mention what options you're using for your restores.

When you restored your Windows partition by itself you may also have needed to use the "Update Boot Partition" option. Without knowing what the error was, what options were used and what state the drive was in before the restore (in relation to when the backup was created) it's hard to say what the actual issue was.
rybshik
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:11 am

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by rybshik »

DrTeeth wrote:
> Restoring a backup implies that what is present on the drive is wiped during a restore.

This is exactly what I am trying to confirm with IFL support. How "wiping" the target partition is implemented in partition restore with the default options?

I suspect that IFL partition restore merely copies folders and files onto the target partition. That over-writes the preexisting sub-folder and files with the same paths and names, but does not remove the others.

Can IFL support clarify that?

My particular concern is about IFL partiton restore not being able to delete some of sub-folders and files in "C:\System Volume Information" on the target Windows-10 OS partition. Some of those files and folders are indeed hard to delete by Windows or Linux means either due to their ownership or very long names
Last edited by rybshik on Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:04 pm, edited 3 times in total.
rybshik
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2018 3:11 am

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by rybshik »

TeraByte Support(PP) wrote:
> Regarding the Windows app activation, I would assume that it was connected
> to your account and reactivated automatically since the system was
> recognized.
No, I did not have my PC connected to Internet, neither did I (ever) have a Microsoft account.

> Without knowing what the error was,
>
There was no error. The restore process was smooth as usual :-)

> what options were used
>
Partition restore with "byte-for-byte validation", all the other options default.

> what state the drive was in
>
Windows fast-boot and hibernation disabled

TeraByte Support(PP) wrote:
> When you restored your Windows partition by itself you may also have needed
> to use the "Update Boot Partition" option

Ok, I have a GPT disk with 4 partitions. One of them is a Windows OS partition (which is NOT a boot partition).

I want to restore only one partition (Window OS partition) and preserve the other target partitions. I think I also have to update boot records / GPT information/tables (to remove references to "deleted" files and folders I am concerned about).

What restore options to achieve the above?
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3598
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: when restoring a partition, not all target's files delet

Post by TeraByte Support »

Your presumptions are wrong. It's not a file based restore or backup.
The partitions are laid back down exactly the way they were backed up. The
"wipe unused sectors" option will wipe the unused areas that don't have data
restored to it.

It doesn't delete anything except after restoring if there were any files
data that was excluded via the /exlist (which includes vss options files to
not backup and files to not snapshot), because they are basically empty
(undefined). As far as the "System Volume Information", that's a special
folder, Windows uses it for things like restore points and items, but under
NTFS it also contains parts of the NTFS file system.

If you wanted to do a file based type restore, you'd have to use something
like the COPYWIN.TBS script (or tbiview/tbimount and copy files).



"rybshik" wrote in message news:15818@public.image...

DrTeeth wrote:
> Restoring a backup implies that what is present on the drive is wiped
> during a restore.

This is exactly what I am trying to confirm with IFL support. How "wiping"
the target partition is implemented in partition restore with the default
options?

I suspect that IFL partition restore merely copies folders and files
onto the target partition. That over-writes the preexisting sub-folder
and files with the same paths and names, but does not remove the others.

Can IFL support clarify that?

My particular concern is about IFL partiton restore not being able to
delete some of sub-folders and files in "C:\System Volume Information" on
the target Windows-10 OS partition. Some of those files and folders are
indeed hard to delete by Windows or Linux means either due to their
ownership or very long names

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