Acronis DISK DIRECTOR SERVER 10.0 User Manual

Acronis

Disk Director Server 10.0

User’s guide

www.acronis.com

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Acronis Disk Director Server (the software) is Copyright © Acronis, Inc., 2000–2005. All rights are reserved. The ORIGINAL PURCHASER is granted a LICENSE to use the software only, subject to the following restrictions and limitations.

1. The license is to the original purchaser only, and is not transferable without prior written permission from Acronis.

2. The original purchaser can use the software on a single computer. You cannot use the software on more than one machine, even if you own or lease all of them, without the written consent of Acronis.

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A. Providing or permitting use of by, or transferring the software to, third parties. B. Providing use of the software in a computer service business, network, timesharing or multiple

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ENTIRE RISK

THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU THE PURCHASER. ACRONIS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SOFTWARE OR ITS FUNCTIONS WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE OR THAT ANY DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED.

NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES

IN NO EVENT SHALL ACRONIS OR ITS VENDORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR THE LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, OR ANY OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ACRONIS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Table of contents

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 6

1.1 WHAT IS ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER?...................................................................................... 6

1.2 WHAT’S NEW IN ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER 10.0?................................................................... 6

1.3 SOFTWARE USE CONDITIONS................................................................................................................ 7

1.4 TECHNICAL SUPPORT ........................................................................................................................... 7

CHAPTER 2. INSTALLATION AND USE ............................................................................................. 8

2.1 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS...................................................................................................................... 8

2.2 INSTALLATION PROCESS ...................................................................................................................... 8

2.3 UPGRADING ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER .................................................................................. 9

2.4 REMOVING SOFTWARE ........................................................................................................................ 9

2.5 USER INTERFACE ................................................................................................................................. 9

2.6 BEFORE YOU RUN ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER......................................................................... 9

2.7 RUNNING ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER..................................................................................... 10

CHAPTER 3. BEGINNING THE WORK.............................................................................................. 12

3.1 ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER LOGICAL ORGANIZATION............................................................ 12

3.2 ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER MAIN WINDOW ...........................................................................13

3.3 CALLING PARTITION OPERATIONS..................................................................................................... 14

3.4 PARTITION OPERATION PROPERTIES ..................................................................................................15

3.5 PROTECTING ACRONIS DISK DIRECTOR SERVER WITH A PASSWORD................................................ 19

3.6 VIEWING LOGS................................................................................................................................... 20

CHAPTER 4. AUTOMATIC PARTITION OPERATIONS................................................................21

4.1 CREATING A NEW PARTITION............................................................................................................ 21

4.2 INCREASING PARTITION FREE SPACE................................................................................................. 30

4.3 COPYING PARTITIONS ........................................................................................................................32

CHAPTER 5. MANUAL PARTITION OPERATIONS........................................................................ 37

5.1 MAIN PARTITION OPERATIONS .......................................................................................................... 37

5.2 ADDITIONAL PARTITION OPERATIONS ............................................................................................... 56

CHAPTER 6. WORKING IN THE COMMAND-LINE MODE.......................................................... 66

6.1 SUPPORTED COMMANDS .................................................................................................................... 66

6.2 DISKDIRECTORCMD.EXE USAGE EXAMPLES ........................................................................................67

CHAPTER 7. WORKING WITH ACRONIS RECOVERY EXPERT...............................................68

7.1 AUTOMATIC RECOVERY .................................................................................................................... 69

7.2 MANUAL RECOVERY ......................................................................................................................... 72

CHAPTER 8. WORKING WITH ACRONIS DISK EDITOR............................................................. 75

8.1 GENERAL INFORMATION .................................................................................................................... 75

8.2 THE SELECTION OF THE PARTITION OR A DISK FOR EDITING ............................................................... 75

8.3 MAIN WINDOW OF THE PROGRAM ..................................................................................................... 76

8.4 EDIT HARD DISKS.............................................................................................................................. 77

8.5 WRITE BLOCK TO A FILE AND READ FROM A FILE .............................................................................78

8.6 VIEW.................................................................................................................................................. 79

8.7 SEARCH ............................................................................................................................................. 80

8.8 WORKING WITH DIFFERENT ENCODINGS ........................................................................................... 82

CHAPTER 9. BOOTABLE MEDIA BUILDER....................................................................................83

9.1 GENERAL INFORMATION .................................................................................................................... 83

9.2 CREATING BOOTABLE MEDIA............................................................................................................. 83

CHAPTER 7. HARD DISK AND FILE SYSTEMS.............................................................................. 86

A.1 HARD DISK ORGANIZATION............................................................................................................... 86

A.2 HARD DISK PARTITION ...................................................................................................................... 87

A.3 PARTITION TYPES .............................................................................................................................. 87

A.4 PRIMARY PARTITIONS........................................................................................................................ 89

A.5 EXTENDED PARTITIONS ..................................................................................................................... 89

A.6 LOGICAL PARTITIONS ........................................................................................................................ 89

Table of contents

A.7 FORMATTING HARD DISKS ................................................................................................................ 90

A.8 FILE SYSTEMS.................................................................................................................................... 90

A.9 FILE SYSTEM MAIN SPECIFICATIONS................................................................................................. 91

APPENDIX B. GLOSSARY..................................................................................................................... 95

Introduction

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 What is Acronis Disk Director Server?

Acronis Disk Director Server is a complex program that includes partition manager and hard disk data editing tools. With it, you can:

• Create hard disk partitions

• Resize, move, split and merge partitions without data loss or destruction

• Convert partitions to other file systems without data loss

• Copy (move) partition contents

• Delete partitions

• Create, delete and resize hard disk partitions using the command-line mode

• Recover hard disk partitions that were accidentally deleted or damaged due to a

hardware or software error

• Format, label, assign letters, hide and unhide partitions, set active partitions and

perform additional disk management operations

• Recover boot records, files and folders structure, find lost clusters, remove viruses,

etc.

Some terms of this guide might be unfamiliar. Chapter 7 «Hard Disk And File Systems» and Appendix B «Glossary» provide descriptions of some hard disk data storage components and used terms.

1.2 What’s new in Acronis Disk Director Server 10.0?

• Splitting/merging partitions

You can split a partition in two, moving the selected folders to the new partition and leaving the rest of the data on the old one. This operation can also be used for creating an empty partition from another partition’s free space. You can merge two partitions, as well, even if their file systems are different. All data will stay intact and reside on the resulting partition.

• Exploring and managing partitions contents

You can explore or manage partition contents before configuring operations on that partition directly from Acronis Disk Director Server. It enables you to copy, paste, rename and delete files and folders, create folders on the selected partition, and even edit text files.\

• Working in the command-line mode

An administrator might need a console interface to create, delete and resize the partitions. Acronis Disk Director Server supports this mode with

Introduction

diskdirectorcmd.exe utility. The file is located in a folder where Acronis Disk Director Server has been installed, by default it is C:\Program Files\Acronis\DiskDirector.

• Viewing logs

Acronis Disk Director Server now keeps working logs. They store information about implemented partition operations, including reasons for failure, if any.

• The new Bootable Media Builder, common for all Acronis products

The new Bootable Media Builder is able to create bootable media for every Acronis product installed on the computer, or one bootable disk for several products. It also supports creating a bootable disk ISO image on the hard disk and storing the bootable programs versions on PXE server.

1.3 Software use conditions

The conditions of use are listed in the supplied «License Agreement». The unique serial number is the confirmation of your legal purchase and usage of Acronis Disk Director Server on your system.

Under current legislation, the «License Agreement» is considered a contract between you and Acronis Inc. The contract is a legal document and its violation may result in legal action.

Illegal use and/or distribution of this software will be prosecuted.

1.4 Technical support

Users who have legally purchased and registered their copy of Acro nis Di sk Dir ect or Ser ver will receive free technical support from Acronis. If you have installation or working problems that you can’t solve by yourself using this manual and the readme.txt file, e-mail the technical support team. You will need to provide the serial number of your Acronis Disk Director Server copy bundled with the program.

Before you do this, you will have to register your copy at

http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/my/products/registration/ .

Support URL:

http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/my/support/

Installation And Use

Chapter 2. Installation And Use

2.1 System Requirements

To take full advantage of Acronis Disk Director Server you should have:

• A PC-compatible computer with a Pentium or similar CPU

• 128 MB RAM

• A floppy or a CD-RW/DVD-RW drive

• A mouse (recommended)

2.2 Supported operating systems

• Windows NT Server

• Windows 2000 Server

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server

• Windows 2003 Server.

2.3 Installation Process

2.3.1 Acronis Disk Director Server installation

To install Acronis Disk Director Server:

1. Run the installation program.

2. Follow the setup program instructions.

3. You will be prompted to choose Typical, Custom or Complete installation. If you

pick Custom, you can choose not to install the Bootable Media Builder, a tool for creating bootable media (see this tool if you purchased a boxed product that contains a bootable CD.

Chapter 9 “Bootable Media Builder”). You might not need

If you have another Acronis product with its own Bootable Media Builder, such as Acronis True Image, installed on your computer, the installation pro it and will not install another Bootable Media Builder re create bootable media for all Acronis products using either product.

ram will automatically detect

ardless of your setting. You can

Installation And Use

4. After installation, reboot your PC.

2.4 Upgrading Acronis Disk Director Server

If you already have Acronis Disk Director Server installed on your PC, the installation program will automatically find it and prompt you on its replacement with the new version.

Software upgrades (with certain bug fixes) may be downloaded free from the Acronis Web site: http://www.acronis.com/support/updates/.

2.5 Removing Software

To remove Acronis Disk Director Server, select Start → Settings → Control Panel → Add or Remove Programs → Acronis Disk Director Server → Remove. You will

see a dialog to confirm removal. Click Yes to confirm and Acronis Disk Director Server will be completely removed.

2.6 User Interface

When Acronis Disk Director Server software is installed, it has a graphical user interface that is controlled by the mouse or by Tab, Shift+Tab,

Left, Right, Up, Down, Space,

Enter and Escape keys.

If you regularly work with Windows or X Window applications, you should not encounter any problems with the Acronis Disk Director Server interface.

Acronis Disk Director Server uses a series of dialogs requiring the user to choose among several actions or to mark partitions or disks to be manipulated.

2.7 Before You Run Acronis Disk Director Server

PLEASE NOTE: Operations on system, application or data partitions must be done very carefully to avoid potential hard disk booting or data sto rage p rob le ms.

Acronis Disk Director Server has been thoroughly tested to work with numerous hard disks, so if problems arise, they are likely caused by improper use, not the software.

A power loss, turning off the PC or pressing the Reset button on your PC during the repartitioning procedure could result in partition damage and data loss.

Installation And Use

Please take all necessary precautions and following these simple rules:

1. Create a disk image of the disk on which partitions are to be reconfigured. This will

ensure that your data will not be lost under any circumstances. Almost all current PCs feature CD-RW drives. Having your most important data backed up

to a hard disk or CD will enable you to work on the disk partitions with full confidence that your data is safe.

Acronis offers extremely effective hard disk and partition disk imaging software — Acronis True Image (visit in a compressed archive file whose conte nts can be resto red at any time .

http://www.acronis.com/produc ts/truei mage/). It creates a backup stored

2. Test your disk to make sure it’s full y functional and does n ot contain ba d sectors or file

system errors.

You can invoke system hard disk checking tools directly from Acronis Disk Director Server by selecting Disk Æ Check or clicking Check the selected partition for button.

errors toolbar

3. Do not perform any partition operations while running other software that has low-

level disk access, such as antivirus or backup tools. Close such programs before running Acronis Disk Director Server.

If you follow these simple rules, you will protect yourself against data loss.

2.8 Running Acronis Disk Director Server

2.7.1 Running under Windows

Under Windows, select Start Æ Programs Æ Acronis Æ DiskDirector Æ Acronis Disk Director Server.

Under Windows, Acronis Disk Director Server can perform operations on any partitions, including primary, logical, system or data

without

2.7.2 Running Acronis Disk Director Server for the first time

When you run the program for the first time, you will be prompted to choose whether you want to work in Automatic Mode or Manual Mode.

Automatic Mode provides enough functionality to create almost any partition configur ation on your PC hard disks.

If you need a detailed partition structure representation with a com plete set of partition operations and controls, select Manual Mode.

rebooting your PC.

You can switch between modes at any time (see

3.1.3 «Switching modes»).

2.7.3 Running from bootable diskettes or CD

Installation And Use

Previously, we explained how to create bootable diskettes or a CD (see

2.2 «Supporte d

operating systems

• Windows NT Server

• Windows 2000 Server

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server

• Windows 2003 Server.

Installation Process»). While working with Acronis Disk Director Server, you may need to use the bootable media: (1) after a serious Windows failure or (2) to work on a Linuxbased PC. (See also

Chapter 9 «Bootable Media Builder».)

Your PC BIOS must be set correctly to boot and run the software from bootable diskettes or CD.

Beginning The Work

Chapter 3. Beginning The Work

3.1 Acronis Disk Director Server Logical Organization

Acronis Disk Director Server provides two operation modes (see 2.8 «Running Acronis Disk Director Server»):

• «Automatic partition operations» mode is designed for the most frequent

operations suitable for the majority of users

• «Manual partition operations» mode for any partition operations. This mode is

intended for experienced users with some knowledge of disk data storage organization; it provides full operational control

3.1.1 Automatic partition operations

In this mode, all actions are performed through task-based wizards.

