# DishArc



## tcatdbs

I'm trying to find out the "easy" way to back up an ext HD. I keep seeing "just search DishArc here and it will tell you", but I really don't find any threads explaining the process in full.

1. What Linux software do you need to run on Windows 7? Do you need to boot to Linux, or is there software that runs within Windows? I see UFS Explorer, Explore2fs, DiskInternals Linux Reader, and the Ext2 Installable File System for Windows mentioned.... which is best for a novice?

2. I see Acronis mentioned a lot, can Macrium be used, or do you need either if you can drag and drop with the above in #1?

3. Can you archive to a Windows PC HD folder, or does it need to be to another ext HD?

4. Can the subfolders (each recording) from an ext HD on a 211 be added to the DishArc folder of a 722?

Just trying to start a thread here with all the answers.


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## P Smith

This track could be killed any time if Mods will think it is going out of bounds.

4. No.
3. Yes.

Two common rules:
- store for future transfer to regular EHD: to any file OS
- use any SW what would allow to do 2 functions: copy from EHD [EXT3] to your choice storage and copy back to EHD what is EXT3 type.


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## bnborg

I did not know the answer to #4. Thank you P Smith for the answer.

I use Ext2Fsd, which is downloadable from Source Forge or http://www.ext2fsd.com.

I am working on retrieving program information from the smallest file, *cat*, which is always 560 bytes long.


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## tcatdbs

What would make this go "out of bounds"? There's nothing wrong with backing up a hard drive is there? HD's don't last forever, just looking for the easiest way to save a copy. It's not like the data is usable on anything but Dish equipment. Going to start playing with it today, I just know nothing about Linux, and didn't want to install anything that would mess up my W7 PC. I'll start with Ext2Fsd.

edit: I just noticed Ext2Fsd site says: "Windows 7 or Windows server 2008 R2 are not supported yet" too bad, I'm on W7.


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## bnborg

tcatdbs said:


> edit: I just noticed Ext2Fsd site says: "Windows 7 or Windows server 2008 R2 are not supported yet" too bad, I'm on W7.


Don't worry about it. It works fine on Windows 7 and Server R2. That's what my machines are.

They just haven't verified it yet.


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## PeggyD

They don't mention Macs at all, but I've been using for sometime with EyeTV, using version 3.4.2 currently.


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## BNUMM

tcatdbs said:


> What would make this go "out of bounds"? There's nothing wrong with backing up a hard drive is there? HD's don't last forever, just looking for the easiest way to save a copy. It's not like the data is usable on anything but Dish equipment. Going to start playing with it today, I just know nothing about Linux, and didn't want to install anything that would mess up my W7 PC. I'll start with Ext2Fsd.
> 
> edit: I just noticed Ext2Fsd site says: "Windows 7 or Windows server 2008 R2 are not supported yet" too bad, I'm on W7.


If you have Windows on it it is already messed up. I only use Windows when I run my Hallmark Card program. I do everything else on Linux. It is so much easier and faster.


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## tcatdbs

OK, need some help. I installed ext2fsd on my W7 computer. Seems to be there, opens up, shows all my Windows drives and letters. I unplugged my external drive from my VIP211, plugged it into a USB port with ext2 running. Now I have "Disk 7" showing 3 blank lines, all with "linux" as physical object but nothing else. Says "Disk 7: not recognized".

Now what? Do I need to assign a drive letter? Do I need a partition assigned on one of my internal HD's? I am shooting in the dark here, any help appreciated.

edit: OK, I right clicked Disk 7 and hit refresh. Now I have EXT3, SWAP, and EXT3 on the 3 lines. Various file sizes on each. I can click to open info on each. How do I open, or copy to a Windows folder?


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## P Smith

You should forget 211's files - there is no DishArc folder with sub-folders, encrypted, not compatible with 622/722/922's EHD, different name convention - linear.


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## tcatdbs

OK, it was easiest to get to. I'll try my 722 later. Do I need drive letters assigned? Or will it automatically assign once I have a722 EXT HD attached?


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## P Smith

For Linux it doesn't matter and for latest versions of Windows too - you chose worst path to 'heaven' or 'hell'. 
Mount could be done to any point of file system. 

Using UFS Explorer or WinHex would be much easy for you.


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## tcatdbs

Good news is my 211 HD still works. Why would it matter that files are encrypted (I thought they were on all Dish HD's). Seems you should be able to back up whatever is on it, even if you can't read it. Ext2fsd looks pretty easy, just not sure about getting Linux files showing up in a Windows folder (and moving them). It shows up in "disk management", but not when I open "My Computer". I assume a drive letter needs to be assigned to show up there. I'm not looking to move 211 files to 722, just want to back up in case HD failure. Will attack my 722 tomorrow night.


