HDDSuperClone
- Thread starter maximus
- Start date
In a word, yes. With this method it is possible to create a domain that targets the used space. But as stated, it requires some steps. Here is the basic process.pclab":12y5wh2r said:
1) Start HDDSuperClone and choose the source and destination.
2) Put it in driver mode and start activity. The OS will access the drive via the virtual block device. All reads from the source are copied to the destination. Any requested data already read will come from the destination, new data will attempt to come from the source. Read attempts on the source are controlled by HDDSuperClone settings. Bad sectors are not retried unless you choose to in the settings.
3) After activity is settled, perform a partprobe command so the OS sees the partitions of the virtual block device.
4) Use something like the fdisk -l command to figure out what partition you want to target.
5) Use an appropriate partclone command to try to clone the desired partition (to the destination of /dev/null meaning no actual destination).
6) Once partclone is past reading the superblock (the bitmap file in the case of NTFS) and starts to clone the partition, switch the driver mode in HDDSuperClone to a mode that just returns without any actual read (mode can be changed on the fly). All read attempts are still put into the current domain.
7) After partclone is done with the fake cloning, switch HDDSuperClone out of driver mode to clone mode. Now you can start the cloning process, and it will only focus on the domain, which is whatever data was attempted to be read in driver mode.
Easy as 1-2-3
It won't be able to use null as a source device, but I could add an erase (zero or mark fill) option. Until then, there is a trick that can be done to zero (or mark) fill the destination. The following is the basics, I might miss something as I am going from memory.
First, use the intended destination that you want to fill as the source, and null as the destination. Then in the clone settings. set the size to 0, then run it which should recover nothing, but will make the progress file. Close and restart hddsuperclone and choose the created progress file, and then choose one of the fill modes. Now choose the destination you wan to fill (which was just the source), and fill it. Yes, it is not a one step process, but it should do the job for now.
First, use the intended destination that you want to fill as the source, and null as the destination. Then in the clone settings. set the size to 0, then run it which should recover nothing, but will make the progress file. Close and restart hddsuperclone and choose the created progress file, and then choose one of the fill modes. Now choose the destination you wan to fill (which was just the source), and fill it. Yes, it is not a one step process, but it should do the job for now.
lcoughey":2glrqt5c said:
I do the same thing too. I'm just thinking that if you're going to make a pro version of the software as a GUI it should have a complete feature set. People buying this may want to have lower level techs, interns, whoever use it to clone/wipe drives who they wouldn't trust having command line root access where they're more likely to screw up and wipe the wrong drive.
That's my thinking on it.
On that note, it might be nice to add in an option to mark off certain drives or controllers as "read-only" in the program so they can't be used as the destination without an admin password. Take the risk out of using the tool.
(these are all Pro version ideas) You've got to add in some extra value beyond the free to justify paying for it.
I know the pro version will need to be good and not missing things. There are things that even I want in it but have not added yet. I am trying to get the hardest parts done first, the core things that need to work. Getting the driver to work was about the last thing on my "not sure if I could do it" list. I have removed the command line and am now in the process of working on the licensing. The licensing is major code, and it has to work. That is my current focus. And assuming that the licensing goes according to plan, I will be able to provide trial versions of the full software on demand. Once I get to that point, I will be able to go back and focus on all the little (and maybe some not so little) things that need to be done before it is ready to be a public pro release.
That is the million dollar question! To which I have to wonder, what will it be worth? I originally thought about a cheaper lesser lite version, and cheaper limited time version. But at this time I think it will be all or nothing, so only one pro version. I think I want to target data recovery pros (as the secondary imager to free up the expensive one), and maybe those that can't afford the pro tools. But I don't want to make it so cheap that the average person thinks that if they buy it they will magically be able to recover their messed up drive without pro recovery. I want to make it affordable so it will sell, but not too cheap so as to attract the wrong customers.pclab":21p69mp1 said:
This is just my current idea of price for software only, but what would everyone think of around $300 USD? Too cheap or expensive?
If relay hardware is very much desired, then the price would have to go up, as that would require much time and effort on my part to produce it. Plus time producing the relay hardware would take away from time working on program improvements. I know it is one of the things desired, but I will only be able to justify spending time on it if the program itself can sell enough to be worth it.