CreateDeviceImage   v1.2
©1999 Jérôme DE SOLLIERS - All rights reserved
email : jdesoll1@nat.fr
homepage : http://homepages.nat.fr/~jds/index.htm

This software is freeware. (Feedbacks will be appreciated)

(Read me with StyledEdit)


Introduction
The other day during the backup of my hard drive, I asked myself how could I burnt a CD with a BeFS partition without a burning software on BeOS... Then I checked an old newsletter which explained how to "Mastering Your Own BeOS Demo CD" (Volume 2, Issue 43 -- October 28, 1998).
The principe is to build a raw image of a partition and use a software on another OS which is able to burnt this image file. With the computer of a friend, I have burnt successfully a BeFS partition. The software he uses is CDRWIN of Golden Hawk Technology (just for information). 
Please, don't ask me if the software x or y could burnt an image file, I couldn't answer to you ! Thanks for your comprehension.

Creating an image of a device isn't very hard (it take one line in the Terminal !), but I have preferred to write a little application with a GUI to simplify the process and avoid problems of partition size, block size...

Warning : this software is distributed without garanty and I am not responsible for any problems or corrupted datas it could causing.
Nevertheless don't be afraid, this application has been tested and the number of bugs must be ridiculous (I hope :-)). 


Some features
* The GUI is font sensible, size & position auto saving and localized.
* There is a copy status bar following the creation of the image file.
* An information window appear at the end of the creation and gives you the duration and the rate of the process (in MB/seconds).
* With the preference window, the user can set a sound to indicate the end of the image creation. (Be careful : if you select a file which is not a sound, you may damage your speaker !).
* The program can add automatically an extension (.ISO for example). See the preference window.
* You can stop the creation with the "Stop" button.


Some things you MUST know
May be there is stupid things in this list, but I prefer to be careful :
* If you want to create an image of a BeFS partition, the source must have block size  of 2048 bytes (minimum). If not, BeOS couldn't read this partition on the CD. (The Be guys idea to use these incorrect CD as a coaster is very cool !  :-)
* If you have two hard drive, I advise you to create the image file on the other HD : the creation of the image will be accelerated.
* Remember, creating an image of a partition is a (very) long process. I advice you not to operate files during the process (it could slower it).
* Remember, a CD have approximately 650 MB capacity. Don't create a file larger than this capacity, it doesn't make sense (or may be you have a DVD recorder ?).
* The name of the partition of your image file will be the same as the source device.
* Don't operate on the source device while the creation, your image file could be corrupted.


How create a good bfs partition
Use the Be DriveSetup application :
* Create a partition with an inferior size of 650 MB.
* Initialize it with the Be File System.
* Fill it with your precious files.


Menu description
- Files / About : 
Informations about the application.
- Files / Preferences : 
Show the preference window.
- Files / Quit : 
Quit the application.

- Devices / Collapse : 
Collapse the device list.
- Devices / Expand : 
Expand the device list.
- Devices / Update : 
Scan the device and rebuild the list.


Tests I have done
Source => Destination : size | duration
- HD 1 (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 185 MB in 21 minutes.
- CD-Rom 8x (Scsi) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 38 minutes.
- CD-Rom 24x (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 26 minutes.
- Jaz 1GB (Scsi) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 31 minutes.

V1.1 :
- HD 1 (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 185 MB in 7 minutes 8 seconds.
- CD-Rom 24x (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 2 minutes 44 seconds.
- Jaz 1GB (Scsi) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 320 MB in 9 minutes 41 seconds.
Performances are better because the R4.5 corrects a bug in the file system.

V1.2 :
- HD 2 (Ide) => HD 1 (Ide) : partition of 612 MB in 4 minutes 37 seconds.


Deinstall
All you have to do is to put theses two folders into the trash :
- the "CreateDeviceImage" application folder
- the "CreateDeviceImage" settings folder (in "home/config/settings/")


Contacting the author
You can e-mail me if you have any questions, comments, bugs' reports... or simply to ask me if this application could be usefull for you.
Feedbacks are welcome (it costs just a mail ;-)


History
V1.2 : 11 october 1999
- Bug correction for the large partitions.
- Bug correction of the expand & collapse menus : when the list contained many items, the application could crash.
- New : If a writing problem occurs, a message will appear and a sound should be play.
- New : Preference => handle sound error.
- New : Preference => the destination directory could be open automatically at the end of the creation.
- New : The application checks if the destination volume have sufficient spaces to receive the image.
- Modification : Use of the new 4.5 API for playing sounds.

V1.1 : 1 august 1999
- Bug correction when creating the image : in some case, the size wasn't a multiple of 2048...
- New preference : extension
- Update of this documentation concerning the better file system performances attributable to the R4.5

V1.0 : 19 may 1999
- First release.
