Trouble imaging an HDD...

[imported_goku]

I've got a laptop HDD that is 5GB that I need to image to a larger HDD (100GB) and I'm having issues. While I was able to image it with seemingly all the data intact, I'm thinking it didn't do a very good job of imaging because the OS setup on the 5GB drive (to be imaged) has a dual boot that has Windows 98 and Windows 2000 and when I boot on the 100Gb drive, it boots up to only windows 98 and I'm unable to get it to boot to windows 2000. I'm not quite sure what would cause this but I'm thinking there was/is datat in the MFT that didn't get copied over?

What causes the drive to read the boot.ini file instead of reading just c:/ ?

What should I do?

For copying the drive over, I used Maxblast that happens to be included on the ultimate boot cd. Should I use another utility that comes with the ultimate boot cd?

 

[John]

I've had a couple of recent HDD's that refuse to clone using Ghost 2003 (floppy disk). I've started using Acronis True image (I have version 8) and it works like a champ. I also like the Windows GUI and the imaging capabilities.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832200204

 

[Kinslayer777]

Sorry, a little spammish, but lol @ the limit.

Limit 9999 per costumer. Just seems funny.

 

[bob4432]

acronis FTW!!!!!

 

[Baked]

Yup, I used TrueImage to make an image of my fresh installed OS and burned the image to a DVD. And used it also to clone HDs. Works great.

 

[bacillus]

I suggest you download & use the 15 day free trial of acronis true image to move everything over.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: bacillus
I suggest you download & use the 15 day free trial of acronis true image to move everything over.

Well here is the problem with acronis, it would only be good if the host drive that has the OS needed to be copied to another drive, but what if I have two drives one is new and one is from a different working system and I need to image the data from one drive to the other? You're not allowed to boot to either of the drives because the system you're doing this data transfer on has different hardware specs.

Example:

I bought a new HDD for my laptop, I'm trying to upgrade the HDD. I have a desktop computer lying around to which I plan on transferring the laptop data to the new laptop HDD.
This desktop computer has no HDD but does have an optical drive. How should I go about copying the data? Normally I'd use a bootable CD like Maxblast but apparently Maxblast doesn't copy MFT information which is needed for OSs like W2k, correct?

 

[Bozo Galora]

I have no experience with maxblast because I have never bought a maxtor.
However, an educated guess is that boot.ini ntldr and ntdetect are hidden system files that maxblast did not remove the super hidden attribute before copying over, while Win 98 has none of these.
Before doing any imaging I ALWAYS copy boot.ini, ntlder, ntdetect, and if Win 98 is involved also bootsector.dos and hal.dll to a floppy to copy over to root drive if necessary.
And hardware specs have nothing to do with it - its the data that counts.
For example, you can transfer IDE to SATA, 40 GB partition to 50GB partition, but not 30GB of DATA to 25GB partition.

Tru Image VERS 10.4781, has a boot CD creator that you can run your restore from
Tru Image will do aything you want
and I posted these tut links in the software forum recently........
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/1.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/tidataback.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage2.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage2b.htm

 

[Bozo Galora]

and if you wish to just transfer data from one PC to another (laptop) over a $1.98 ethernet cable, thats what laplink software is for

http://www.laplink.com/llgold/
http://www.laplink.com/?AID=10402531&PID=1594755

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
I have no experience with maxblast because I have never bought a maxtor.
However, an educated guess is that boot.ini ntldr and ntdetect are hidden system files that maxblast did not remove the super hidden attribute before copying over, while Win 98 has none of these.
Before doing any imaging I ALWAYS copy boot.ini, ntlder, ntdetect, and if Win 98 is involved also bootsector.dos and hal.dll to a floppy to copy over to root drive if necessary.
And hardware specs have nothing to do with it - its the data that counts.
For example, you can transfer IDE to SATA, 40 GB partition to 50GB partition, but not 30GB of DATA to 25GB partition.

Tru Image VERS 10.4781, has a boot CD creator that you can run your restore from
Tru Image will do aything you want
and I posted these tut links in the software forum recently........
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/1.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/tidataback.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage2.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage2b.htm

Um, I don't think you understand.

