Must Clonezilla disk images be directories of files
A partition and disk imaging/cloning program
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I'm using Clonezilla's "disk drive to image" option for the first time, and it works (copied disk-to-image and then image-to-disk, and the final drive booted). However, looking at the disk drive holding the images, I found that the "images" were actually directories of files (30 items each in my case).
This seems very fragile. For instance, I was expecting to distribute these via Google Drive, but I don't trust Google not to tamper with the various file formats. It's also hard to guarantee that none of the files have been changed. I could zip up the files into a single file and then upload it, but the person on the other end would have to unzip it.
Can Clonezilla produce/consume disk images that are single files? Or, any recommendations?
Well, when we design Clonezilla, we used the easy and flexible way to design the image. With a directory, it's very easy to extend and all the tools can generate its file with its own format.
However, one of the cons is as you mentioned, it's fragile. Hence, just tar or zip the image dir.
For more info, you can refer to this paper:
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app9020296
Oops, wrong URL. Should be this one:
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app8060965
Understood. Then, a feature request: have the ability to pull a disk directory from a zip file, and (slightly less important) write the image into a zip file.
Thanks,
Dan
Sure, we can have an option to do that in the future.
Actually you can easily to make it by using the boot parameters ocs_postrun to zip/tar your image, and ocs_prerun to mount it or unzip/untar it.
For more info, please check:
https://clonezilla.org//fine-print-live-doc.php?path=./clonezilla-live/doc/99_Misc/00_live-boot-parameters.doc#00_live-boot-parameters.doc