How to explore/extract a partition backup?

[BarbzYHOOL]

Hello, I spent 2 hours trying various commands to try to mount an image made with clonezilla in order to compare the files from my backup to my current HDD

I could not figure it out because my backups are not the same as everybody else. I have two of them:

1. sda8.aa (that's it, no .ab)
2. sda8.dd-ptcl-img.zst.aa

They are partition backups.
I've found a command to restore the second backup but I just want to explore it, not restore it.
Other commands are using partclone and it doesn't recognize these as valid image.

So how can I proceed, please? @stevenshiau

[stevenshiau]

By default the image file name should not just like sda8.aa. How did you choose the options so that it's saved as that?
Anyhow, you can try the command "file sda8.aa" to see the format of it.
As for sda8.dd-ptcl-img.zst.aa, it compressed by zstd for the file name. You can first decompress first. Then you might have a chance to mount it.

Steven

[BarbzYHOOL]

file sda8.aa
sda8.aa: regular file, no read permission

...

The selected devices: sda8
PS. Next time you can run this command directly:
/usr/sbin/ocs-sr -c -j2 -z9p -i 4096000 -sfsck -senc -p choose saveparts 2023-06-23-21-img-DataSave sda8

from the log, I did this like 1 year ago so I do not remember

Now for the second one, as I said, i can decompress with zstdcat for example, then I cannot mount it, and no idea how

[stevenshiau]

You should run that command as root, or using root privilege, e.g.,
sudo file sda8.aa

Which command did you use to mount the 2nd file? What's the error message?

Steven

[BarbzYHOOL]

sda8.aa: Zstandard compressed data (v0.8+), Dictionary ID: None

For the second file, I used partclone and it said "invalid image" or smthg like that. I've found another command that uses dd instead but haven't tried

[stevenshiau]

Have you check this FAQ?
https://drbl.org/fine-print.php?path=./faq/2_System/43_read_ntfsimg_content.faq#43_read_ntfsimg_content.faq

BTW, I am really curious about the Clonezilla live version you are using. Which one do you have?

Steven

[BarbzYHOOL]

Not sure which one I used
clonezilla-live-2.8.0-27-amd64
clonezilla-live-20211116-impish-amd64

I quickly checked the page but it does not seem to correspond to my file name

[stevenshiau]

Please use the latest stable or testing Clonezilla live. Maybe the issue was fixed and it's easier for us to fix if there is any bug.
Thanks.

Steven

[BarbzYHOOL]

??? i cannot remake a year old backup, i'm not that powerful of a magician