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## P Smith

Well, then you MUST backup and first 2 GB partition with catalogs and system files, because 3rd partition is carry only recording - so for your endeavor you're coming to backup two partitions as is.


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## tcatdbs

Sorry, no clue what you mean. I "think" you mean create a 2gb partition on my internal drive, and assign it a drive letter. Then use a 3rd party imaging program (say Macrium Reflect) to copy/clone the Linux partition(s). Not sure what you mean "catalogs and system files".


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## P Smith

Because you don't see the difference between SYSTEM disk ( what is connected to 211 ) and EHD for 622/722/922. You started new thread with one intention [DishArc backup/restore] but slip into totally different subject without any clue. If you would stick with old threads it wouldn't be noticeable. Now ...


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## bnborg

I am not sure what he means either.

Here is what I do:

Plug the EHD from your 722 into the Windows machine.
Open Ext2 Volume manager.
Assign drive letters to partitions 2 and higher on the EHD.
Copy folders from the DishArc folder(s) on your EHD to your backup location.
Optionally, you can copy folders back to DishArc on a different EHD.

Note, you can use xcopy or drag & drop to copy. Both work fine.

I have only done this with my ViP 722, but with several different drives.


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## tcatdbs

Thanks, will try that tonight. Also no clue what he means about sticking to threads. All my questions have strictly to do with how to back up and ext HD using Windows/Linus software. I "assumed" files from a 211 ext HD or 722 ext HD could be backed up this way, but if only the 722 can be, I have no problem with that. Never used-tried-or thought about Linux until this week.


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## P Smith

He mean: you did open a thread "DishArc" but went to 211's system disk where is no DishArc.


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## tcatdbs

Sorry, not everyone knows that... I thought it was just slang for "Dish Archiving". I want to "Arc" anything that might die... (except myself).


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## P Smith

[Go to sperm bank and donate now .]

But if we will continue discuss 211 backup, then it would be easy to make an image of the disk and store it ( and copies if you wish ) on BR or other HDD or tapes. For imaging you could use Clonzilla, Ghost, Acronis, etc.


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## tcatdbs

OK, what I did:
1. Installed ext2fsd on W7, opens with no problem.
2. Plugged in ext HD from 722. 2 partitions show up, 1gb and 464gb
3. Opened Macrium Reflect, "Disk 8" with the 2 partitions show up. Right click to create disk image... 2 hours later success.
4. I can also open "My Computer" and can open the folders on the 722 ext HD. The 1 gb partition has 1 folder "Lost + Found" that's empty. The 464 gb partition has 1 empty "Lost + Found" folder, and one "Disharc" folder. It's full of 8 digit folders, each with bm, cat, tsp, and wtt files. I am in the process of copying the Disharc folder to my W7 machine.

Question: Can folders (the 8 digit ones) be copied from one 722 HD to a different 722 HD (ie: drag the "movies" from a small drive to a large drive), after copying the folders from the small drive onto my computer, and then to the large drive? Copying is very slow (25mb/sec)!


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## P Smith

Yes.

If you'll use direct connection to SATA channel or if your board has eSATA, the speed will be 60+ MBps at least.


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## tcatdbs

Doing a test, restoring the image to another drive I had laying around. Taking just as long to restore as to make the image. Using SATA to USB (internal drives plugged into a cradle, easy to swap).

Is it better to just restore the image directly to the ext drive, or should I format the drive with the 722 first, then restore? I guess I'll find out in about an hour when this finishes up, I just restored each partition directly.

Is there supposed to be 2 partitions? The 1gb partition doesn't seem to have anything in it, but it was formated with the 722, so it must have created both.


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## P Smith

There was a catch - those EHD formatted (say keyed) to particular account), so you should use already formatted EHD. If you'll find more, don't forget to post here.


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## tcatdbs

Results: After restoring the image of my current drive to a second drive (this was a drive that was attached as eSATA several years ago and "died", or at least was not recognized, so I replaced it with my current drive), I turned off the 722, plugged in the 2nd drive, turned on the 722 (no reboot), and presto!  "My Medea" folder shows up exactly like on the 1st drive. Started and played one of the movies, no flaws.

It took a LONG time to restore image to 2nd drive (only 175 gb). Took 2 hours to create image, and about 4 hrs to restore it to the second drive. The original drive is a 500gb drive, the second 640gb. Had no problems restoring the 175gb image. I do have 3 HD icons showing up when I open "My Computer" (nothing connected now), but I assume they'll go away when I reboot.