• Create partiti on wizard — enab les you to create a partition from unallocated disk space

or other partitions

• Increase free sp ace wizard — enables you to enlarge a partition at the expense of

unallocated disk space or other partitions

• Copy partition wizard — enables you to copy a partition

• Recover partitions wizard – enables you to recover any deleted or damaged partitions.

Working with Recover partitions wizard is described in deta il in a separate chapter of this guide. See the section

Chapter 6 «Working with Acronis Recovery Expert». With these

wizards, even an inexperienced user will be able to perform the recovery operations using step-by-step instructions.

3.1.2 Manual partition operations

In this mode, experienced users have access to all Acronis Disk Director Server features. Partition operations are performed by entering necessary parameters into dialog boxes.

The main difference between the automatic and manual modes is that wizards perform operations series in the automatic mode and only single disk/partition operations in the

manual mode.

3.1.3 Switching modes

Having selected an operation mode during installation (see systems

• Windows NT Server

• Windows 2000 Server

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server

• Windows 2003 Server.

2.2 «Supported operating

Beginning The Work

Installation Process»), you can switch to another mode at any time. Select View Æ Automatic Mode for the automatic mode or View

Æ Manual Mode for the manual.

3.2 Acronis Disk Director Server Main Window

The program is controlled through the main window . It includes the menu, toolbar, and disk and partition tree (shown/hidden through the View menu). This represents the computer disk and partition list.

The main window appearance differs depending on the selected operation mode (see

3.1

«Acronis Disk Director Server Logical Organization»). The difference applies to the available operation list in the main menu, partition context menus, sidebar and toolbar, and the amount of partition structure details represented.

Acronis Disk Director Server main window, Automatic Mode

In the manual partition operations mode, the main window also includes all unallocated disk space, while only partitions are shown in the automatic mode. Partition creation, free space and copy wizards automatically recognize unallocated disk space in this mode.

Beginning The Work

Acronis Disk Director Server main window, Manual Mode

1. Disk and partition information

The main window shows the partition’s disk number, assigned letter, label, type, status, size, free space size and file system. Disk and partition information is also provided in the partition and disk tree.

The bottom part of the main window graphically indicates the selected disk and its partitions as rectangles with basic data on them (label, letter, size, type, file system).

3.3 Calling Partition Operations

All partition operations in both modes are called and executed similarly.

3.3.1 Calling the main operations

Any operation can be launched:

• By selecting it from the Disk submenu

• From customizable toolbars

• From the partition context menu (both in the main window and the graphical panel)

• From Operations and Advanced sidebar lists

Note that the list of available operations in the Disk submenu and the Operations sidebar depends on the selected partition type. This holds true for unallocated space as well.

3.3.2 Advanced operations

Advanced operations are:

• Convert — convert the FAT16 partition file system to FAT32, Ext2 to Ext3, and vice

versa

• Hide/Unhide — hide/unhide a partition

• Set Active — set an active partition

• Resize Root — resize FAT16 partition root

• Change Bytes per i-node — resize i-node table (Linux Ext2/Ext3)

• Change Cluster Si ze — change FAT16/FAT32 partition cluster size

• Change Type — change partition type

• Recover — recover deleted or damaged partitions (see Chapter 6 Chapter 7 «Working

Beginning The Work

with Acronis Recovery Expert»).

• Edit — edit hard disk data (see Chapter 8 «Working with Acronis Disk Editor»).

Advanced partition operations are called from the Advanced sidebar list, the same pa rtition context menu item or toolbar button.

Note that the additional operations list of the partition context menu or toolbar depends on the selection of a partition type. For example, the FAT16 partition menu contains Advanced Æ Resize Root; this is absent in the FAT32 partition menu. The Linux Ext2/Ext3 partition context menu contains Advanced Æ Change By tes per i-n ode, which is not found on the FAT menus.

3.3.3 Invoking Acronis Disk Director Server wizards

Wizards are invoked from the Wizards submenu and the corresponding sidebar list. For example, select Wizards Æ Create Partition for the partition creation wizard.

3.4 Partition Operation Properties

3.4.1 Displaying operation results

Results of any disk partition operation are immediately displayed in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

If you create a partition, it will be immediately shown in the hard disk partition list in the main window, as well as in graphical form on the bottom of the main windows.

Any partition changes, including resizing, relocating and labeling are also immediately displayed in the main window.

3.4.2 Pending operations

All operations are pending until the user issues the command for the changes to be made permanent. Until then, Acronis Disk Director Server will only show the new partition

structure that is provided by operations to be performed. Therefore, you can view the graphical rep resentation of the new partition structure first

and then decide whether to perform or cancel specific operations.

Beginning The Work

3.4.3 Viewing delayed operations

All pending operations are added to the pending operations list. You can view it in the

Pending Operations window by clicking Operations Æ Show:

Pending operations list

This organization enables you to control all planned operations, double-check your intended work, and undo operations fully or partially, if needed.

3.4.4 Performing pending operations

To execute planned hard disk operations, the user has to select one of the two f ollowing commands:

• Select Operations Æ Commit in the main menu

• Click Commit Pending Operations toolbar button

To prevent you from performing any unintentional change on your disk, the program will first display the list of all pending operations. Clicking Proceed will launch their execution. You will not be able to undo any actions or operations after you Proceed the operation.

3.4.5 Modifying pending operations

All of your actions result in the creation of pending operations. For example, you can create a new partition by providing its type, file system, size, location and label. You can easily view the pending operation for the partition you are working on (see

3.4.3

«Viewing delayed operations»).

Beginning The Work

You can always change any operation parameter, including type, file system, size, location, etc. before performing the operation. Using Change type, Convert, Move, Resize, and similar operations, you will also see that your actions

do not

result in creating new pending operations. These actions will only change the existing pending operation parameters.

If you decide to change the label of a different, existing partition, Acronis Disk Director Server will immediately create a new pending operation. Thus the same actions sometimes result in the creation of a new pending operation or modification of existing operations.

3.4.6 Undoing user actions

Calling wizards or dialog boxes for planning disk partition operations are user actions. User entries are necessary operation parameters on the wizard or dialog box pages.

One user action in Acronis Disk Director Server enables you to plan a list of partition operations, for example, calling a wizard for partition creation or resizing. (You can easily verify your actions by looking at the Pending Operations when the wizard finishes its work.)

You can also create a partition by selecting Disk Æ Create Partition. This requires a list of actions to be performed (enter a label, select partition type, file system, size and location), resulting in the creation of a single partition create operati on on ly.

The difference between user actions and partition operations should be kept in mind if you wish to undo user actions.

Any user action in Acronis Disk Director Server can be undone or redone before committing the operation. To undo a user action:

• Select Operations Æ Undo from the main menu (or press Ctrl+Z)

• Click the Undo Last Action toolbar button

To redo a user action:

• Select Operations Æ Redo from the main menu (or press Ctrl+Y)

• Click the Redo Last Action toolbar button

As user actions result in creating pending partition operations, as mentioned above, undoing them results in canceling one or more partition operations. And conversely, redoing a user action results in the addition of one or more pending operations.

Depending on the situation, undoing an action may cancel a pending operation or undo changes of an existing operation (see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending oper ations»).

Similarly, redoing an action might add a pending operation to the list again or redo a change of a pending operation parameter.

You can undo user actions one at a time or all at once by selecting Operations Æ Undo All. Similarly, you can redo user actions (alon representation of partition reconfiguration) one-by-one or all at once by selectin

Operations Æ Redo All.

with the corresponding graphical

Beginning The Work

3.4.7 Wizard operations

Pending partition operations created by Acro nis Di sk Di rec to r S erv er wizards differ in that a user must provide a list of operation parameters to perform them. Each parameter is entered on a separate wizard page.

Entering operation parameters, you change wizard pa ges using Back and Next buttons until you reach the Preview page with the Finish button.

On the Preview wizard page, you can click Back to return and change any operation parameter.

After clicking Finish on the last wizard page:

• The new partition structure is graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director

Server main window

• The wizard creates a list of pending operations; you can see it by selecting Operations

Æ Show

Remember that no actions are performed on your disks when the wizard finishes working! If you are sure that the new structure is suitable, select Operations Æ Commit or click

Commit Pending operations. Wizard-created pending operations will then be performed at this time.

Before you select Operations Æ Commit or click Commit Pending operations, you can undo your actions (calling a wizard) and wizard-created pending operations in the usual

way (selecting Operations Æ Undo or pressing

Ctrl+Z) or clicking Undo Last Action.

Acronis Disk Director Server shows the wizard and its results as a user action by creating the list of operations. Any pending actions can be fully undone by any of the mentioned methods, i.e. pressing Undo Last Action will undo a user action and all operations planned by the wizard.

Beginning The Work

3.5 Protecting Acronis Disk Director Server With A Password

You should always be aware of possible unauthorized access to your data. To protect your hard disk, partition, applications and data, Acronis Disk Director Server provides password protection.

If you need to protect Acronis Disk Director Server with a password:

1. Select Disk

Æ Set Password.

2. Enter a password in the New Password and Confirm New Password fields in the Set Password window.

3. Click OK to enable password protection. After you run the program, you’ll be prompted to enter a password in the Password

Protected window:

If you enter a wrong password, you'll be asked to re-enter it. Clicking Cancel will close the program.

If you need to change the password:

1. Select Disk Æ Set Password.

2. Enter the old password in the Old Password field and the new password in the New

Password and Confirm New Password fields in the Set Password window.

3. Click OK to enable password protection.

If you protect Acronis Disk Director Server with a password and forget it, you will have to uninstall Acronis Disk Director Server (see 2.5 Removing Software), and install it again.

Beginning The Work

3.6 Viewing logs

Acronis Disk Director Server allows users to view its working logs. They provide information about partition operations, including reasons for failure, if any.

To invoke the log window, select Show log on the toolbar or from the Tools menu. The log browsing window contains two panes: the left one features the log list, while the

right one shows selected log contents. The left panel can contain up to 50 logs. If there are more, you can browse the list using

the More and Less buttons with the left and right arrows. To delete a log, select it and click Delete. If any step was terminated by an error, the corresponding log will be marked with a red

circle with a white cross inside. The right window features the list of steps contained in the selected log. The three

buttons to the right control message filters: the white cross in the red circle filters error messages, the exclamation sign in a yellow triangle filters warnings, and the “i” in the blue circle filters information messages.

To select columns (step parameters) to display, right-click the headers line or left-click the Choose Details button. Then check the desired parameters.

To sort messages by a particular parameter, click its header (click again to reverse order) or the Arrange Icons by button (the second from the right) and select the desired parameter.

You can also change column width by dragging the borders with a mouse.

Automatic Partition Operations

Chapter 4. Automatic Partition Operations

The «Automatic partition operations» mode enables you to perform the following typical operations:

• Create a new partition

• Increase partition free space

• Copy a partition

• Recover partitions

These operations are performed with wizards, enabling you to enter operation parameters step-by-step and return to any step as needed. Each parameter is provided with detaile d instructions.

For a detailed description of the Recover Partitions Wizard see section «Working with Acronis Recovery Expert»

4.1 Creating A New Partition

You might need a new hard disk partitio n to:

• Store several same-type files — for example, an MP3 collection or video files on a

partition

• Store backups (images) of other partitions/disks on a partition

• Install a new operating sy stem (or swap file) on a partition

Create partition wizard lets you create a partition of any type (Active, Primary or Logical), select a file system, label, assign a letter, and other disk management functions.

1. If you need to create a partition:

1. Run the create partition wizard by selecting Wizards Æ Create partition or a similar Wizards list item on the sidebar, or by clicking

Create partition on the toolbar.

2. T he wi zard will analyze computer disks and partitions. If the wizard finds unallocated space, you will see the Action Selection wizard page.

It will ask you to select how to create a new partition: (1) using disk unallocated space. (2) using existing partitions free space

Unallocated space is the space not used by any existing partitions. In contrast, partition free space is the space free from any data.

Automatic Partition Operations

Partition creation method selection window

2. If you want to create a partition using unallocated disk space:

1. Set the switch to Unallocated space.

2. The wizard will offer to create a partition on the largest unallocated area.

For example, if you have 5 GB and 12 GB unallocated areas, the wizard will offer to create a partition on the 12 GB area.

If you want to create a partition on the 5 GB unallocated space, you will have to reject the wizard’s suggestion and simply select this area and click Create a new partition. You can do this in the «Manual partition operations» mode.

On the Partition Size wizard page, set the partition size.

New partition size window

Automatic Partition Operations

4. On the next wizard page, select partition type — Active (Active Primary), Primary or

Logical.

5. Typically Primary is selected to install an operating system to a partition. If the

partition is for data storage, select Logical.

6. Select Active if you want to install an operating system on this partition to boot at

startup.

Note that if you enter a size of more than 2 GB, you will not be able to use the FAT16 file system on this partition. It will be disabled in the File System wizard page.

Partition type selection window

A hard disk can contain up to four primary partitions. If they already exist, Active and Primary options will be disabled and you will be able to select only the Lo

ical partition

type.

On the next File System wizard page, select a file system. The wizard will offer you one of the Windows file systems — FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS, — or Linux file systems — EXT2, EXT3, ReiserFS, Swap — or to leave the partition Unformatted.

