I have formatted a USB key a certain way and have multiple files on it. I would like to create a exact copy of the usb key..... any ideas? I was thinking maybe an ISO or something? I am also trying to use a Batch file that will automate the process.

Read here:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=134639&hl=

More alternatives:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=100299&hl=

jaclaz

The best for making ISO's out of USB drives is USB Image Tool from this website

It works great. I have use it before to make USB sticks identical.

This post has been edited by elajua: Jun 17 2009, 06:29 PM

And it outputs a .ISO?

jaclaz

Yes, it does.

It's a great program for making USB images.

It must be VERY WELL hidden.

Can you explain where it is found?


Sure, never said that it wasn't, though I personally find (for the GUI version) the requirement of .Net unconvenient.

jaclaz

I'm sorry. I checked the latest version and it only outputs IMG, IMA or IMZ image files. I was almost sure that when I last use it the ISO output was there.

However, it works very well for making backups or USB sticks identical.

.NET requirements are fine for me as I always use applications (and from time to time, I write a few) that use the framework, so it is a non-issue for me nowadays. Its like having to install Java for some programs to work.

Regards

This post has been edited by elajua: Jun 20 2009, 07:24 AM

Yep.
I can assure you that that particular option wasn't EVER there, even if I didn't test each and every release of the tool.

You see, a USB stick is either a "HD-like" device (with MBR and hidden sectors) or a "superfloppy" or "partition-like" device. (there is an exception which is constituted by the rare CD-ROM emulating sticks and by U3 devices - which however are seen as two separate LUN's, first one "CD-like" and second one "HD-like" or "superfloppy-like", of which in any case, the tool can only image the second).
Filesystems used on them are "HD-like" filesystems, i.e. commonly FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS in the "Windows" world and in some cases EXT2/3 FS in the "Linux" world.

A .iso is actually an image of a "CD-like" device, in most cases using either CDFS or UDFS.

A tool that would accept as input a "HD-like" or "superfloppy" device and produce as output a .ISO would NOT be an imaging tool, but rather a "filesystem/device conversion" tool.

Even to this there would be a partial exception, i.e. the "HD emulation" format of the El-Torito ISO9660 (and later modifications) CD standard.

But there would be not much sense for an imaging/cloning program to store the image in a "converted" format that needs to be "back converted" at the time of restoring/duplicating it.


Sure it does , as well as several other apps, listed in the given thread:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=100299&hl=
(and a few others possibly NOT listed there), like:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4711
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7783
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7786

The whole point I was trying to make was that it is a possibility, not necessarily, "the best", and DEFINITELY NOT:

as it simply DOES NOT do that.

jaclaz