Very happy! And I didn't have to learn anything about Linux!

edit: I've been trying to "analyze" the Disharc files and can't seem to see how Disharc makes subfolders. I have 10 episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm on my Ext HD, and they are in one folder since they have the same title. I can identify the 10 folders each episode occupies in the Disharc back up (by small file size). They are not in their own subfolder (like they show up on the 722), and there's no additional files that would seem to bring them together into their own folder. The reason I am trying to figure this out is if there was a "method" then maybe manual folders could be created to categorise recordings on an ext HD. Sure be nice if Dish provided this ability through the 722 menus!


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## yt8znu35

As mentioned, there are plenty of tools for doing this in Windows. However, it is a very simple operation when undertaken under Linux natively. I happen to run a Linux desktop. I simply hot-mounted the old, full 1TB MyBook and the new 2TB MyBook (pre-formatted by the 622) and, as root, copied the second and third partitions of the old disk to the second and third partitions of the new disk. (The first partition is reserved.)

Prior to the copy, as an experiment I formatted the 2TB disk as a single ext3 partition to see if the 622 would recognize it. It did not and the disk had to be reformatted by the 622. I was hoping to save some space wasted by the default formatting scheme--pri, pri, pri and extended with two logicals.


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## bamaredwingsfan

hate to bump this old thread, but i have an old EHD that was trying to go bad, so i replaced it with a new EHD. My question is, since im still using the same DVR (211k) can i copy the contents of the old EHD to the new EHD an save my recording before the old EHD crapps out? I have a windows7 PC with a ubuntu setup on it as well. Any suggestions for me? I connected the old EHD to the ubuntu pc and it would pull up all the files on the EHD but it would not let me copy them to my internal HD on the PC. I have used about 250 Gigz of the original 750GB EHD.


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## P Smith

create backup EXT2 partition big enough to copy all the DVR's files and folders under Ubuntu


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## rbgator95

Hi

Using Win7, Acronis True Image 2013 recognized the external 2TB HD formatted by the vip622. External HD was plugged into laptop via USB - nothing special.

I would like to purchase a second 2TB external HD, also plug into laptop via USB, and "clone" the contents of the external HD formatted by the 622 - effectively making a backup copy of the original external HD. Can this be done using True Image? Or will it only write to hard drives that are NTFS formatted?

Thanks.


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## P Smith

rbgator95 said:


> Hi
> 
> Using Win7, Acronis True Image 2013 recognized the external 2TB HD formatted by the vip622. External HD was plugged into laptop via USB - nothing special.
> 
> I would like to purchase a second 2TB external HD, also plug into laptop via USB, and "clone" the contents of the external HD formatted by the 622 - effectively making a backup copy of the original external HD. Can this be done using True Image? Or will it only write to hard drives that are NTFS formatted?
> 
> Thanks.


Please read post #26


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## tdiguy

I know this is an ancient thread but i hope people are still watching. There was a lot of good advice here that has helped me thus far.
So far i am a bit annoyed with Dish. I have a vip622 and it has been acting up by rebooting on its own and such. So i called and went through troubleshooting and they decided a replacement was in order. I have a lot of programming on the dvr for my kids that they love and i would rather not lose. So i bought a portable hard drive. These days of course its impossible to find a external usb 2 hard drive with its own seperate power supply so i have a WD my passport 500 gig hard drive. Storage wise its plenty to backup the vip622.
I was able to connect it up using an old powered usb 2 hub ( glad i kept that around the usb port on the reciever didnt seem to have enough juice on its own ) and i was able to format and then send all my recordings from the dvr to the external.
The new reciever that dish sent me is a pile of junk. It does not recognize the external hard drive, the wireless adapter and to top it off it has an internal hard drive failure.
So i wanted to put the recordings back on my old dvr. When i connected the external back up to my old dvr it wants to format the drive.. What the heck this is the same dvr i just pulled the recordings from.
Dish is saying the external is incompatible. Any advice on what i should try next?
I am using ext2 volume manager to recognise the external and basically dragging and dropping the contents of my external to my laptop. Will that be sufficient to backup this drive to the laptop?
Also do i need to backup the "raw" partition that reads no usage at all?


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## P Smith

What "raw partition" you found? swap? Skip it.


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## tdiguy

This is turning into an odd problem for me. My external hard drive ( a WD passport usb 3 buss powered drive ) is no longer recognized by the receiver. Whenever i plug it in it says that it needs to be formated.
So i went through my basement to see if i had some old drives laying about and i found an old 2.5 sata drive and a adapter kit to connect it by usb ( and wall outlet for power ). I connected that up and formated it via the 622. On reboot it wanted to format that drive again also.
I am at a bit of a loss right now. I have asked dish for a new receiver. Hopefully this time i get one thats not a POS from the word go.


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## P Smith

Perhaps FW bug. Try cold reboot, just disconnect power plug for a minute.


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