More details about the properties of main file systems, the operating systems, and disks are provided in the A.9 «File System Main Specifications» appendix.

Automatic Partition Operations

Partition file system selection window

Selecting a partition file system results in partition formatting, i.e. creating partition

data storage structures

On the next wizard page, you will be asked to select a partition letter.

– boot record, file allocation table, etc.

Partition Logical Drive Letter selection window

At startup, an operating system assigns letters (C:, D:,…) to partitions. These letters are used by applications and the operating system to locate files on partitions. For example, C:\Program Files\Acronis\Disk Director\DiskDirector.exe. See also Appendix B «Glossary» — «Letter (of a drive, partition)».

Hard disk partitions are not only assigned letters, but are also numbered . That me ans some operating system partitions are assig ned letter s and numbers, in others, only nu mbers.

Automatic Partition Operations

Create-, delete- and move-partition operations, as well as hiding/unhiding a partition and direct letter change may result in problems running applications, opening files (as some shortcuts become unusable) or booting an operating system.

Therefore, when performing partition operations, you must be careful and remember that each operating system works differently with partition letters. Each OS has its own partition letter assignment rules.

Windows 98/Me

Windows 98/Me assign partition letters automatically in fixed order, according to these rules:

• Partition letters start from C: and continue until Z:. The C: partition is considered

system, i.e. used for OS startup.

Note that these OS canno t recognize all pa rtitions, but o nly 1 (FAT12), 4 and 6 (FAT16), 11 (FAT32), 12 (FAT32 LBA) and 13 (FAT16 LBA) types. File system type is determ ined not by partition type, but by its contents. Partitions of other types are passed (no letters are assigned to them).

The first primary active partition found on the first hard disk is assigned C:. If there’s

•

no such partition, C: is assigned to the first suitable primary partition

• Similarly and consecutively, one of the primary partitions from other hard disks is

considered. They are assigned D:, E:, etc. (If there is no suitable partition found on the first disk, then C:, D:, etc. are assigned.)

• Next, all suitable logical partitions are considered in the sequence order on the first,

second, third, etc. hard disks. They are assigned E:, F:, G:, for example

• Finally, in order, letters are assigned to all remaining suitable primary partitions of the

first, second, third, etc. disks.

Partition operations in the mentioned operating systems may result in problems running applications, opening files and other problems if letter assignments change.

Windows NT/2000/XP

Windows NT/2000/XP operating systems' initial letter assignment is done automatically: similar to Windows 98. Windows NT 4.0 does not support FAT32, but assigns letters to such partitions.

Please note that letter order in these operating systems can differ depending on the number of hard disks and other disk drives recognized by the BIOS.

All these operating systems enable you to change initially assigned letters. Partition create, delete and move operations do not affect letters assigned to other partitions.

Automatic Partition Operations

Assigning a partition a new letter or hiding it will prevent only its applications and files from running or opening. Other partitions will not be affected by these operations.

OS startup problems may appear if you directly cha nge the letter assigned to the system partition or a partition with PAGEFILE.SYS swap file.

Hard disk partition lett er assignme nt i n var ious ope rating syst ems is fu rth er ex pla ined in all guide chapters where the partition oper ations migh t affect PC oper ation or booting .

On the next page, you can enter an optional partition label that will enable you to distinguish one created partition from another.

In Windows, a partition label is shown in the Explorer disk and folder tree; for example, WIN98(C:), WINXP(D:), DATA(E:), etc. WIN98, WINXP and DATA are partition labels. See also Appendix B «Glossary» — «

10.

The last wizard page graphically shows you the new disk partition structure, including

Label».

those just created.

Created partition in the disk partition structure

Clicking Finish on this page will make Acronis Disk Director Server create a pending operation for new partition creation, (your actions may only modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5 «Modifyi ng pending operations»). The new partition structure will be

graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

More details about the Finish command results are provided in 3.4.7. «Wizard operations».

3. If you want to create a new partition using other partition free space:

1. On the Action Selection wizard page, set the switch to Free space of the existing

partitions.

Automatic Partition Operations

2. On the Select Hard Disk Drive wizard page, select a disk on which to create a

partition.

Partition disk selection page

Note that this wizard page represents physical disks actually connected to your PC. The next page shows logical

Appendix B «Glossary» — «Physical disk», «Logical disk».

disks (or partitions) on the selected physical disk. See also

3. On the next Select Partitions wizard page, select the disk partition(s) whose space

you want to use to create a new partition.

This means that if these partitions have free space, their size can be reduced. As a result, the freed space will be automatically considered as unallocated (not used by any partitions). A new partition can be created in this space.

Automatic Partition Operations

The window of existing partition selection to create a new partition

By creating a partition using the free space of other partitions, Acronis Disk Director Server can collect it in such a way that the final partition size is not smaller than 110% of data-occupied space.

When creating a partition with the switch set to Free space of the existing partitions, you provide a small partition size. If it is possible to create it using unallocated disk space, the partition will be created this way; the existing partitions will not be resized. If a partition cannot be created using unallocated space only, then the deficit will be taken from existing partitions.

If you do not select a partition to take space from on the Select Partitions wizard page and there is no unallocated disk space, you will see an error message:

Error message of deficient disk space for partition creation

Automatic Partition Operations

In this case, you will have to return to the previous wizard page and select a different partition from which to take the necessary space.

4 On the Partition Size wizard page, enter th e size of the created partition (the wizard

automatically determines minimum and maximum partition sizes).

Created partition size window

5 The next wizard pages provide partition type, file system, letter (if you work in

Windows NT/2000/XP), and optional labeling.

Further actions for partition creation are the same as described in

4.1 «Creating A New

Partition» section. Clicking Finish on the last wizard page allows Acronis Disk Director Server to create a

pending operation list for ne w pa r ti ti o n c r ea t io n (these actions may only modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending oper ations»).

The list will include not only the operation of partition creation itself, but also operations of partition resizing for creating a new partition.

If you want to create a new partition and there is no free space on disks:

Run the create partition wizard, by clicking

Create a new partition.

You will immediately see the Select Hard Disk Drive wizard page, passing the Action Selection page.

Further actions for partition creation are the same as described in

4.1 «Creating A New

Partition» section.

Automatic Partition Operations

Click Finish on the last wizard page to allow Acronis Disk Director Server to create a pending operation list for ne w pa r ti ti o n c r ea t io n (these actions may only modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending oper ations»).

4.2 Increasing Partition Free Space

You might need to increase partition free space in some cases:

• There is no free space to install new applications or store data

• Some programs, like defragmenters, could stop working correctly if partition

free space is smaller than a certain value

Reducing system partition free space below a certain value might cause operating system problems. The Increase free space wizard will enable you to enlarge a partition using other partitions' free space. If there is not enough fr ee space in other partitions, it can use unallocated disk space.

If you need to increase partition free space:

1. Run the Increase free space wizard by selecting Wizards Æ Increase free space or a

similar item in the Wizards sidebar list or by clicking

Increase free space on a

partition on the toolbar.

2. On the Select Partition To Increase wizard page, select a partition that you want to

enlarge.

Selecting a partition to increase free space

3. On the Select Partitions wizard page, select a disk partition whose space will be used

to increase the selected partition.

Automatic Partition Operations

«Enlarging a partition at the expense of another partition» is described above: see

4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

Selecting a partition to use to increase free space

4. On the next wizard page, you will see the maximum size available for the selected

partition. You must select the size yourself.

Entering the size to increase partition free space

Automatic Partition Operations

Note that although selected partition size is increased at the expense of other partition space, unallocated space also will be used if needed. Unallocated space is automatically considered to be the maximum partition size.

5. In the last Preview wizard window, you will see a graphical representation of the

new partition structure, including the resized partition.

Clicking Finish on the last wizard page will allow Acronis Disk Director Server to create the pending operation list for partition resizing (your actions may only modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending oper ations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Similar to creating a new partition (see 4.1 «Creating A New Partition»), Acronis Disk Director Server considers the results of partition free space increase as a single complex operation that can be undone only as a whole.

4.3 Copying Partitions

Having copied a partition, you get the duplicate of all its data. Partition copy can be used:

• As a partition backup (or rather as a data backup)

• A system partition backup is advised if you want to upgrade the existing operating

system

• To quickly move all data from an old disk to a new disk

We again recommend our backup solution — Acronis True Image. It enables you to create a backup (image) of a partition and/or entire hard disk in a compressed archive file, while allowing comments and password protection. See

http://www.acronis.com/products/trueimag e/).

The copy partition wizard will let you create a partition copy on the selected disk space. It can be created on unallocated disk space or at the expense of existing partition space, inserted between other partitions or resized after comparison with the original. It can also change the type or file system and assign a label or a letter if needed.

If you need to copy a partition:

1. Run the wizard by selecting Wizards Æ Copy partition or a similar item in the

Wizards sidebar list, or by clicking

2. On the Select Partition To Copy wizard page, select a partition to copy.

Copy a partition on the toolbar.

Automatic Partition Operations

Selecting a partition to copy

On the next Partition Location wizard page, a record of copied partition parameters

will be created.

The page for selecting a disk location for partition copy

You will have to select a copy location on one of the disks, among existing partitions. To make your selection, click before or after a partition to mark where you want to locate the copy.

In this example, the copy will be located before the PROGRAM(H:) partition in the figure below.

Automatic Partition Operations

The copy will be located after the PROGRAM(H:) partition in the figure below.

The figure below shows the result of locating a partition copy after clicking after the PROGRAM(H:) partition.

You can locate a copy anywhere on your disk(s). The copy partition wizard will automatically perform all necessary operations, even if it has to resize or move other partitions.

The selected disk might lack space for a copy. Nevertheles s, you can copy a partition

by selecting another partition whose space will be partly used. This can be done in the Select Partitions window.

Automatic Partition Operations

The page to select a partition, which will be partly used for a copy location

If you do not select a partition to be partly used as the copy location on the Select Partitions wizard page and there is not enough unallocated disk space, you will see an

error message:

Error message showing not enough disk space for a partition copy

In that case, the wizard will prompt you to select a partition from which to take some space.

If there is not enough space, the partition will not be copied!

2. On the next Partition Size wizard page, you can provide a desired size. The wizard will

automatically determine the minimum and maximum copy size.

Automatic Partition Operations

The page for partition copy size selection

The minimum copy size is determined by the data area size of a copied partition. The maximum size is determined by the available disk space. It includes the space taken from a partition and unallocated disk space.

By copying a partition at the expense of existing partition free space, Acronis Disk Director Server can take the partition space to make sure that partition size is not smaller than 110% of data-occupied space.

On the next Partition Type wizard page, you can select partition copy type: Active,

Primary and Logical.

As a rule, Primary is selected if a partition contains an operating system. If a partition is intended for data storage, you should select Logical.

Select Active if you want to boot the partition’s operating system at startup.

Further actions for copying a partition are the same as described in sections 4-7 of 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

Copying a partition in Windows 98/Me and assigning it a letter can change the order of letters assi detailed discussion of partition letter assi

4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

ned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. For a

nment rules for various operating systems, see

Clicking Finish on the last wizard page will allow Acronis Disk Director Server to create the pending operation list for c o py in g a p ar ti ti on (your actions may only modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending oper ations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Manual Partition Operations

Chapter 5. Manual Partition

Operations

Unlike the «Automatic partition operations» mode (see 3.1), the «Manual partition operations» mode is intended for experienced users only, and offers much wider operation lists. Manual operation parameters are entered in the dialog boxes.

To switch to the «Manual partition operations» mode, select View -> Manual mode.

5.1 Main Partition Operations

Main hard disk partition operations include the typical, most frequently used operations of partition creation (selecting a type, file system, formatting, etc.), assigning label and letter partition, resizing, relocating, clearing, deletion, etc.

5.1.1 Creating partitions

If there is unallocated space on a disk, you can create a partition using manual disk operations.

Note that the Create partition wizard mentioned above can create a partition using both unallocated disk space and the space of existing partitions (see 4.1 «Creatin Partition»). It will enable you to create a partition on unallocated space only. If there is no such space, it should be provided by resizing and moving existing partitions.

A New

If you need to create a disk partition:

1. Select hard disk and unallocated space in the Acronis Disk Director Server main

window. The Create partition button will become available on the toolbar, and the

Create Partition operation on the sidebar and in the context menu.

Selecting unallocated disk space

2. Select Disk Æ Create partition or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Create partition on the toolbar.

Manual Partition Operations

3. In the Create Partition window, enter a partition label and select a file system and

partition type (Primary — Logical) from the list; you can also enter partition size and location using a mouse or by direct input to Partition size, Unallocated space before (and Unallocated space after) fields.

As a rule, Primary is selected if a partition is to contain an operating system. If a partition is meant for data storage, Logical should be selected.

Created partition parameters window

4. By clicking OK, you'll add the pending operation of new partition creation. The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director

Server main window.

Creating a partition in unallocated disk space in Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assi detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operatin appears in 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

ned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A

systems

5.1.2 Copying a partition to unallocated disk space

The reasons for copying a partition were discussed above (see

4.3 «Copying Partitions»).

Partition copy can be used:

• As a partition backup (or rather a data backup)

• As a system partition backup if you want to upgrade the existing operating system

• To quickly move all data from the old disk to the new

If you need to copy a partition:

1. Select a hard disk and a partition to copy.

Selecting a partition to copy

Manual Partition Operations

2. Select Disk Æ Copy or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list or click Copy

the selected partition to another free space on the toolbar.

