Working with ntfs

[utu]

@ Forester

Greetings.

My scenario is very simple, and I can probably refine my question to be simpler.

I have a 2G SD Card which acts as a LiveUSB, made from a Knoppix 6.X LiveCD.
I assume its format is vfat, readable by either Linux or Windows.

I have a nice Windows 7 set-up, which has three partitions: one is fat32, with OEM stuff on it for booting, service and diagnostics; two are ntfs: one of these is for Windows 7 and file space; the other is ntfs which stores Win7 system images for system backups (or restores, if you prefer). For the time being, I am the more concerned only with the Win 7 OS and some files I may have there.

If I boot Win7, I can mount the vfat Knoppix USB, save, modify, add-to and delete with no Win7 complaints. My usual instance is for saving and resurrecting knoppix-data.img, thereby shortening the time it takes to re-create a few months of accumulated tweaks. I occasionally save a current copy of the whole of the 2Gb USB files contents on Win7, call this File A. On rare occasions, I bring the similar contents of another 2Gb USB file over to Win7, call this
File B. Working within Win7, using its file manager, I delete knoppix-data.img from File B and restore this with a copy of the knoppix-data.img from File A.

I have done this a few times only, but apparently with no ill effects, at least so far. The ill effect I most fear is screwing up either the OS or the files on Win7.

The file manager operations on my vfat files, I assume, are translated to an ntfs environment, operated upon there using ntfs rules, and the results then re-translated back to the vfat medium.

I am aware of remastering as an alternative, an am not at this time interested in that avenue. I am most interested in getting a sound professional appraisal of the simple process I have outlined.

If it turns out there is a hazard that the vfat product may have some difficulties I haven't anticipated, I can live with that. That might be interesting.

[Forester]

@ Forester

My scenario is very simple, and I can probably refine my question to be simpler.

Thanks utu for your description. I can't see anything dangerous in what you are doing.

I'm a bit surprised you say you copy the entire contents of the USB onto the hard drive and all you get is a file. I'd expect a folder with a few files and a couple of sub folders.

Anyway, the important thing is you are writing to the ntfs file system using Windows so you aren't running any (more) risks (than the next guy).

If you not remastering then I think you will find the only file that ever changes on the USB's FAT file system is knoppix-data.img so you could probably simplify your procedure further and even save yourself a little time and disk space.