Backing up a bootable usb drive

[bchogst]

Hi, I have a few servers that boots ESXi from bootable usb sticks, and am trying to make a 1:1 clone of them in case the original usbs fail.  I have tried WinImage to extract the image and restoring it into the new usb.  I have also tried dd within a linux VM.  Both case return with the same error when trying to boot:

Bank5: invalid configuration

Bank6: not a VMware Boot Bank

No hypervisor found.

any assistance or suggestions are appreciated.

-Brian

[bakasani]

I had the exact same error, I tried all the different methods to clone my existing esxi 5.1 on a usb key (winimage, usbit, and loads of others I found) and none worked for me, I just kept receiving the same error:

Bank5: invalid configuration
Bank6: not a VMware Boot Bank
No hypervisor found.

However this free software below *does* work, perfect copy and boots straight into esxi 5.1

http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/home-edition/
When you click on download it takes you to cnet, click the 'Direct Download Link' text (NOT the Download Now button as it appears to be a different installer & my av software flags it)

I then ran the disk-copy software and it creates a bootable usb key (think you can create a bootable cd not sure)

Then boot into the newly created usb key or cd (ensure both your current usb key and your new usb key are inserted aswell)

Then select disk copy (not partition copy)

Select the source esxi 5.1 usb key

Then select your new new usb key as the destination

follow the prompts to copy

and wait..

Job done, no more head aches

[Jayden56]

Hi

Welcome to the communities.

I will not suggest to download anything for cnet ,because they are not giving the direct link to download anything .

I will suggest few site you may find lot of utility .

http://www.acmefiles.com/ http://filepig.org filehippo.com/

"You must not lose faith in humanity".

[bakasani]

Thanks

Further to my first post, if you are looking to save the esxi 5.1 image as a backup (as opposed to cloning to another usb device) then clonezilla also worked for me backing up esxi 5.1 as an image and successfully restoring from that same image

Cheers