3. Acronis Disk Director Server will automatically compare the size of a copied partition

and disk free space as shown in the Copy Partition window.

Free space available for copying

Note that the unallocated space is smaller than copied partition size, but its data area is smaller than unallocated space. Therefore copying is possible.

If there is not enough free space to copy a partition on a hard disk, no unallocated space will be available for selection.

Manual Partition Operations

4. Select the unallocated disk space to copy a selected partition to it.

5. In the next wizard page, enter partition copy type (Logical — Primary), size and

location.

While copying a partition, you might have to change its type. For example, you have to copy a primary partition, but there are already four primary partitions on the disk. You will be able to copy it only as a logical partition. If you n ee d to restore the primary part it ion from a copy, you will be able to change its type again.

Entering partition copy parameters

The size and location of a partition copy can be provided with a mouse or by entering data into the Unallocated space before, Partition size (and Unallocated space after) fields.

6. By clicking OK in the Copy Partition wizard, you'll add the pending operation of

partition copying and location (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Copying a partition in Windows 98/Me and assigning it a letter can change the order of letters assi detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operatin appears in 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

ned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A

systems

5.1.3 Moving a partition to unallocated disk space

You might need to move a partition to:

• Change order of letters assigned by operating system

Manual Partition Operations

For example, Windows 98/Me, unlike Windows NT/2000/XP, does not let users assign random letters to partitions, so you must move a partition to assi letter.

n it the necessary

• Work with some older OS (MS-DOS, Windows NT 4.0), that can boot only from binary

partitions located in the beginning of the disk

• Speed up partition operations

For example, you might have a special partition for a swap file. If you move this partition closer to the beginning of a disk, OS might work much faster with it.

•

Change partition configuration

If you need to move a partition to unallocated disk space:

1. Select the hard disk and partition to move.

Selecting a partition to move

2. Select Disk Æ Move or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list or click Move

the selected partition to another free space on the toolbar.

3. Acronis Disk Director Server will automatically compare moved partition size and

available free space, indicating it in the Move Partition window.

Manual Partition Operations

Unallocated space available for partition moving

Note that the unallocated space is smaller than moved partition size, but its data area is smaller than unallocated space. Therefore, moving the partition with its data intact is possible.

If there is not enough free space to copy a partition on a hard disk, no unallocated space will be available for selection.

4. Select free space to move the selected partition to.

5. On the next wizard page, select the type of moved partition (Logical — Primary),

size and location.

Changing partition type is not as necessary here as with partition copying (see 5.1.2 «Copying a partition to unallocated disk space»). Nevertheless, Acronis Disk Director Server gives you this added flexibility.

Manual Partition Operations

Entering moved partition parameters

The size and location of a partition copy can be provided with a mouse click or by entering data into the Unallocated space before, Partition size (and Unallocated space after) fields.

6. By clicking OK in the Move partition window, you'll add a pending operation to

partition moving (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Moving a partition to unallocated disk space in Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assi detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operatin appears in 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

Take special care when moving an operating system partition and its boot code location.

he OS might stop booting. For example, Windows NT 4.0 and earlier versions limit boot

code location to the first 2016 MB.

ned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A

systems

5.1.4 Resizing and/or moving a partition

You may find that there is not enough free space on a certain partition. For example, maybe it is almost filled with MP3 files. Acronis Disk Director Server lets you enlarge a partition easily.

Reasons for moving a partition were discussed above (see

5.1.3 «Moving a partition to

unallocated disk space»).

If you need to resize and/or move a partition:

Manual Partition Operations

1. Select the hard disk and a partition to be resized.

2. Select Disk Æ Resize or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Resize/move the selected partition on the toolbar.

3. Resize the partition in the Resize Partition window:

(1) Hold the mouse button and drag a corresponding partition rectangle

side until you get the proper size in the Partition size field.

(2) Specify the partition size in the Partition size field.

Resize partition window

4. Relocate a partition on a disk by one of the following methods:

(1) Holding the mouse button and dragging the corresponding partition

rectangle left side to resize free space before the partition.

(2) Having pointed to the rectangle, hold the left mouse button and

move a partition as a whole until you get the necessary MB or GB amount in the Unallocated space before field.

(3) Specifying the necessary value in the Unallocated space before field.

Acronis Disk Director Server automatically considers the limitations of file systems and parameters provided. In particular, it won’t let you enlar maximum 2 GB (4 GB for Windows 98/Me) value.

e a FAT16 partition over the

5. By clicking OK in the Resize Partition window, you'll create a pending operation for

partition resizing and moving (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Acronis Disk Director Server features a wizard for performing more complex partition resizing (see 4.2 «Increasing Partition»). Simple partition resizin size only if there is free (unallocated) space before or after a partition. The wizard lets you perform more complex operations such as increasing partition free space at the expense of other partitions.

Take special care when moving an operating system partition and its boot code location.

he OS might stop booting. For example, Windows NT 4.0 and earlier versions limit boot

code location to the first 2016 MB.

ned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A

Manual Partition Operations

lets you increase partition

systems

5.1.5 Splitting partitions

You can split a partition in two, moving the selected folders to the new partition and leaving the rest of the data on the old one. The new partition will have the same file system. This operation can also be used for creating an empty partition from another partition’s free space.

There must be some free space on a partition to enable its splitting. The amount of free space necessary for splitting can be calculated as follows:

• Space for the new partition file system – depending on the file system type, maximum

20 MB

• Plus space for the program’s housekeeping data – about 25 MB

• Plus 3% of the size of the data being moved to the newly created partition.

With splitting completed, this space will be free again (except for space for the new partition file system) and will be distributed between the two resulting partitions. If there is not enough space on the partition, you will get a message that splitting is impossible.

If you need to split a partition:

1. Select a partition to be split.

2. Select Disk Æ Split or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click Split on

the toolbar.

3. In the folders tree, select folders to be m oved to the newly create d partition. If you

want to create an empty partition, do not select any folders.

Manual Partition Operations

Selecting folders to be moved

Distribute the source partition free space between the two resulting partitions.

Distributing the source partition free space

Please keep in mind, that you are distributing not overall partition size, but just free space at this step. The pro the folders being moved to the new partition, and will add the specified free space share

ram will automatically count how much space is necessary for

to that size. Thus, if you divide free space in equal parts, it does not mean that the two resulting partitions will be equal in size.

Manual Partition Operations

5. By clicking Proceed, you'll add a pending operation (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

5.1.6 Merging partitions

You can merge two partitions, even if their file systems are different. All data will stay intact and reside on the resulting partition. The resulting partition will have the same file system as the target partition (to which data from another partition will be added).

If you need to merge one partition with another:

1. Select a partition to be merged to the target partition.

2. Select Disk Æ Merge or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click Merge

on the toolbar.

3. Select the target partition.

4. Select a folder on the target partition to which the da ta from the merged partition will be placed. You can create a new folder, using icons above the folder tree. If the folder already exists, it must be empty.

Selecting the target folder

5. By clicking Proceed, you'll add a pending operation (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Manual Partition Operations

Merging an NTFS partition to a partition with file system not supporting security options (for example, FAT32 partition), will result in loss of security settin data and access permissions). With the opposite action (merging a non-secured partition to the secured one), the tar partition.

et partition security settings will be assigned to the resulting

s (partition ownership

5.1.7 Exploring partitions

You can explore and manage partition contents before configuring operations on that partition directly from the Acronis Disk Director Server.

If you need to explore a partition:

1. Select a partition to be explored.

2. Select Disk Æ Explore or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Explore on the toolbar.

3. The program displays a folder tree. Now you can explore or manage the partiti on

contents. You can copy, paste, rename and delete files and folders and create folders on the selected partition. To do so, right-click on the file/fol der or use icons above the folder tree.

Exploring partition contents

You are also enabled to view or edit text files up to 64 kb in size. To do so, rightclick on the file and select Edit. To illustrate why it may be necessary, imagine that your operating system failed to boot. You can run Acronis Disk Director Server from Acronis OS Selector main window (if the program is not installed, start it from bootable disk), and change some critical files contents.

he Explore operation shows the real partition contents, read from the disk. If there are some operations pending, like splitting a partition, you will not be able to explore partitions until the operations are committed or canceled. However, operations on folders/files in Explore window are executed immediately.

Manual Partition Operations

4. When you’re finished exploring, click OK.

5.1.8 Changing partition labels

The partition label is an optional attribute. It’s a name assigned to a partition for easier recognition. For example, one could be called System — a partition with an operating system, Program — an application partition, Data — a data partition, etc.

In Windows, partition labels are shown in the Explorer disk and folder tree: WIN98(C:), WINXP(D:), DATA(E:), etc. WIN98, WINXP and DATA are partition labels. A partition label is shown in all application dialog boxes for opening and saving files. (See Appendix B «Glossary» — «

Label».)

If you need to change a partition label:

1. Select Disk Æ Change Label or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click Change the selected partition label on the toolbar.

2. Enter a new label in the Partition label window.

Partition label window

3. By clicking OK in the Partition Label window, you'll add the pending operation of

partition label changing (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Mo difying pend ing operations»).

The new label will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

5.1.9 Formatting a partition

Acronis Disk Director Server lets you logically format a partition. It includes organizing a file system that supports files and folder data storage.

If you need to format an existing partition:

1. Select a disk and a partition.

Manual Partition Operations

2. Select Disk Æ Format or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Format the selected partition on the toolbar.

3. Enter the partition label in the Format Partition window.

Format Partition window

4. Select a file system to be created on a partition after formatting.

Acronis Disk Director Server supports the following file systems (see

A.9 «File System

Main Specifica tions»):

• FAT16/FAT32, NTFS — Windows file systems

• Linux Ext2, Ext3, Re iserFS, Swap — Linux file systems

5. Select cluster size (Auto, 512 bytes, 1, 2, 4… 64 KB).

Note that:

(1) The smaller the cluster size, the less disk space will be lost (see

«FAT16» —

Table 3).

A.9.2

(2) The smaller the cluster size, the bigger the file allocation table (FAT).

The bigger the FAT, the slower the operating sy stem works with the disk.

(3) If you select Auto, you allow Disk Director Server to automatically

determine the cluster size depending on selected file system and partition size.

6. By clicking OK in the Format Partition window, you'll add the pending operation of

partition formatting (your actions may only modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5

«Modifying pending operations»).

Attention! Partition formatting destroys all its data, including files and folders! Take special care when performing this operation.

Remember that each operation described must be executed by selecting Operations Æ Commit or clicking

operations»).

Commit Pending Operations (see 3.4.4 «Performing pending

Manual Partition Operations

5.1.10 Deleting a partition

After a partition is deleted, its space is added to unallocated disk space. It can be used for a new partition or to resize an existing partition.

If you need to delete a partition:

1. Select a hard disk and a partition to be deleted.

2. Select Disk Æ Delete or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Delete the selected partition on the toolbar.

3. Select the deletion method in the Delete Partition window; you can:

(1) just delete a hard disk partition (without wiping disk sectors) — set

the switch to Delete partition.

(2) delete a hard disk partition and fully wipe partition sectors — set the

switch to Delete partition and destroy data.

Delete Partition window

Having set the switch to Delete partition and destroy data, enter a number of passes for wiping.

Wiping unallocated disk space means multiple writing of special data to hard disk sectors. Acronis Disk Director Server features a rather simple wiping algorithm. Durin symbol sequence or lo sectors. Only logical zeroes are written during the last pass. The more passes performed, the more complete the wiping will be.

Acronis offers extremely powerful hard disk/partition wiping software — Acronis Privacy

Expert Suite, featuring strict algorithms for guaranteed confidential information w iping and destruction.

ical zeroes (0x00) or ones (0xFF) is written to unallocated space

each pass, a

4. Confirm partition deletion by clicking OK in the Delete Partition window.

5. By clicking

OK in the Delete Partition window, you'll add the pending operation of

partition deletion (your actions may only undo an existing operation depending on the situation selected see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

Manual Partition Operations

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Attention! Deleting a partition destroys all its data, including files and folders! Deleting a system partition will make a PC inoperable. Take special care when performing this operation.

Deleting a partition Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assigned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operating systems appears in 4.1 «Creatin New Partition».

5.1.11 Checking hard disk partitions for errors

Acronis Disk Director Server enables you to check hard disk partitions for file system errors.

Hard disk partitions should be checked before any partition operations (see

2.7 «Befor e

You Run ».

If you need to check a hard disk partition:

1. Select a hard disk and partition in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Check or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Check the selected partition for

errors on the toolbar.

3. If you want to find and fix errors, choose one of the next options:

• Check partitions for errors

• Check and fix found errors

• Check and fix errors and locate bad sectors.

4. By clicking OK, you'll run partition error checking.

5. Results are shown in the Check Partition window.

Partition check results window

5.1.12 Defragmenting a partition

Defragmentation is reorganizing file storage on a hard disk partition.

Manual Partition Operations

Defragmentation is the process of eliminating file fragmentation, which causes files to be spread across the disk after operations.

File fragmentation significantly reduces PC and server performance, especially when intensive I/O operations are taking place. Conversely, file defragmentation can increase performance, as the read head has to move less across the disk to read all file parts.

