Backing up Windows 7 files on LInux

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Kevin Perez

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Mar 17, 2014
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As of right now one computer has 4 SATA drives, and they form 2 arrays. One array is running Windows 7, and the other array is running Linux. The last time I booted this computer there were only 2 SATA drives, which ran Linux Mint. Given that I just installed the Windows 7 drives, I am guessing that BIOS will run the Linux hard drives. Rather, I know that the Linux drives will boot first, and then the Windows 7 drives.

How do I clone the Windows 7 array onto the Linux Mint array?

Thank you for answering my question, and I look forward to hearing your responses.
 
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WyomingKnott

WyomingKnott

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Aug 29, 2006
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Could you be clearer about what you want to accomplish? I can't connect the question you asked (cloning data) to the paragraph above it (dual boot).

Also, what do you mean by an array? Is each pair of drives in RAID 1 or, shudder, RAID 0? If so, some information on what hardware is doing the RAID (motherboard, raid controller) would be helpful.

Cloning is easy. Get a CD for Parted Magic (free) or Easeus (free) or Acronis True Image (paid), boot the CD, and choose to clone. I'm just not sure that that's the correct answer for what you want to do.
 
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Kevin Perez

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Mar 17, 2014
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This is not an answer, but a response to WyomingKnott's questions. I assume dual boot means "When a computer is booting up, the client is able to choose between 2+ Operating Systems." If this assumption is accurate, then I don't want to dual boot. I would prefer to install Windows 7 on top of the Linux platform, because Linux (even now) is still incredibly secure and quite robust. I believe this technique is called "virtual windows install." Please let me know if this is accurate.

When I say array, I should have said RAID array. I don't recall the number, but it allows for faster access speeds. The motherboard is doing the RAID setup. I only added this information for completeness sake, because I doubt that what type of RAID array I am using affects any of the steps mentioned below.

Here are the steps I hope to follow:
1) Install Windows 7 onto Linux array.
A) Preferably so that it if Windows 7 fails (IE gets corrupted somehow), then I still have Linux installed, +
can easily repair Windows 7.
2) Backup Windows 7 files onto Linux array.

My biggest hurdles are installing Windows 7 in the previously mentioned fashion, installing backup software on Linux, and even finding backup software that converts windows 7 files to Linux files.
 
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popatim

popatim

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To me it sounds like you simply want to change the boot order so that Windows loads first.

Do you know which OS was installed second? If windows was its probably the boot manager and you can change the boot order on the BOOT tab of the system config screen. You can find system configuration under the administrative tools.
 
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Kevin Perez

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Mar 17, 2014
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I am hoping to do something complicated. You recall in Windows XP, how you could be running Windows, and go into run->command? This would take you into a DOS prompt. What I want to do is similar, because I wish to have the computer immediately boot up Linux, but because of the method of installation it would appear to the user, that they are running Windows. I think this is called a virtual Windows partition, but I could be mistaken.

 
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