Backup C3000 Microdrive?

[hkamuro]

Any method to backup all the content of the C3000 Microdrive?

I understand the Jap Dictionary can be installed by the coming CD, how about the other software?

Thanks.

- Ken

[dhns]

connecting the C3000 as a USB drive to your desktop system?

-- hns

[TRIsoft]

Hi hkamura,

the C3000 has two small system partitions and the
big data partition. You can only access the data
partition over a PC.

So just open the terminal app and use the tar command
to create backup files of these partitions in the data
partition.

These files can than be easily transferred on a PC and
you have a nice backup set.

But now we come to the interesting point: You then have
a nice set of backups, but it WON'T help you !

Why ? Because if your system crashes so badly that the
system partitions are deleted, you have no system left
to restore the data. In this case the HD needs to be removed
and restored using a PC. That's a job for technical service,
don't try it by yourself.

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[devster]

This is particularly disturbing when it seems impossible to shutdown the Z cleanly - if I issue shutdown now, it hangs, and I have to hard reset. Leaves me wondering if it flushed the buffers. I know that if I just shut down the power on a linux box each time without doing it properly, eventually Im gonna have a big big problem.

Why can't one shutdown the power from the menu, and always left with reboot or standby mode....

[iamasmith]

I would also suggest creating tar archives of the two smaller partitions into files on the larger partition then back up the contents of that.

Alternatively if you can cleanly dismount all the partitions on the HDD then mount an NFS point (assuming you can get an NFS server running on a Linux box) and dd the device file of the disk to create an image copy. Unfortunately this will take up 4Gb regardless of how much data you have stored.

Probably the first suggestion is easiest.

- Andy

[iamasmith]

Why ? Because if your system crashes so badly that the
system partitions are deleted, you have no system left
to restore the data. In this case the HD needs to be removed
and restored using a PC. That's a job for technical service,
don't try it by yourself.

You are kidding right ? did you guys try this ?

Doesn't the thing even boot to a command prompt if the HD partitions are screwed ? At least that way you could restore a DD image from an NFS share.

[TRIsoft]

You are kidding right ? did you guys try this ?

Nope, no kidding  

But i must say that we haven't tried this now. We totally
disassembled a unit (as we do always with new models   )
and made a backup of the microdrive.

We would love to test how a Zaurus reacts
- without the MicroDrive
- with a deleted MicroDrive
- with a normal CF card
etc.

But the problem is, that it's not just turning some screws.
You will also have to solder on the unit to get on the spot
with the drive and to reassemble it.

It is possible that SHARP included some tricks if the Zaurus
detects an empty drive, so you don't have to disassemble
the unit to bring it back to life. But actually we just don't
know and expect no magic vodoo for self-reviving functions.

We have actually just not enough time for all these testing.
We're pretty busy to get the units through the EMV/FCC
tests so we can start the rollout for Europe and the US.

And, good news for you all : As of today we have EMV/FCC
for the SL-C3000 series !

For sure we have some very good contacts to Japan and
also people able to read japanese. But please remember
that all these functions are not official published by SHARP.
As a japanese customer you will never be told about the
Service / Diag menu. So we need to get all information
by ourself (not forgetting all our helpful customers which
provide us with lot's of tips and tricks, thanks !).

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[mspencer]

Someone more familiar with the C3000 can adapt this so it'll actually work with the C3000's quirks (if any), but I'd create a network connection with a computer with 4 GB of storage available and some version of netcat.

On the desktop machine, type:

nc -l -p 1234 > C3000HD.bin

on the C3000 type:
dd if=/dev/hda bs=1024 | nc 10.1.2.3 -p 1234

Because it uses TCP it should recover from most errors.

To restore, just go the other way.

Desktop:  nc 10.1.2.4 -p 1234 < C3000HD.bin

C3000:  nc -l -p 1234 | dd of=/dev/hda bs=1024

I've used this method to mirror Windows NT installations.  It's FAR less efficient than dedicated software, because it copies even empty parts of the disk, but it's a full backup alright.  :-)

--Michael Spencer

[pelon]

Yes, I bricked my C3000. I had serious hdd errors and tried to fix it myself. It didn't take much to partition and format the drive. I then copied over the Trisoft updated file system to the zaurus and now have a complete system. But, I still don't have the symlinks worked out. Unless I can find a complete symlink file structure guide I will continue to have a brick. Once someone comes up with a new ROM (and essential filesystem) I'll not have wasted $900. I went through similar distress with my 5500 but the new ROMs brought me back to life. Soon I'll be traveling for several weeks so I may have to wander the world without my newly beloved. I have 10 days to figure this out. Any help will be appreciated.

[pelon]

My Z is up and running again.

I've created a HOWTO on restoring a C3000 from scratch.
Other than hardware problems, there should never be a need to send it back for reflashing.
I hope it helps.

[Zer0xXx]

I put a new 6GB drive in mine. When I took it out, I put it in my linux box and created a dd image on it. Then I dd'ed the image on the new disk. That way, when I [inevitably] brick it    I can just re-dd it. Plus I have the original microdrive. You should never need to send it back if you have a linux box.

[bmsleight]

I put a new 6GB drive in mine. When I took it out, I put it in my linux box and created a dd image on it. Then I dd'ed the image on the new disk. That way, when I [inevitably] brick it    I can just re-dd it. Plus I have the original microdrive. You should never need to send it back if you have a linux box.
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I had to smile when I read this, we really are a bunch of crazy hackers, Because 4Gb is not enough

Kudos for the soldering.

[ryouga]

I put a new 6GB drive in mine. When I took it out, I put it in my linux box and created a dd image on it. Then I dd'ed the image on the new disk. That way, when I [inevitably] brick it    I can just re-dd it. Plus I have the original microdrive. You should never need to send it back if you have a linux box.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=79661\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I had to smile when I read this, we really are a bunch of crazy hackers, Because 4Gb is not enough

Kudos for the soldering.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=79688\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

How difficult is it to do this? Could you do it to a 1000, or is there a fundamental hardware difference? (There probably is, but I'm just wondering if one were to open up a 1000 if they would see a blank spot on the PCB where a microdrive could go)

edit: Why no, it's not possible on a 1k, as I saw in another topic. Nevermind