Acronis Disk Director Server supports defragmentation in Windows XP and Windows 2003 Server only. Windows 2000 has its own embedded disk defragmenter. partition in Windows NT 4.0 and earlier Windows operatin that you install a third-party disk defragmenter tool.

systems, it is recommended

o defragment a

If you need to defragment a hard disk partition:

1. Select a hard disk and partition to defragment in the Acronis Disk Director Server

main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Defragment or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Defragment the selected partition on the toolbar.

3. By clicking OK in the Defragmentation window, you'll run partition defragmentation.,

Manual Partition Operations

Run partition defragmentation window

4. Defragmentation results are shown in the Defragment Partition window.

Partition defragmentation results window

5.1.13 Wiping unallocated hard disk space

PC hard disks can contain a substantial amount of confidential information. Often users forget that private information must be completely destroyed to avoid unauthorized access to it — simply deleting an old file is not sufficient.

Windows tools do not guarantee data destruction. Deleted files can be restored easily. Formatting and even deleting a partition leaves hard disk sector contents the same. Acronis Disk Director Server offers a simple but reliable algorithm for wiping hard disk unallocated space.

If you need to wipe unallocated disk space:

1. Select a hard disk and unallocated space in the Acronis Disk Director Server main

window — Wipe unallocated space becomes available on the toolbar.

Manual Partition Operations

2. Select Disk Æ Wipe or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click Wipe

the selected unallocated space on the toolbar.

3. In the Wipe Unallocated Space window, enter a number of disk passes (up to 99),

For information about the Acronis Disk Director Server data wiping algorithm see the commentary for 5.1.10 «Deleting a partition».

Hard disk passes number window

4. By clicking OK, you'll add a pending operation of unallocated disk space wiping.

5.1.14 Clearing a hard disk

Acronis Disk Director Server lets you clear not only unallocated disk space, but an entire disk as well.

If you need to clear the entire hard disk:

1. Select a hard disk on the Tree View panel of Acronis Disk Director Server — Clear

the current hard disk drive button becomes available on the toolbar (if there is no Tree View panel in the main window, show it by selecting View Æ Tree View).

2. Select Disk Æ Clear or a similar item in the Operations sidebar list, or click

Clear

the current hard disk drive on the toolbar.

3. Select the clearing method in the Clear Hard Drive window; you can:

(1) just delete hard disk partitions (without wiping disk sectors) — set the

switch to Delete partitions.

(2) delete hard disk partitions and fully clear hard disk sectors — set the

switch to Delete partitions and destroy data. Having set the switch to Delete partitions and destroy data, enter the

number of passes for wiping.

Manual Partition Operations

Hard disk clearing parameters window

4. By clicking OK, you'll add a pending operation of hard disk clearing.

Deleting hard disk partitions does not destroy disk sector contents. They can be restored by special means, if needed. Therefore, if you need to destroy confidential information, set the switch to Delete partitions and destroy data!

For information about the Acronis Disk Director Server data wiping algorithm see the commentary for 5.1.10 «Deleting a partition».

Deleting a partition in Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assigned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operating systems appears in 4.1 «Creatin Partition».

A New

5.2 Additional Partition Operations

Additional hard disk partition operations include some rarely used but useful operations for converting partition file systems, hiding and unhiding partitions, setting active partitions, changing root size and changing partition cluster size.

5.2.1 Changing partition letter

Some operating systems assign letters (C:, D:,…) to hard disk partitions at startup. They are used by applications and operating systems to locate files on partitions.

Connecting an additional disk, as well as creating or deleti ng a partition on existing disks, might change your system configuration. As a result, some applicati ons might s top working or user files might not be opened. To prevent this, you can change letters assigned by an operating system.

If you need to change a letter assigned to a partition by an operating system:

1. Select the hard disk and partition on it.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Change Let ter or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar

list, or click

3. Select a new letter in the Change letter window.

Change the logical drive letter on the toolbar.

Manual Partition Operations

Change letter window

4. By clicking OK in the Change letter window, you'll add a pending operation to

partition letter assignment (your actions may only undo or modify already existing operation; see

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Only Windows NT/2000/XP lets you change letters assigned to partitions. Windows 98/Me assigns letters to partitions automatically.

Directly changing a partition letter might affect shortcuts to existing partitions. Changing a partition letter in Windows NT/2000/XP might result in problems running applications and openin problems. A detailed discussion of partition letter assi systems appears in 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

files on the partition. If it is a system or swap file partition, it might cause OS boot

5.2.2 Converting a file system

FAT16

The main

disadvantages

• Inability to support partitions larger than 2 GB

• Inability to work with files larger than 2 GB

• Inability to work with hard disks larger than 8 GB

• Limited root size — up to 512 elements

• File names containing up to eight name symbols, a dot and three extension

of FAT16 are:

symbols (Windows NT do not have this limitation)

nment rules for various operating

FAT32

The FAT32 file system appeared in Windows 95 OSR2 and is supported by Windows 98/Me and Windows 2000/XP.

Its main purpose was to remove FAT16 limitations. FAT32 is the evolution of FAT16.

Manual Partition Operations

The main difference between FAT32 and FAT16 is the support of higher-capa city folders, files and disks, and more flexible root organization that features unlimited size and long file-name support. (For more details see

A.9 «File System Main Specifications».)

Converting FAT16 to FAT32

You would convert a FAT16 partition to FAT32 in the following cases:

1. If you need a partition larger than 2 GB.

2. If you replace a small-capacity hard disk with a high-capacity hard disk

If you need to convert a FAT16 partition to FAT32:

1. Select the disk and FAT16 partition to convert to FAT32 from the list in the Acronis

Disk Director Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Convert or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or

click

Convert the file system on the selected partition on the toolbar (or select it

from partition or the graphical representation context menu).

3. Ente r pa r t i t i on t y p e ( Logical — Primary) in the Convert Partition window.

Convert partition window

4. By clicking OK, you'll add a pending operation of FAT16 partition conversion to

FAT32 partition (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5

«Modifying pending operations»).

The new partition file system will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

Attention! Converting a FAT16 partition to FAT32 might cause the installed operating system to stop «understanding» the file system and/or the allocation table. For more information about compatibility of file and operating systems see A.9 «File System Main Specifications».

5.2.3 Hiding a partition

Acronis Disk Director Server allows you to hide a partition. It can be useful for protecting important information from unauthorized or casual access. Unlike other software, Acronis Disk Director Server can hide any partition independent of its type, primary or logical.

If you need to hide a partition:

Manual Partition Operations

1. Select a disk and a partition to hide in the list in the Acronis Disk Director Server

main window.

2. Execute operation of partition hiding by selecting Disk Æ Advanced Æ Hide or a

similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or by clicking

Hide the selected partition on the toolbar (or select it from partition or the graphical representation context menu).

3. By clicking hiding (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation. See

OK in the Hide Partition window, you'll add a pending operation of partition

3.4.5

«Modifying pending operations»).

Hide Partition window

A hidden partition is labeled Hid in the Flags field of the partition list in the main window.

Attention! Hiding a system partition will prevent your PC from booting. Hiding a swap file partition in Windows NT/2000/XP will produce a similar result. If you have several primary partitions with different operating systems, hiding an active system partition will automatically make another partition active.

Note that the Advanced Æ Hide sidebar item is changed to Advanced Æ Unhide after you select a hidden partition from the list. The partition context menu also changes.

Hiding a partition in Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assigned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts mi a partition does not affect letters assi partition shortcuts will stop workin rules for various operating systems appears in 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

ht stop working. In Windows NT/2000/XP, hiding

ned to other partitions. As a result, only hidden

. A detailed discussion of partition letter assignment

5.2.4 Unhiding a partition

Unhiding a partition is performed so an operating system can "see" the partition, assign it a letter and provide access to its files.

If you need to unhide a partition:

1. Select a disk and partition to unhide from the list in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Unhide or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or click

Unhide the selected partition on the toolbar (or select it from partition or

the graphical representation context menu).

Manual Partition Operations

3. By clicking OK in the Unhide Partition window, you'll add the pending operation to partition unhiding (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation, See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

Unhide partition window

The partition Hid label will disappear from the Flags field.

Note that the Advanced Æ Unhide sidebar item is changed to Advanced Æ Hide after you select a hidden partition from the list. The partition context menu changes the same.

If you unhide the only primary partition on a disk, it will be set active.

Unhiding a partition in Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assigned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operating systems appears in 4.1 «Creatin Partition».

A New

5.2.5 Setting active partition

If you have several primary partitions, you must specify one to be the boot partition. For this, you can set a partition to active. A disk can have only one active partition.

If you need to set an active partition:

1. Select a primary partition to set to active from the list in the Acronis Disk Dir ector Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Set Active or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or click

Set the selected partition as active on the toolbar (or select it from

partition or the graphical representation context menu).

Set Active Partition

Manual Partition Operations

3. By clicking OK in the Set Active Partition window, you'll add the pending operation of sett ing a ctive parti tion (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation.

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

See

The new partition structure will be graphically represented in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

The partition will be marked Act in the Flags field. T he primary partition is also marked Pri, so the Flags field will contain Pri, Act.

Before you make a partition active, you must make sure it is formatted and contains an operating system. Otherwise your PC will not boot from this partition!

If you set a partition to active and there was another active partition on a disk, it will be unset automatically. This also might prev ent your PC from booting.

Setting an active partition in Windows 98/Me can change the order of letters assigned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts mi partition letter assignment rules for various operating systems appears in 4.1 «Creatin New Partition».

ht stop working. A detailed discussion of

5.2.6 Resizing a root

Unlike all others, the FAT16 root is located in a special place and has a limited size (512 elements after standard formatting). Acronis Disk Director Server lets you change the root size of existing partitions.

If you need to resize a FAT16 partition root:

1. Select a disk and FAT16 partition from the list in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Resize Root or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or click

Change the number of files that can be located in the root of the selected partition on the toolbar (or select it from partition or the graphical representation context menu).

If you select a partition with another file system, mentioned sidebar and context menu items will not be available.

3. Enter the new root size (a number of elements) in the Resize Root window.

Resize FAT16 root window

Manual Partition Operations

FAT16 can contain a maximum of 65,520 elements.

4. By clicking OK, you'll add the pending operation of FAT16 partition root resizing (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation. See

3.4.5 «Modifying

pending operations»).

5.2.7 Changing cluster size

Smaller clusters (see

Appendix B «Glossary» — «Cluster») might significantly reduce disk

space losses because any file occupies at least one cluster/block. Disk space losses, depending on cluster size, are shown in

Table 3).

—

Chapter 7 (see A.9.2 «FAT16»

However, reducing FAT32 partition cluster size might increase the space occupied by the file allocation table (FAT) and slow down file access.

If you need to change cluster size:

1. Select a disk and partition from the list in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Change cluster size or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or click

Change the cluster size of the selected partition on the

toolbar (or select it from partition or the graphical representation context menu).

3. In the Cluster Size window, you can:

(1) see the current cluster size of the select ed partition. (2) see average statistics of disk space losses for the selected partition

and different cluster size.

Some cluster sizes might become unavailable for a partition because there will not be enough clusters to store the actual partition data.

(3) set new cluster size in the New cluster size field.

Manual Partition Operations

Cluster size window

4. By entering a new cluster size and clicking OK in the Cluster Size window, you' ll a d d the pending operation of cluster resizing (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation, See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

5.2.8 Changing partition type

Each partition record includes the «partition type field». It is a hexadecimal value that defines the file and operating system suitable for a partition.

his hexadecimal value is optional, as some operating systems use it and some do not. In particular, Windows 98/Me only uses the «partition type» field when determinin support a partition.

if it can

Usually, partition type is set during its creation depending on the file system to be used. However, you might need to select the type manually. For example, if a partition is created without a file system or if a partition is meant for use with a specific OS, it must be assigned a corresponding type.

If you need to change partition type:

1. Select a disk and partition from the list in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window.

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Change type or a similar item in the Advanced sidebar list, or click

Change the type of the selected partition on the toolbar (or select it

from partition or the graphical representation context menu).

3. Select the necessary partition type in the Partition type window.

Manual Partition Operations

Partition type window

4. By clicking OK in the Partition type window, you'll add the pending operation of part iti on t ype cha ngin g ( your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation, See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

Attention! Changing partition type might prevent some operating systems from working with it, even if it is a compatible file system!

Changing partition type in Windows 98/Me can hide a partition and change the order of letters assi detailed discussion of partition letter assignment rules for various operatin appears in 4.1 «Creating A New Partition».

ned to other partitions. As a result, some shortcuts might stop working. A

systems

5.2.9 Resizing i-node table in Linux Ext2/Ext3

In Linux Ext2/Ext3, the i-node index descriptor is the main data structure describing files. Each descriptor contains a file description, including file type, size, data block pointers,

etc. Data block addresses reserved for a file are stored in its index descriptor. The space for all i-nodes must be allocated in advance (at formatting). In the Ext2/Ext3

file systems, the maximum number of files is set at formatting. The «bytes per a single i-node» value indicates the average partition file size. If there ar e

many small files, there must be many descriptors, each of which occupies some space. Large files require fewer descriptors.

Acronis Disk Director Server enables you to resize i-node tables of existing partitions to change the maximum file amount on them.

If you need to resize an i-node table of an existing Linux Ext2/Ext3 partition:

1. Select a disk and Linux Ext2/Ext3 partition from the list in the Acronis Disk Director

Server main window.