The reason I brought up system specifications is because I'm trying to tell you that I'm not allowed to boot from the laptop HDD on the desktop system otherwise it will mess up the system configurations.

I installed two laptop HDDs into a desktop system, the desktop system doesn't have an HDD of it's own but does have an optical drive. I need to image the drive from one to the bigger drive. After the data is working perfectly on the newer drive, I'll use partition magic on the drive and then resize it to my needs.

What you've seemingly described "Tru Image VERS 10.4781, has a boot CD creator that you can run your restore from" I'm not doing data backup, I want to do a direct Hard Drive data transfer, 1:1, from Drive A (Old) to Drive B (New). I don't want anything in between.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: goku

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
I have no experience with maxblast because I have never bought a maxtor.
However, an educated guess is that boot.ini ntldr and ntdetect are hidden system files that maxblast did not remove the super hidden attribute before copying over, while Win 98 has none of these.
Before doing any imaging I ALWAYS copy boot.ini, ntlder, ntdetect, and if Win 98 is involved also bootsector.dos and hal.dll to a floppy to copy over to root drive if necessary.
And hardware specs have nothing to do with it - its the data that counts.
For example, you can transfer IDE to SATA, 40 GB partition to 50GB partition, but not 30GB of DATA to 25GB partition.

Tru Image VERS 10.4781, has a boot CD creator that you can run your restore from
Tru Image will do aything you want
and I posted these tut links in the software forum recently........
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/1.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/tidataback.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage2.htm
http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/backup/diskimage2b.htm

Um, I don't think you understand.

The reason I brought up system specifications is because I'm trying to tell you that I'm not allowed to boot from the laptop HDD on the desktop system otherwise it will mess up the system configurations.

I installed two laptop HDDs into a desktop system, the desktop system doesn't have an HDD of it's own but does have an optical drive. I need to image the drive from one to the bigger drive. After the data is working perfectly on the newer drive, I'll use partition magic on the drive and then resize it to my needs.

What you've seemingly described "Tru Image VERS 10.4781, has a boot CD creator that you can run your restore from" I'm not doing data backup, I want to do a direct Hard Drive data transfer, 1:1, from Drive A (Old) to Drive B (New). I don't want anything in between.

unless i am misreading your situation, acronis will work. it has a cd that you can use to boot from that does hdd imaging (1:1), from hdd a to hdd b. it has worked like a charm for me for years for this very reason in addition to automatic scheduled data backups of hdd images across networks.

 

[imported_goku]

I have acronis but I don't want to install it because I have no HDD space on any of my comptuers at the moment. My whole computer setup at the moment has become a real mess because I've run out of space and I'm unable to install my 3 400GB HDDs that are lying around due to reasons that will take too long to explain and waste time.

I'm using the ultimate boot CD and I wanted to try and use either PC Inspector's clonemaxx or HDclone that is on the disc but when I load up the disk I search the menus but can't find the programs I need. I then 'load the console' and search the 'dos apps' folder but nothing is to be found. I finally discover the files I need and they're in this folder called 'images', basically a bunch of files with the igz extension and I have no idea why they're there and I have no clue as how I can load those files up directly from UBCD.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: goku
I have acronis but I don't want to install it because I have no HDD space on any of my comptuers at the moment. My whole computer setup at the moment has become a real mess because I've run out of space and I'm unable to install my 3 400GB HDDs that are lying around due to reasons that will take too long to explain and waste time.

I'm using the ultimate boot CD and I wanted to try and use either PC Inspector's clonemaxx or HDclone that is on the disc but when I load up the disk I search the menus but can't find the programs I need. I then 'load the console' and search the 'dos apps' folder but nothing is to be found. I finally discover the files I need and they're in this folder called 'images', basically a bunch of files with the igz extension and I have no idea why they're there and I have no clue as how I can load those files up directly from UBCD.

can't you uninstall stuff to make room for acronis? i really think it would be the best program for what you want to do.

