There are several tools and software to create images and recover the system from ...but are there any that allow a user to explore the image contents and add files/folders and/or delete files/folders from within a created image itself?
I have heard shadowprotect can do this (i dunno for sure) - but are there others to consider?
@perfection -
Not that I know of, lol. That would be very interesting, wouldn't it?
Problem is that it's an image file - you can browse and extract but not delete since that would alter the geometry and checksum of the image.
HTH,
Macrium's viBoot would allow you to do that, or even install/uninstall software. But you'd not be able to modify the initial Macrium image, rather you could save the changes to a Differential image (Part Four in this tutorial).
Macrium viBoot - Create Virtual Machine using Macrium Image
Hi folks
I think with even Macrium Free when mounting an Image file in Browse image file you can add data (write) by clicking one of the options.
Not sure though what happens on restore -- good thing to test today !!!!! -- Note though any data written will have to be as a folder on the "C" drive as we are talking about an image file rather than a data "archive" or backup set.
Sorry -- My error -- it says "Changes are temporary and will be discarded".
OK forget this suggestion.
Cheers
jimbo
One can delete stuff on a CLONED drive, that I created via a Rescue disk and I've done that and then booted from that drive. The data is GONE !
Essentially, that's what an incremental backup does for you.
They only contain changes since the last backup, so anything that was added or deleted during that time will reflect in the next backup.
The problem is you will have multiple backups to restore, in order, if you need to roll your system back due to something going sideways.
What we do is identify the volatile data that's critical, and back it up daily with a tool called Beyond Compare.
Scooter Software: Home of Beyond Compare
It's not imaging software, but it's an easy way to add files, delete files, and recover files from a backup location.
You wouldn't backup an entire drive this way, but it's quick, easy to see what's changed, and is much faster when doing a restore of your entire system.
Lots of methods and ways to accomplish something close to this, maybe in parallel, have been posted and explained.
Since altering any part of an image would, as stated, invalidate the integrity of that image, perhaps the question needs to be asked:
Why would you need to or want to do this?
It violates the basic premise of making an image to begin with.
Sometimes to better understand how to best reply, we need to know more about the "why".
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