Manual Partition Operations

2. Select Disk Æ Advanced Æ Change Bytes per i-node or a similar item in the Advanced

sidebar list, or click

Change the number of bytes per i-node on the toolbar (or

select it from partition or the graphical representation context menu).

If you select a partition with another file system, mentioned sidebar and context menu items will be unavailable.

Enter the new amount of bytes per descriptor (i-node) in the Change bytes per i-nod e window.

Resize i-node window

By clicking OK in the Change bytes per i-node window, you'll add the pending

operation of Linux Ext2/Ext3 partition i-node resizing (your actions may only undo or modify an existing operation, See

3.4.5 «Modifying pending operations»).

Working in the command-line mode

Chapter 6. Working in the command-line

mode

Acronis Disk Director Server supports the command-line mode for most important partition operations with diskdirectorcmd.exe utility. Using command-line mode you can:

• Create partition

• Delete partition

• Resize partition.

Also you can get information on hard disk partition structure using the command

/list.

6.1 Supported commands

diskdirectorcmd.exe has the following format:

diskdirectorcmd /[command] /[option1] [option2]…

The following commands are supported (each command may be accompanied by additional options):

/create_partition

Creates new partition using unallocated space on the hard disk.

Supported options:

/start:[start sector]

Sets the start sector for creating a partition on the hard disk unallocated space.

/harddisk:X

Specifies the hard disk number where new partition will be created.

/size:[partition size in sectors]

Sets the new partition size (in sectors).

Sets the file system for the new partition. The default value is NONE.

/type:[active | primary | logical]

Sets the new partition type. By default (if this option is not defined) an active partition is created on the first hard disk and logic partitions on other disks.

/label:[partition label]

Sets the new partition label.

/delete_partition

Deletes a partition.

Working in the command-line mode

Supported options:

/partition:[partition number]

Specifies the partition will be deleted. The list of available partitions is provided

/list command Partition numbers are specified as <disk number>-

by <partition number>, e.g.:

/resize_partition

Resizes the existing partition.

Options

/partition: 1-1,1-2,3-1.

/partition:[partition number]

Specifies the partition number.

/size:[partition size in sectors]

Sets the new partition size (in sectors).

/list

Lists the available partitions on the hard disks.

6.2 diskdirectorcmd.exe usage examples

1. Create a partition

diskdirectorcmd /create_partition /start:12000 /size:20000 /harddisk:1 [/filesystem:fat16 /label:new] [/type:logical

This will create a logical FAT16-formatted partition labeled NEW on the first hard drive. This partition will be took 20 000 physical sectors starting with sector number 12000.

2. Delete a partition

diskdirectorcmd /delete_partition /partition:1-4

This will delete a fourth-partition from the first hard drive.

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

Chapter 7. Working with Acronis Recovery

Expert

Acronis Recovery Expert allows recovery of hard disk partitions accidentally deleted or damaged due to a hardware or software failure. It uses a wizard interface.

You can run Acronis Recovery Expert in the following ways. While working with Acronis Disk Director Server in the Automatic mode:

• Using Recover Partition item in the wizards section of the Acronis Disk Director

Server main window sidebar

• Using the respective main menu item

While working in the Manual mode:

• Using Advanced Æ Recover item of the context menu by hovering a mouse pointer

over Unallocated space and right-clicking

Then Acronis Recovery Expert begins reading the partition configuration of your hard disks.

After the process is finished, you may see a warning that there are n o unallocated spaces on your hard disks:

Hard disks do not have any unallocated spaces

Please note: the entire hard disk space can be partly partitioned and/or partly unallocated. If you delete a disk partition – whether intentionally or by mistake – its space becomes unallocated. You can create a new partition using unallocated space only.

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

Acronis Recovery Expert checks to see if your hard disks contain unallocated space. If you have none, then it makes no sense to search for deleted partitions. If you have unallocated space, it may have contained one or more partitions. Acronis Recovery Expert will search unallocated space thoroughly – either automatically or manually.

7.1 Automatic Recovery

You can recover deleted partitions automatically or manually. To do so, set the switch to the necessary position in the Recovery mode window.

Let us describe automatic partition recovery first. Set the switch to Automatic.

Selecting Automatic recovery mode

In the next Searching for Deleted Partitions window, Acronis Recovery Expert searches for all deleted partitions. The search progress is shown in the lower part of the window.

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

Deleted partitions search progress

The information about hard disk partitions is stored in a special disk area – the 1

cylinder, 0th head – called the partition table. This sector is called a boot sector or the

0 master boot record (MBR). Acronis Recovery Expert not only checks the partition table for

sector of

deleted partitions, but also scans the entire disk surface. Therefore the recovery process might take some time to complete.

Please note: Acronis Recovery Expert may find deleted partition(s) almost at once (in a few seconds). Partition(s) found are then added to the list in th e Searching for Deleted Partitions window. The search will, however, continue until the entire disk is scanned for partitions.

In the automatic recovery mode, the search m ust be finished before you can proceed to the next recovery steps. The

Next button becomes enabled only after the progress bar is

full in the Searching for Deleted Partitions window. The manual mode however enables you to work at once (see

7.2 «Manual Recovery»).

Partitions found during the search are shown in the list with their main parameters:

• number

• status

• label

• capacity

• partition free space

• file system

Please note: Found partitions are automatically added to the list

during the search.

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

A deleted partition found

Note that you do not have to select partitions for recovery in the automatic mode. Acronis Recovery Expert will recover

all partitions found.

The Recovered Partitions window shows a partition to recover as a part of hard disk partition structure, marking it with an icon in the upper right corner of its rectangle.

A hard disk partition to be recovered

A partition has been found by Acronis Recovery Expert and is shown in the disk structure, but has not yet been recovered.

This finishes partition recovery preparations. To complete this operation, select Commit in the Operations section of the Main menu. This will complete the given partition recovery.

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

If you exit Acronis Disk Director Server without confirming the partition recovery operation, it will be canceled.

7.2 Manual Recovery

Set the switch to Manual in the Re covery mode window to select the manual recovery mode.

Selecting manual recovery mode

The next Searching Method window enables you to select one of two deleted partition searching methods: 1) Fast; 2) Complete.

What's the difference? Using the Fast search method, Acronis Recovery Expert checks the beginning of each side of every cylinder of a hard disk. Using the Complete method, Acronis Recovery Expert checks every hard disk sector.

The Fast method takes less time, while the Complete method is slower but more thorough.

Note that the Fast method should find all deleted partitions in most cases!

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

Searching method selection

The Searching for Deleted Partitions window shows you parameters of a partition that existed on the selected unallocated space before it was deleted.

A deleted hard disk partition found by Acronis Recovery Expert

Unlike in the automatic recovery mode, you do not have to wait until the search for deleted hard disk partitions is finished in the manual mode. As a found partition or multiple partitions are added to the list, you can select them for immediate recovery. Selectin partition enables the recovery.

Next button. Clicking it, you'll stop the search and proceed to

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

he manual recovery mode allows you to select all found partitions for recovery. For example, if one of your partitions was deleted intentionally and another by mistake, the manual mode enables you to select and recover only the partition you deleted by mistake. Partitions are selected for recovery by clicking them.

Click the partition rectangle to select the deleted partition and continue recovery.

A deleted partition selected for recovery

This finishes partition recovery preparations. To complete this operation, select Commit in the Operations section of the Main menu.

If you exit Acronis Disk Director Server without confirming a partition recovery operation, it will be canceled.

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

Chapter 8. Working with Acronis Disk

Editor

8.1 General information

Acronis Disk Editor is a professional-grade program that perf orms a va riety of a ctions on a hard disk: restore boot records and files and folder structure, find lost clusters, remove computer virus code from a disk and much more.

This program has much to offer a beginner as well. It can be used as an educational tool. It is one thing to read a few books about hard disk construction and data storage, but it’s quite another to observe it yourself with the Acronis Disk Editor.

8.2 The selection of the partition or a disk for editing

Disk or partition data editing operations are only available in the Manual mode of Acronis Disk Director Server.

To start editing hard disk or partition data:

• Select the necessary partition (disk) to edit with Acronis Disk Editor from the list of

available partitions (disks) in the Acronis Disk Director Server main window

• Select Edit in the Advanced section of the main window sidebar or the respective

item of the context menu invoked by right-clicking. You can also access editing operations selecting main menu: Disk Æ Advanced Æ Edit

This will invoke Acronis Disk Editor, providing access to other editing operations of the selected partition (disk):

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

8.3 Main Window of the Program

The main window shows the numbers of disk and sector where the internal program cursor is positioned. It usually contains information about the work of various modes. Below the main window of the program is the view as partition table mode.

The main window in the view as partition table mode

To make the information contained in this field sensible, the current sector should be the MBR or the extended partition table.

The next figure shows the partition table as a single dump (hexadecimal byte v alues are on the left, and the corresponding characters are on the right).

The main window in the view as hex mode

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

The current editing position is shown by the curs or that can be either in the left or right part of the window

In this section of the guide, all examples of Acronis Disk Editor’s main window view modes are given for demonstration purposes.

The main menu of Acronis Disk Editor contains the following items:

• Disk – allows you to browse properties of a disk being edited

• Edit – allows you to manipulate blocks of selected hard disk partitions; also allows you

to save contents of a disk sector after editing

• View – allows you to select a view mode for more convenient presentation of data

• Search – allows you to search a partition (or a hard disk) for any line (or any

sequence of characters) and go to a certain disk sector according to its absolute offset

• Help – allows you to get help concerning the editor window or about the program’s

developer and version

8.4 Edit Hard Disks

The Edit menu of the Acronis Disk Editor main window allows you to access the main operations with blocks of given hard disk sectors. You can edit hard disk data directly in the fields of any view mode (see the View menu). You can manipulate data blocks using

Edit menu in the view as hex mode.

Edit menu

Any view mode allows you to select blocks with the help of the mouse by clicking and holding its left button, or with the help of the keyboard, advancing the window with

Shift key pressed.

When viewing in hex mode, simply changing data in the hexadecimal or character area in the main window — or in any fields of other view modes — will not change the given disk sector. To execute the changes, you must save them first. After making changes, you will

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

see that the Save sector item in Edit menu will become enabled as well as the appropriate toolbar button. If you do not save your changes, you effectively reject them.

Save sector operation

If you have made changes in a hard disk sector and decide to exit the editor without saving them, you will see a warning about saving your changes.

Saving modified sector

8.5 Write Block to a File and Read from a File

The Write to file… and Read from file… menu items allow you to save the selected block to a file or to read the block from a file and save it to a disk sector.

The selection of the Write to file… item results in opening the Write to file window (the block to be saved should already be selected). In this window, enter the file name and its path or locate a file by clicking the automatically. To save a file, click the

Browse… button. The file size will be calculated

OK button.

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

Write to a file

To read a block from a file and insert it into a disk sector, you must place the cursor on the necessary sector byte and then select Read from file… menu item. The selection of this menu item will result in opening the Read from file window. In this window, enter the file name and its path or locate a file by clicking the

Browse… button. To insert file

contents to a sector from the current cursor position (or considering offset in the file), click the

OK button.

Read from a file

8.6 View

Information in the Acronis Disk Editor window can be viewed and edited in several different modes. You can select the appropriate view mode with the help of the View menu.

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

View menu

The editor offers seven view modes:

• hex

• partition table

• FAT16 boot sector

• FAT32 boot sector

• FAT32 FS info sector

• NTFS boot sector

• FAT folder

8.7 Search

The Search menu allows you to search a hard disk for some line and t o g o to a disk sector according to its absolute offset.

Search Menu

Selecting the Search item in the same menu will give you access to functions for searching lines in the disk being edited. (You can do the same by pressing combination.) Search parameters can be set in the Search dialog window.

Ctrl+F key

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

The Search dialog window

A search line can be set both as char and numeric (hexadecimal) values. During a search, you can ignore letter case as well as search for a given line at a given offset inside the sector.

During a search, disk data is interpreted according to the encoding selected. If you selected a search mode without letter case matching, not only case but also elements above the characters will be ignored.

After the search process is finished, the current position will be moved to where a line was found, or will remain the same if no lines were found. You can search for the next line from the current position by selecting Find next item in the Search menu or by pressing

F3 key.

You can go to the necessary sector according to its absolute offset by selecting the Go to… line the Search menu (or by pressing

Alt+P key combination). Selecting this line

opens the Go to… dialog window.

Go to sector…

The transition is performed by entering absolute sector offset, or cylinder, head and sector numbers. The listed parameters are bound by this expression:

(CYL x HDS + HD) x SPT + SEC – 1, Where CYL, HD and SEC are numbers of cylinder, head and sector in the CHS coordinates

(Cylinder – Head – Sector); HDS is the number of heads per disk and SPT is the number of heads per track.

You can return to a sector from another one by selecting the Back item in the Search menu (or by pressing

Ctrl+Backspace key combination).

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

8.8 Working with Different Encodings

The main window of the program features a list of encodings available in Acronis Disk Editor. This list is shown closed and dropped down below.

The closed and dropped-down list of encodings

The list of encodings is intended for correct interpretation of hard disk sector cont ents. Selecting the necessary encoding, you will be able to view sector contents correctly. This is interpreted in the right part of the program’s main window in the hex mode.

