http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=140581&cid=11783491
Thanks to infodragon at Slashdot, this is an advanced tip for how to restore your Windows system via a Gentoo Live CD (presumably also works with other live CDs like Knoppix, Phlak, or Helix). Caveat: data has to be on a separate drive. Here’s the info (click on the title for the comment on /. ):
I know this is a bit advanced so it is not for the “average” computer user. But what I do is…
Set up my computer the way I want it, All MS Software activated, such as office. (FYI this works with Windows Server 2003)
1. Boot to Gentoo Live CD
2. dd if=/dev/hda | bzip2 > /mnt/where/I/mounted/my/rev/drive (35GB ) (you can use external HD, or your favorite mass storage device)
When spyware or just general Windows Entropy slows the system down too much, I back up my data…
1. Boot to Gentoo Live CD
2. dd of=/mnt/where/I/mounted/my/rev/drive | bzip2 -d > /dev/hda
3. Reboot
4. Use windows normally, have to re-install games
5. …
6. Profit?
The one “Bad Thing”(TM) about this is that data has to be on a separate disk. You can also modify the above to use partitions and have all data on a different partition. Though with any windows reinstall it is a good idea to reformat, with slow version, the partition to NTFS. So you’d have to do this in either case.
Anyway This works well and gets around that stupid reactivation crap, now I’m *VERY* glad I do this.
And remember kids, ALWAYS backup your data on a normal basis. HDs will fail!!! There is no question, they will fail. If I was not clear let me repeat that, THEY WILL FAIL!!!!! You need backups, and if you do this as you should, the above process will be less of a fuss.
By the way, he’s right. Back up your data!
Note: this was a comment from “Microsoft to Disable Online Windows Activation,” Slashdot 08:07 Friday 25 February 2005.
