I've just tried to image a 6.5 GB NTFS partition:
dd if=/dev/hda1 bs=100k | gzip > [path][filename]

The resulting file is 3.5 gig...

If I really HAD to restore
(i.e. if the s#$% | fan,
as I am still very unsure...),
I'd ungzip and pipe into
dd bs=100k of=/dev/hda1

Is it kosher/halal?

Other than my unsyntacticity,
what's wrong, if anything,
in my reasoning?

I wonder what all the fuss is, what with packaged/sophisticated imaging
software etc., if the partition table is still EXACTLY as before the
backup...

After all, the above (minus possible goofs)
would paint a bit by bit photo of what the partition once was!