Bootable Media Builder

Chapter 9. Bootable Media Builder

9.1 General information

There are situations in which you might have to run Acronis Disk Director S erver without booting either operating system:

• in order to use Acronis Disk Director Server on a non-Windows system, for example, a

Linux-based PC

• if you do not often use Acronis Disk Director Server and therefore do not want to

install it on the computer

Acronis Disk Director Server has a standalone bootable version that can run from CD or other removable media without booting an operating system. If you purchased the boxed product, you already have such a bootable CD, because the installation CD contains, besides the program installation files, the Acronis Disk Director Server standalone bootable version.

If you purchased Acronis Disk Director Server on the Web, you can create bootable media using the Bootable Media Builder. For this, you will need a CD-R/RW blank, several formatted diskettes (the wizard will tell you the exact number), or any other media your PC can boot from, such as a Zip drive.

If you have chosen not to install the Bootable Media Builder during Acronis Disk Director

Server installation, you will not be able to use this feature.

Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 also provides the ability to create an ISO image of a bootable disk on the hard disk. If there is a PXE server in your local networ k having the Acronis PXE agent installed, its administrator can save the bootable data on this server as well. Then any networked computer will be able to boot the Acronis Disk Director Suite standalone version.

If you have other Acronis products, such as Acronis True Image, installed on your computer, you can include standalone versions of these programs on the same bootable disk as well.

9.2 Creating bootable media

1. Run the Bootable Media Builder from the tools section of main window sidebar or from the respective main menu section.

2. Select which components of Acronis programs you want to place on the bootable disk.

Bootable Media Builder

Selecting components to place on the bootable media

Acronis Disk Director Server offers the following components:

• Disk Director full version

Includes support of USB, PC Card and SCSI interfaces along with the storage devices connected via them, therefore is highly recommended.

• Disk Director safe version

Doesn’t include USB, PC Card, or SCSI drivers. Recommended for use in case of problems with running Full version.

To find more about components of other Acronis products, see the respective user guides.

3. Select the type of bootable media (CD-R/RW or 3.5” diskettes) to create. If your BIOS has this feature, you can create other bootable media such as removable USB flash drives. You can also choose to create a bootable disk ISO image or save bootable dat a on the PXE server.

Having created an ISO disk image, you will be able to burn it onto any kind of DVD

recordable, using DVD recordin

Media Builder is impossible.

When using 3.5” diskettes, you will be able to write on a diskette (or a set of the

diskettes) only one component at a time).

Media Builder once again.

software. Creating a bootable DVD directly from Bootable

o write another component, start Bootable

Bootable Media Builder

Selecting type of the bootable media

4. If you are creating a CD, diskettes or any removable media, inser t the blank disk so the program can determine its capacity. If you chose to create a b oot able disk ISO image, specify the ISO file name and the folder where to place it. If you chose to save boot able data on PXE server, specify the server and provide the user name and p assword to access it.

5. Next, the program will calculate how many blank disks are required (in case you have not chosen ISO or PXE) and give you time to prepare them. When you are finish ed, click Proceed.

Chapter 6. Hard Disk And File

Systems

Chapter 7. Hard Disk And File Systems

These appendices contain additional information about hard disk construction and data storage, partitions, file systems and interaction of operating systems with hard disks.

A.1 Hard Disk Organization

All hard drives have basically the same structure. Inside the case, there are se veral disks with a magnetic coating set on a single axis (spindle). A special motor provides the necessary rotation speed to the spindle, e.g. 5,400 rpm, 7,200 rpm, or 10,000 rpm.

Information on disks resides on concentric tracks. Each track has a number. The outermost track is number 0, and the numbers grow inwards.

Each of the tracks is divided into sectors that contain minimal information blocks that can be written to the disk or read from it. Sectors also have nu mbers. On every disk, there is a marker that indicates the beginning of sector enumeration. The sector that is the closes t to this marker is number 1.

At the beginning of a sector, there is a header (prefix portion) tha t marks the beginning of the sector and its number. At the end of a s ector in the suffix portion, a checksum is used to check data integrity. The data area between the prefix and suffix portions is 512 bytes in size.

Both sides of each disk on the spindle are used to store data. All tracks that have the same number on all the surfaces of all disks comprise a cylinder. For each work surface of a disk in the drive, there is a head that enables reading and writing data from/to the disk. Heads are assembled into a block and are numbered, starting with 0.

To perform an elementary read or write operation, the hea d block should be position ed at the necessary cylinder. When the appropriate sector (with the appropri ate number in the service area) of the rotating disks approaches the head, data is exchanged between the head and the electronic circuit board of the disk drive.

Sector structure of a hard disk is created via low-level formatting during which each of the tracks of the disk is marked up. This process generally takes place when the drive is manufactured.

Modern disk drives usually contain relatively few magnetic disks (1–2) to make the head block lighter and speed up access to sectors (a drive like this has 2–4 heads respectively).

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There can be up to several tens of thousands of cylinders per disk. The greater the amount of data that can be stored on one side of a disk,, the more cylinders can be created on it and the larger the capacity of the disk.

This design has a lot of technical implementation peculiarities, but those issues are not germane to this explanation.

A.2 Hard Disk Partition

After low-level formatting creates disk sectors, partitions must be created on the disk. A partition is an area on a hard disk that can be used to install an operating system

and/or used as data storage. Creating separate sections on a disk is called partitioning. (Think of slicing a pie into different pieces.) Disk partitions are analogous to separate, physical disk drives and do not depend on each other. In fact, each partition can contain its own operating system.

Different operating systems use different data storage means — file systems. The process of creating a partition file system is called formatting. Each partition can have its own file system.

Preparing a disk for use includes two stages: partitioning and formatting. Partitioning is useful and often necessary because:

• Different partitions can have different operating systems — for example, Windows

2000, XP and Linux.

• Partitioning provides more effective disk space usage.

• Partitioning enables you to separate system files from user data, making personal

information storage safer.

• Partitioning provides more effective hard disk maintenance. In particular, more

effective data integrity control, file defragmentation and data backup.

A.3 Partition Types

There are three main partition types:

• Primary

• Extended

• Logical

Chapter 6. Hard Disk And File

Systems

Primary and logical partitions are the main partition types. Physical hard disks can contain up to four primary partitions or up to three primary an d infinite logical part itions.

Partition information is stored in a special disk area – the 1st sector of 0 cylinder, 0 head, called the partition table. This sector is called the master boot record, or MBR.

The number of primary partitions on a disk is limited, because the partition tabl e contains four records itself.

Extended partitioning supports additional division into logical partitions. The amount of logical partitions is unlimited.

Special programs perform partitioning; usually they can:

• Create a primary partition with a single logical disk

• Create an extended partition and divide it into logical partitions (disks)

• Set the active partition (a partition to boot an operating system from)

Typical hard disk partition structure can look like:

MBR

Primary partition 1-1. System logical disk C:. Extended partition 1-2. Logical partition 1-5 Logical disk D:. Logical disk E:. Logical disk F:. …………………………

Usually, initial partitioning is made by means of an operating system. Different operating systems offer special programs for this.

After the installation of Windows XP, you can invoke the Control Panel, whose disk management tools will let you delete and create partitions (primary, extended, logical) using free (unallocated) disk space, or format a partition.

Chapter 7. Hard Disk And File

Systems

You cannot, however, change partition structure by means of the Windows operating system. To do this, you will need software such as Acronis Disk Director Server. It lets you resize, move, hide partitions, set them as active, copy and perform oth er operations

without losing any data or causing any OS and application workability problems.

A.4 Primary Partitions

A primary hard disk partition can contain the operating system, applications and user da ta (files). Only one primary partition can be set as active in a given PC session.

Most operating systems can boot from a primary partition only. If you want to use several operating systems, you might have to create several primary

partitions.

A.5 Extended Partitions

The extended hard disk partition was developed as a way to avoid the four-primarypartitions limit. The extended partition is used only for creating a desired number of logical partitions.

An extended partition does not contain any data directly.

A.6 Logical Partitions

An extended partition can be divided into any number of logical partitions; these are similar to primary partitions in that they can contain operating systems, applications and user data.

Primary partitions should be used for booting operating systems, system files and folders. Logical partitions can contain any other information, as they are accessible by most

operating systems. If you need several operating systems, you should use logical partitions for booting

purposes and leave primary partitions free.

Chapter 6. Hard Disk And File

Systems

A.7 Formatting Hard Disks

Within each of the partitions, information has to be organized in a way understandable to the operating system using that partition. This organization is the file system.

As a rule, a formatting program performs the following functions:

• It creates the boot record

• It creates the file allocation table (FAT)

• It identifies and marks bad clusters on the disk so they are not ever used afterwards

After formatting, logical disks are organized as follows:

• Logical disks start with the boot sector

• One or several copies of the file allocation table (FAT) are placed after the boot sector

• A root folder is created

• The data area is created

Each logical disk has to be formatted with the FORMAT command separately.

A.8 File Systems

The logical structure that has been created on the hard disk is supported by means of the operating system. The file system itself presents the information on the disk as an ensemble of files and folders.

For the user, a file is a unit of storage of logically connected information, including texts, graphics, and sound. For data storage organization, a file is a chain of connected sectors or clusters. A cluster is a unit of several sectors. (Sectors are characteristic for file systems supported by various versions of Windows.)

Operating systems support file systems on hard disks (or disk partitions) by allowing you to create, copy and delete files and folders.

At present, the most widely used file systems for PCs are the following two:

• FAT16/FAT32 (file allocation table) for DOS, OS/2 and

Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP;

• NTFS (Windows NT file system) for Windows NT/2000/XP.

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Systems

However, there are many other file systems. The Linux operating system, whi ch is now gaining popularity, widely uses three file systems:

• Ext2 is a file system for end-users’ PCs

• Ext3 is the default file system used by Red Hat Linux

• ReiserFS is a more secure (with respect to data integrity) file system that is used on

data servers

A.9 File System Main Specifications

Operating systems allow you to work with data by supporting a file system on a disk partition.

All file systems contain structures required for data storage and con trol. These structures usually consist of an OS boot record, files and folders. A file system performs the following main functions:

1. Monitors used and free disk space (including bad sectors)

2. Maintains folders and file names

3. Monitors physical file location on a disk Different operating systems use different file systems. One operating system may support

only one file system; others may support several.

A.9.1 File system specification summary

Below is a summary of the most popular file systems. Each system is briefly discussed. This information can help you work with Acronis Disk Director Server.

Table 1. Windows file systems.

File system FAT16 FAT32 NTFS

Operating systems Almost all

Windows 95OSR2/98/Me, 2000/XP, Linux

Windows NT/2000/XP, Linux (for reading)

Max. partition size

Max. file size Limited by

Max. file-name length

4 GB (2 GB for

Windows 95OSR2/98/Me)

partition size

255 255 32767

2 TB 16 EB

4 GB

Limited by partition size

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Systems

Restoration (logging) No No Yes

Max. files in root Set at formatting Unlimited Unlimited

Max. clusters/blocks

Cluster/block size

File record table/I-node No No Dynamic

Table 2. Linux file systems.

File system Ext2 Ext3 ReiserFS

Operating systems Linux Linux Linux

Max. partition size

Max. file size Limited by partition

Max. file-name length

Restoration (logging) No Yes Yes

512 Bytes – 64 KB

512 bytes – 64 KB

16 TB 16 TB 16 TB

size

Limited by partition size

255 255 255

Max. files in root Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited

Max. clusters/blocks

Cluster/block size

File record table/I-node Set at formatting Set at formatting Dynamic

~2 1–4 KB 1–4 KB 4 KB

In case you've forgotten your computer engineering units: 1 Kbyte = 1024 Bytes, 1 Mbyte = 1024 Kbytes, 1 Gbyte = 1024 Mbytes, 1 Tbyte = 2 Pbyte = 2

Tbytes= 1024 Tbytes, 1 Ebyte = 210 Pbytes= 1024 Pbytes.

Gbytes= 1024 Gbytes, 1

A.9.2 FAT16

The FAT16 file system is widely used by DOS (DR-DOS, MS-DOS, PC-DOS, etc.), Windows 95/98/Me, Windows NT/2000/XP operating systems and is supported by most other systems.

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Systems

Main features of FAT16 are the file allocation table (FAT) and clusters. The FAT is the core of the file system. To increase data safety, it is possible to have several instances of the FAT (there are usually two of them). A cluster is a minimum data storage unit in the FAT16 file system. One cluster contains a fixed number (some power of 2) of sectors. The FAT stores information about what clusters are free, what clusters are bad, and also defines in what clusters files are stored.

Maximum size of a FAT16 file system is 4 Gigabytes, and the maximum number of clusters is 65,525, the largest cluster being 128 sectors. Usually the smallest possible cluster size is selected so that the resulting number of clusters is less than 65,526. The larger the partition size, the larger the cluster has to be. Most operating systems incorrectly perform with 128-sector clusters, thus reducing the maximum FAT16 partition size to 2 Gigabytes.

Usually the larger the cluster size, the more disk space is wasted.

Table 3. The following table gives the approximate dependence of these losses versus the cluster size:

Partition Size Cluster Size

Waste

<127 MB 2 KB 2% 128–255 MB 4 KB 4% 256–511 MB 8 KB 10% 512–1023 MB 16 KB 25% 1024–2047 MB 32 KB 40% 2048–4096 MB 64 KB 50%

Like many others, the FAT16 file system has a root folder. Unlike others however, its root folder is stored in a special place and is limited in size (standard formatting produces a 512-item root folder).

