Disk image backup/restore with data preparation phase

• US 6,658,435 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McCall, Colin David
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US09/575,586
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 707/204, 707/205, 707/202, 711/161, 711/162, 717/174, 717/175, 717/176, 717/177, 717/178
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/968 Partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method for backing up data stored using a filing system on a computer non-volatile storage device is described. First pre-defined signature data is written, using the filing system, to substantially all of the unused portion of the computer non-volatile storage device. The data stored on the computer non-volatile storage device is then backed up, independent of the filing system. Data consisting of the first pre-defined signature is not backed up. In this manner, a backup is completed without access to the filing system, but which backs up only portions of the non-volatile storage medium which are in use.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

preparing a computer having a non-volatile storage device with a filing system thereon for backup by creating a file on the computer non-volatile storage device using the filing system;

writing, first pre-defined signature data using the filing system to substantially all of the unused portion of the computer non-volatile storage device until the unused portion of the computer non-volatile storage device is full;

closing the file;

deleting the file; and

backing up, independently of the filing system, the data stored on the computer non-volatile storage device which is other than the data consisting of the first pre-defined signature.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of backing up includes a step of compression of the date to be backed up.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

data consisting of the first pre-defined signature is backed up; and

the first pre-defined signature and the compression algorithm are chosen such that the first pre-defined signature compresses to a high degree.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the writing of the first pre-defined signature data is done prior to installation of the operating system onto the computer non-volatile storage device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps, prior to said backing up step, of:

identifying, using the filing system, files on a first system which need to be personalised for a particular computer;

backing up, using the filing system, the files which need to be personalised for a particular computer;

personalising the backed up copy of the files which need to be personalised for a particular computer such that the personalisation is for another computer;

writing, using the filing system, second pre-defined signature data to the files on the first system which need to be personalised; and

further comprising the steps, after said backing up step, of;

scanning each portion of the backed up data for the presence of the second pre-defined signature;

responsive to the second pre-defined signature not being found in a portion, restoring that portion of the backed up data to a second computer; and

responsive to the second pre-defined signature being found in a portion, restoring the previously personalised files to that portion of the second computer.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second pre-defined signature comprises:

a distinctive signature;

a file name; and

a sequential block number.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of backing up is executed from a program running under the DOS operating system.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of backing up is executed using BIOS functions.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of backing up is executed using BIOS extensions.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data is backed up to another partition of the computer non-volatile storage medium.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data is backed up to a separate non-volatile storage device.

12. A data processing system comprising:

a non-volatile storage device;

a filing system associated with the non-volatile storage device;

a backup preparation program element executing on the system and preparing the system for backup by creating a file on said non-volatile storage device using said filing system, the backup preparation program element writing, first pre-defined signature data using said filing system to substantially all of the unused portion of the computer non-volatile storage device until the unused portion of said non-volatile storage device is full, closing the file and deleting the file; and

a backup program element executing on the system and backing up, independently of the filing system, the data stored on the computer non-volatile storage device which is other than data consisting of the first pre-defined signature.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said backup program element includes an element which compresses the data to be backed up.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

data consisting of the first pre-defined signature is backed up; and

the first pre-defined signature and the compression algorithm are chosen such that the first pre-defined signature is compressed by the compression element to a high degree.

15. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the system further comprises an operating system and further wherein said backup preparation program element writes the first pre-defined signature data prior to installation of the operating system.

16. A system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for identifying, using the filing system, files on a first system which need to be personalised for a particular computer;

second means for backing up, using the filing system, the files which need to be personalised for a particular computer;

means for personalising the backed up copy of the files which need to be personalised for a particular computer such that the personalisation is for another computer;

means for writing, using the filing system, second pro-defined signature data to the files on the first system which need to be personalised; and

further comprising, responsive to said backup program element;

means for scanning each portion of the backed up data for the presence of the second pre-defined signature;

responsive to the second pre-defined signature not being found in a portion, means for restoring that portion of the backed up data to a second computer; and

responsive to the second pre-defined signature being found in a portion, means for restoring the previously personalised files to that portion of the second computer.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium;

a backup preparation program element embodied in said medium and executable on a computer system to prepare the system for backup by creating a file on a non-volatile storage device using a filing system, the preparation program element writing first pre-defined signature data using said filings system to substantially all of the unused portion of the computer non-volatile storage device until the unused portion of said non-volatile storage device is full, closing the file and deleting the file; and

a backup program element executing on the system and backing up, independently of the filing system, the data stored on the computer non-volatile storage device which is other than data consisting of the first pre-defined signature.

18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17, wherein said backup program element includes computer program code for compression of the data to be backed up.

19. A computer program product as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

data consisting of the first predefined signature is backed up; and

the first pre-defined signature and the compression algorithm are chosen such that the first pre-defined signature is compressed to a high decree by the computer program compression code.

20. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17, wherein said backup program preparation element writes the first pre-defined signature data prior to installation of an operating system on the data processing system non-volatile storage device.

21. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for identifying, using the filing system, files on a first system which need to be personalised for a particular computer;

second computer readable program code means for backing up, using the filing system, the files which need to be personalised for a particular computer;

computer readable program code means for personalising the backed up copy of the files which need to be personalised for a particular computer such that the personalisation is for another computer;

computer readable program code means for writing, using the filing system, second pre-defined signature data to the files on the first system which need to be personalised; and

further comprising, responsive to said backup program element;

computer readable program code means for scanning each portion of the backed up data for the presence of the second pre-defined signature;

responsive to the second pre-defined signature not being found in a portion, computer readable program code means for restoring that portion of the backed up data to a second computer; and

responsive to the second pre-defined signature being found in a portion, computer readable program code means for restoring the previously personalised files to that portion of the second computer.