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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    71

    Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    I have always made clones of my CNC machine hard drives as soon as I get them in house. I recently acquired an 1100 series 3 and searched around regarding cloning the hard drive. I see no indication anywhere online that anyone has ever tried this. Anyone know if there's some reason for this? I haven't opened up the path pilot case yet, does anyone know what type of drive these controllers have? My duplicator can copy bit for bit anything from 80s IDE drives to the latest SSD drives but maybe its disk on chip like the B port cnc lathes?

    I do have a 90s Hiit 8 cnc lathe with an Siemens 840c control and the drive actually had some Siemens copy protection that made the original drive un bootable after it was duplicated. I had to send the non booting clone to a Siemens tech I know to "rearrange" it, then it would boot and allow copies to be made.

  2. #2

    Re: Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    easiest thing would be to copy and back up the pathpilot folder and buy a pathpilot installer from tormach . For the most part backup isn't all that necessary unless you change your configs . The usb installer loads all the settings needed to run off a fresh install

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    71

    Re: Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    No, the easiest thing is to pop a drive into a duplicator and press "clone". I have the install CDs but any install is a pain compared to a hardware based drive duplicator. Also, if the drive dies, you're up and running in 10 min. Anyway, Ill give it a try and report back!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    1145

    Re: Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    It would be a GREAT idea to be able to CLONE your HD from PP. Replacing the PC is simple replicating all the software and settings is not.
    A backup drive would be wonderful to have.

    (;-) TP

  5. #5

    Re: Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    Quote Originally Posted by markp View Post
    Also, if the drive dies, you're up and running in 10 min. Anyway,!
    A fresh install takes roughly the same period of time , but I understand where your coming from
    I'm pretty sure you can download clonezilla for the linux os

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    71

    Re: Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    I use a 4 bay star tech hardware based bit for bit duplicator. These are more reliable than any of the software based solutions for basic cloning. Dont ask me how I know!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    388

    Re: Cloning a PathPilot hard drive

    Quote Originally Posted by markp View Post
    I have always made clones of my CNC machine hard drives as soon as I get them in house. I recently acquired an 1100 series 3 and searched around regarding cloning the hard drive. I see no indication anywhere online that anyone has ever tried this. Anyone know if there's some reason for this? I haven't opened up the path pilot case yet, does anyone know what type of drive these controllers have? My duplicator can copy bit for bit anything from 80s IDE drives to the latest SSD drives but maybe its disk on chip like the B port cnc lathes?

    I do have a 90s Hiit 8 cnc lathe with an Siemens 840c control and the drive actually had some Siemens copy protection that made the original drive un bootable after it was duplicated. I had to send the non booting clone to a Siemens tech I know to "rearrange" it, then it would boot and allow copies to be made.
    I use a program called Rescuezilla https://rescuezilla.com/

    I clone PathPilot hard drives all the time with this software.

    Scott...
    Instructional Videos for CNC Guitar Building
    http://www.rmgvideos.com

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