Initially, FAT16 had limitations to file names that could only be eight characters long, plus a dot, plus three characters of name extension. However, long name support in Windows 95 and Windows NT bypasses this limitation.

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Systems

A.9.3 FAT32

The FAT32 file system appeared in Windows 95 OSR2 and is also supported by Windows 98/Me and Windows 2000/XP. FAT32 grew out of FAT16. The main diff erences between FAT32 and FAT16 are 28-bit cluster numbers and more flexible root folder implementation, which is not limited in size. The reason for FAT32 is the necessity to support large (larger than 8 GB) hard disks and the inability to build any more complex file system into MS-DOS, which is still in the core of Windows 95/98/ME.

The maximum size of FAT32 file system size is 2 Terabytes.

A.9.4 NTFS

NTFS is the primary file system for Windows NT/2000/XP. Its structure is closed, so no other operating system fully supports it. The main structure of NTFS is the master file table, or MFT. NTFS stores a copy of the critical part of the MFT to reduce the possibility of data damage and loss. All other NTFS data structures are special files.

Like the FAT, NTFS uses clusters to store files, but cluster size does not depend on partition size. NTFS is a 64-bit file system. It uses Unicode to store file names. It is also a journaling (failure-protected) file system, and supports compression and encryption.

Files in folders are indexed to speed up file search.

A.9.5 Linux Ext2

Ext2, one of the main file systems for the Linux operating system, is a 32-bit file system . Its maximum size is 16 Terabytes. The main data structure that describes a file is an inode. A place to store the table of all i-nodes has to be allocated in advance (during formatting).Linux Ext3

Officially introduced with Red Hat Linux version 7.2, Ext3 is the Red Hat journaling file system. It is forward- and backward-compatible with Linux ext2. It has multiple journaling modes and broad, cross-platform compatibility in both 32- and 64-bit architectures.

A.9.6 Linux ReiserFS

ReiserFS was officially introduced to Linux in 2001. ReiserFS overcomes many Ext2 disadvantages. It is a 64-bit journaling file system that dynamically allocates space for data substructures.

Glossary

Appendix B. Glossary

Absolute sector. All the sectors of a hard disk can be numbered sequentially, starting with

zero. Such numbered sectors are called absolute. Active partition. One of the primary partitions of a hard disk is usually active. Default MBR

code tries to boot an operating system from the active partition of the first hard disk. Letter assignment in Microsoft operating systems depends on which partitions are active.

Bad cluster. A cluster that contains bad sectors. Such a cluster cannot store information, with possible corruption of the data.

Bad sector. A sector that cannot store the information written, for instance due to defects or aging of the magnetic surface.

Booting is a procedure that is executed every time a computer is turned on or an operating system finishes its work or when the reset button is pressed. Booting consists of the following stages:

• Hardware diagnostics

• Memory check

• Built-in BIOS initialization

• Initialization of additional hardware components and their BIOSes (video, SCSI etc.)

• Booting an operating system

If a boot manager is installed on a computer, it is booted instead of an operating system. Then the boot manager boots the user-selected operating system itself.

Boot record. The initial part of a partition that contains code and data necessary for booting an operating system. May consist of one or several sectors. The first sector of a boot record must end with the boot sector signature (0AA55h).

Boot sector is the first sector of a disk or a partition that contains the initial code for the operating system booting. The boot sector must end with the 0AA55h signature.

Bootable disk is a disk from which an operating system may be booted. A bootable disk must contain a boot sector of an operating system and the necessary system and configuration files. The «bootable disk» term usually refers to diskettes and CD-ROMs.

Bootable partition. A partition that can host an operating system. At the beginning of such a partition, there should be a boot record.

Cluster. Information storage unit in such file systems as FAT and NTFS. Every file occupies a certain number of whole clusters, so th e greater the cluster size, the higher the losses due to file size adjustment, but the smaller the cluster the more space the cluster distribution tables occupy.

Glossary

Cylinder. A group of all the tracks on all the magnetic platters of a hard disk that can b e accessed without moving the magnetic head. Access to the data inside one cylinder is much faster than moving the head from one cylinder to another.

Disc. A non-magnetic storage media (compact disc, CD-RW or DVD). Disk. A magnetic storage media (floppy disk or hard disk). (Note: Disc and Disk are often

used interchangeably.) Drive. A general word that can mean both a device for accessing information on a disk

(floppy disk drive) and a partition that can be accessed from an operating system (logical drive).

File. A file is named information storage in the file system. In different file systems, files can be stored in different ways, with different file names and different ways to write the full path to the file in the folder tree.

File allocation table (FAT). The hard disk area, located after the boot sector, which describes physical files locations; a duplicate for higher data storage reliability follows FAT.

The FAT also contains the disk cluster list, as well as many records as there are clusters on a disk. If a FAT cell contains «0», the cluster is empty. The last file cluster, defective cluster and reserved clusters have their own special markings.

The FAT describes each file by a chain of numbers — like serial numbers of a file’s disk clusters. The number of the first cluster of each file is stored in the folder. Writing, deleting and modifying files and folders results in corresponding FAT changes.

File system. Data structure that is necessary to store and manage files. A file system does the following functions: tracks free and occupied space, supports folders and file names, tracks the physical positions of files on the disk. Each partition may be formatted with its own file system.

Folder. A table in the file system that contains a description of files and other folders. Such a structure allows creation of a folder tree that begins with the root folder.

Formatting. The process of creating a service structure on the disk. Ther e are three l evels of hard disk formatting: low-level (marking the magnetic surface with tracks and sectors), partitioning and high-level (creation of a file system on a partition).

Hard disk (hard drive). Fixed storage media along with integrated electronics that consists of several magnetic platters that rotate synchronously on one spindle. Hard disks have relatively high capacity and high read/write speed.

Hard disk geometry. A set of hard disk parameters that usually includes the number of cylinders, heads and sectors per track.

Head (magnetic head, read/write head). A hard disk consists of several magnetic platters; for each side of each platter, there is a head that is used to read and write information on it.

Glossary

Hidden partition. A partition that is somehow made invisible to the operating system. Usually partitions are hidden by changing their type.

Label. An optional name that can be assigned to a partition to simplify its identification. Usually has the same limitation as file names. For example, FAT partitions have labels up to 11 characters long, but may contain spaces.

Letter (of a drive, partition). All operating systems that are DOS-compatible use Latin letters to identify drives and partitions. Letters A: and B: a re usually reserved for floppy drives. Starting with C:, letters are assigned to hard disk partitions that can be recognized by the operating system. Separate letters may be assigned to CD-ROMs, DVDs, or other disk drives, and to network drives.

Logical disk is a partition whose file system is recognized by the operating system. Usually each logical disk is assigned with a letter that uniquely identifies it.

Logical partition. Partition information that is located not in MBR, but in the extended partition table. The number of logical partitions on a disk is unlimited.

Master boot record (MBR) is located in the first sector of the first hard disk and stores information about the hard disk partitioning and code that is loaded with BIOS. All the actions that follow depend on the contents of this code.

Operating system is a set of programs that usually includes kernel, drivers, shell and system programs that are used for centralized hardware management and hiding the details of hardware management from the user and applications.

Operating system booting is initiated by loading its boot sector to memory at 0:7C00h address and passing control to it. Since every operating system has its own boot sector, it is able to perform all the necessary actions to load and initialize system and configuration files.

A boot manager usually supports multiple operating systems on one computer and even one partition, so it has to perform some preparatory actions (create the boot context) before booting an operating system.

Partition. An independent area on a hard disk where a file system can be located. A partition can be either primary or logical, depending on its position in the partition structure. One of the primary partitions of a hard disk may be active. A partition has the following attributes: type, beginning and size. Some partition management software and boot managers allow for the hiding of partitions. Information about partitions is stored in the partition table.

Partitioning. The process of creating the logical structure on a hard disk. Partitioning is usually done with programs such as FDISK — a component of DOS and Windows. Disk Administrator completely replaces FDISK where functionality is concerned and allows performance of many additional useful operations.

Partition structure. All the partitions on a hard disk make a tree with the root in the MBR partition table. Many operating systems and programs assume that any partition table but

Glossary

MBR can contain not more than one partition entry and one table entry. This simplifies the partition structure greatly – all the logical partitions form one chain.

Partition table. It is the table that contains the information about partitions and links to other partition tables. A partition table cannot have more than four entries. The main partition table is located in the hard disk MBR, and the other partition tables are called extended. Partition tables are usually stored in the first sector of a cylinder.

Physical disk. A disk that is physically a separate device. Thus, floppy disks, hard disks and CD-ROMs are physical disks.

Primary partition. The partition, information about which is contained in the MBR partition table. The majority of operating systems can be booted on ly from the primary partition of the first hard disk, but the number of primary partitions is limited.

Root folder. The folder where the folder tree of a file system begins. Starting from the root folder, one can uniquely describe th e file position on the folder tree by sequentially naming all the intermediate nested folders, e.g.: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32.VXD. Here the WINDOWS folder is a subfolder of the root folder, t he SYSTEM folde r is a subfolder of the WINDOWS folder, and the VMM32.VXD file is located in the SYSTEM folder.

Sector. It is the smallest information unit on a disk that is transferred in a single read or write operation. Usually a sector is 512 bytes in size. A sector on a disk can be addressed two ways: via the absolute number (see absolute sector) or via cylinder, head and s ector number on a track.

System disk/partition is a disk/partition from which an operating system may be booted. Such a disk usually contains the boot sector and system files of this operating system.

System file is a file that contains the code and constant data for an operating system. Each operating system has its own system file set.

System folder. Some operating systems keep most of their files in a special f older on a partition that may be different from the system one. For ex ample for Windows 95/9 8/Me, the IO.SYS system file resides on the system partition, while other system files are located in the system folder, which is usually called WINDOWS. The Program Files folder can also be treated as system since it resides on the same partition as WINDOWS and also contains files that are relevant to the operating system.

Status. A flag that shows if a partition is active. This flag is stored in the partition table and has no meaning for logical partitions.

Track. Disks are divided into concentric circles called tracks. Informa tion from one track can be accessed without moving the head.

User interface is a set of principles, concepts and means by which programs interact with the user. For example, in window interface all input and output is done in windows, and the mouse is utilized quite often.

Acronis DISK DIRECTOR SERVER 10.0 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Introduction

1.1 What is Acronis Disk Director Server?

1.2 What’s new in Acronis Disk Director Server 10.0?

1.3 Software use conditions

Installation And Use

2.2 Supported operating systems

2.3.1 Acronis Disk Director Server installation

2.4 Upgrading Acronis Disk Director Server

2.7 Before You Run Acronis Disk Director Server

2.8 Running Acronis Disk Director Server

2.7.1 Running under Windows

2.7.2 Running Acronis Disk Director Server for the first time

2.7.3 Running from bootable diskettes or CD

Beginning The Work

3.1.1 Automatic partition operations

3.1.2 Manual partition operations

3.3 Calling Partition Operations

3.3.1 Calling the main operations

3.3.3 Invoking Acronis Disk Director Server wizards

3.4.3 Viewing delayed operations

3.4.4 Performing pending operations

3.4.5 Modifying pending operations

3.4.6 Undoing user actions

3.5 Protecting Acronis Disk Director Server With A Password

Automatic Partition Operations

4.1 Creating A New Partition

4.2 Increasing Partition Free Space

Manual Partition Operations

5.1 Main Partition Operations

5.1.2 Copying a partition to unallocated disk space

5.1.3 Moving a partition to unallocated disk space

5.1.4 Resizing and/or moving a partition

5.1.8 Changing partition labels

5.1.9 Formatting a partition

5.1.10 Deleting a partition

5.1.11 Checking hard disk partitions for errors

5.1.12 Defragmenting a partition

5.1.13 Wiping unallocated hard disk space

5.1.14 Clearing a hard disk

5.2 Additional Partition Operations

5.2.1 Changing partition letter

5.2.2 Converting a file system

5.2.3 Hiding a partition

5.2.4 Unhiding a partition

5.2.5 Setting active partition

5.2.6 Resizing a root

5.2.7 Changing cluster size

5.2.8 Changing partition type

5.2.9 Resizing i-node table in Linux Ext2/Ext3

Working in the command-line mode

Working with Acronis Recovery Expert

Working with Acronis Disk Editor

8.2 The selection of the partition or a disk for editing

8.3 Main Window of the Program

8.5 Write Block to a File and Read from a File

Information in the Acronis Disk Editor window can be viewed and edited in several different modes. You can select the appropriate view mode with the help of the View menu.

Selecting the Search item in the same menu will give you access to functions for searching lines in the disk being edited. (You can do the same by pressing combination.) Search parameters can be set in the Search dialog window.

8.8 Working with Different Encodings

Bootable Media Builder

9.2 Creating bootable media

Chapter 7. Hard Disk And File Systems

A.1 Hard Disk Organization

A.2 Hard Disk Partition

The extended hard disk partition was developed as a way to avoid the four-primary­partitions limit. The extended partition is used only for creating a desired number of logical partitions.

A.7 Formatting Hard Disks

A.9 File System Main Specifications

A.9.1 File system specification summary

Glossary

The extended hard disk partition was developed as a way to avoid the four-primarypartitions limit. The extended partition is used only for creating a desired number of logical partitions.