CopyCatX is a backup software

Backup software

Backup software are computer programs used to perform backup; they create supplementary exact copies of files, databases or entire computers. These programs may later use the supplementary copies to restore the original contents in the event of data loss....

 product produced by SubRosaSoft.com Inc.

SubRosaSoft.com Inc.

SubRosaSoft.com Inc. is software developer based in the Bay Area of California, USA.Founded in 2002, SubRosaSoft.com Inc. specializes in privacy related and system utilities. Their software covers a wide range of product products including computer security, file and device management, home...

  The software uses byte and block-level

Block (data storage)

In computing , a block is a sequence of bytes or bits, having a nominal length . Data thus structured are said to be blocked. The process of putting data into blocks is called blocking. Blocking is used to facilitate the handling of the data-stream by the computer program receiving the data...

 copying to make exact duplicates of devices and volumes.

Byte and block-level copying offer speed advantages over traditional file-copying used by most duplication and backup software

Backup software

Backup software are computer programs used to perform backup; they create supplementary exact copies of files, databases or entire computers. These programs may later use the supplementary copies to restore the original contents in the event of data loss....

. It also maintains every detail of the duplicated device such as icon placement, file permissions, and hidden files that file-copying often misses.

CopyCatX is device and file system independent. This means it can create duplicate and create disk images of any media that the Mac OS X system bus can recognize. Examples include; HFS+, NTFS

NTFS

NTFS is the standard file system of Windows NT, including its later versions Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, and Windows 7....

, FAT32, and Ext2

Ext2

The ext2 or second extended filesystem is a file system for the Linux kernel. It was initially designed by Rémy Card as a replacement for the extended file system ....

/Ext3

Ext3

The ext3 or third extended filesystem is a journaled file system that is commonly used by the Linux kernel. It is the default file system for many popular Linux distributions, including Debian...

.

CopyCatX is offered on a bootable Mac OS X CD-ROM.  This CD-ROM is a LiveCD. This allows the user to start their system using the CD-ROM and backup their system drive.

Functions

CopyCatX offers 4 main functions for duplicating devices, volumes, and files/folders. All functions offer the ability to shut the computer down once the process has completed.

Duplicate a volume or device

The Duplicate a volume or device mode creates exact clones of an entire device. The user can select one or more destinations for the clone allowing them to make multiple copies at the same time. This can be useful for software deployment

Software deployment

Software deployment is all of the activities that make a software system available for use.The general deployment process consists of several interrelated activities with possible transitions between them. These activities can occur at the producer site or at the consumer site or both...

. Cloning takes place in parallel if more than one destination is selected to save time.

Recover faulty media

The Recover faulty media mode uses a proprietary algorithm to work around media faults in order to create a disk image of an entire device even when the media may be physically damaged

Data loss

Data loss is an error condition in information systems in which information is destroyed by failures or neglect in storage, transmission, or processing. Information systems implement backup and disaster recovery equipment and processes to prevent data loss or restore lost data.Data loss is...

. The algorithm works around bad blocks to recovery as much data as possible. The process is also recoverable. Should the device lock up or overheat during the recovery process, the user can then resume the process once the drive has been reset or cooled.

Backup or restore a volume

The Backup or restore volume mode creates a compacted image file of the selected volume. The archive file contains all the block on the volume that are currently in use by files and all directory information. It skips free-space to save time and create a smaller archive. This mode creates a proprietary CopyCatX image file called .volarchive. This mode also allows the user to restore a .volarchive file to a volume.

Copy files or folders

The Copy files and folders mode copies user specified file(s) or folder(s) from one volume to a user chosen destination. In addition to allowing the user to select the item(s) to be copied, this mode also offers a number of presets for commonly backed up areas on a system running Mac OS X. These presets include the following:

• Address Book
• Calendars
• Documents
• Keychain
• Mail
  Mail (application)
  Mail is an email program included with Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X operating system. Originally developed by NeXT as NeXTMail, a part of their NeXTSTEP operating system, it was adapted, following Apple's acquisition of NeXT, to become OS X's Mail application.Mail uses the SMTP, POP3, and IMAP protocols,...
  
  
• Movies
• Music
• Pictures

See also

• Disk cloning
  Disk cloning
  Disk cloning is the process of copying the contents of one computer hard disk to another disk or to an "image" file. Often, the contents of the first disk are written to an image file as an intermediate step, and the second disk is loaded with the contents of the image...
  
  
• Comparison of disk cloning software
• Disk mirroring
  Disk mirroring
  In data storage, disk mirroring or RAID1 is the replication of logical disk volumes onto separate physical hard disks in real time to ensure continuous availability...
  
  
• Disk image
  Disk image
  A disk image is a single file or storage device containing the complete contents and structure representing a data storage medium or device, such as a hard drive, tape drive, floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, or USB flash drive, although an image of an optical disc may be referred to as an optical disc image...
  
  
• Live CD
  Live CD
  A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive...
  
  
• Recovery disc

External links

• CopyCatX webpage