x86/DOS system backup via rs232?

[Jerome H. Fine]

 >Eric Christopherson wrote:

>>On Thu, Nov 12, 2015, Jules Richardson wrote:
>  
>
>>As per subject line, does anyone know of any util that will back up an x86
>>PC running some variant of DOS (MS, Compaq etc.) via rs232 to a remote
>>system? (Linux preferable on the remote, but other options exist)
>>
>>I'm not finding anything via Google, but it seems like the sort of thing
>>that some of the folks here may have done for their systems in the past.
>>
>>I'm thinking something that will do a sector-by-sector transfer from a given
>>partition (maybe only in-use sectors, implying some minor intelligence on
>>the remote end to covert into a raw image, but "send everything" mentality
>>is better than nothing) - extra points for retrying bad sectors.
>>
>>cheers
>>
>>Jules
>>    
>>
>
>I've been pondering a way to do this with an Atari ST hard drive, too.
>
While my backup image files are far too large to consider
an RS232 transfer (my backup image files are 1 GB),
I would still suggest that if you are performing a backup
of your entire drive (or just partition), Ghost is an
excellent program to produce a compressed image
file first.  After that, you will have a relatively small
file to transfer.

There is probably one restriction that you may not
realize at first glance.  You will require at least TWO
drives (or partitions).  The compressed image file
of the C: drive (or partition) must fit completely on
the unused space of the second partition.

Of course, for the best transfer rate, it is useful to
have two physical drives and to compress the C:
drive onto the second physical drive.

After the backup is complete, you will be able to
transfer a much smaller compressed image file to
your remote system.

Jerome Fine