 

[Raduque]

lol, i'm sorry, but i think you're just being difficult for difficult's sake, goku. nuke something off an HD, install true image (it uses like 20mb, hell you can get that by nuking the internet cache), make the boot CD, and then uninstall true image if you want.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: Raduque
lol, i'm sorry, but i think you're just being difficult for difficult's sake, goku. nuke something off an HD, install true image (it uses like 20mb, hell you can get that by nuking the internet cache), make the boot CD, and then uninstall true image if you want.

I shouldn't have to install anything...

 

[John]

Goku, since you aren't willing to fix your desktop and refuse to install any program you should consider trying WD's cloning tool that is available on their website. However they require you to download the file and run it in a Windows environment to create a floppy. Hopefully you can spare <2MB of space.

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=23

If that isn't good enough you should seriously evaluate your ability to work on computers.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: John
Goku, since you aren't willing to fix your desktop and refuse to install any program you should consider trying WD's cloning tool that is available on their website. However they require you to download the file and run it in a Windows environment to create a floppy. Hopefully you can spare <2MB of space.

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=23

If that isn't good enough you should seriously evaluate your ability to work on computers.

Are you familiar with the ultimate boot cd? IIRC it's on the UBCD and it's not different from the maxtor and seagate utility, correct? If so, I already tried the utility but unfortunately it managed to image the data seemingly properly but it forgot to get the MFT information.

 

[bob4432]

lets see, waste a couple of days because i don't want to install anything vs installing a program that takes at max 5min and be done with it....tough decision :frown:

 

[Bozo Galora]

move along, trying to help this guy is just pissing in the wind

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
move along, trying to help this guy is just pissing in the wind

Feels good?

 

[Old Hippie]

Originally posted by: goku

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
move along, trying to help this guy is just pissing in the wind

Feels good?

YEP!

Your attitude has shown me, if I were the last person in the world, it'd feel sorry for ya, but wouldn't give ya my smegma.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: Old Hippie

Originally posted by: goku

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
move along, trying to help this guy is just pissing in the wind

Feels good?

YEP!

Your attitude has shown me, if I were the last person in the world, it'd feel sorry for ya, but wouldn't give ya my smegma.

huh? this has got to be the second wtf reply in this thread... sighs


How hard is it for you guys to understand.

1. I don't want to have to use a utility that requires a working OS on the machine that is doing the data copy, all the info that is needed to copy a drive to another should fit on a floppy or CD.
2. I don't/can't install a program on my laptop in order to facilitate the needs of #1 for numerous reasons, so basically don't argue with me as I don't have the time whether or not you see me as having such thing.
3. If you're going to help me, either help me make use of what I have which is the UBCD or guide me to another, similar tool that requires at most a simple burning of an ISO and nothing else.

I thought the UBCD was ULTIMATE, and I would think it is by reading the help file, problem is, the programs I'm trying to access in order to accomplish my task aren't available and it would be nice if someone would help me with that or care to explain why something is the way it is etc.

 

[Old Hippie]

huh? this has got to be the second wtf reply in this thread... sighs

You reap what ya sow.

 

[John]

This thread makes me chuckle. It kind of reminds me of the arrogant know-it-alls that pop into my store and lay down terms for me fixing their computers.

I already gave you two (2) options to clone the drives, and one of them doesn't need an OS. Forget the UBCD or else we'll still see you asking for help a few weeks from now.

FWIW I image laptop HDD's on an old desktop pc using Ghost 2003 from a floppy disk and a pair of Notebook Hard Drive to Desktop Adapters (2.5" to 3.5"). If you want to use a laptop get a USB 2.0 to IDE Cable Adapter (for 2.5" and 3.5" IDE) and install WD or Seagates imaging tool, or better yet use Acronis.

If none of that works maybe you should pay someone to do it for you. Mail me your drives and I will be happy to clone them for a small fee.

Originally posted by: goku
The reason I brought up system specifications is because I'm trying to tell you that I'm not allowed to boot from the laptop HDD on the desktop system otherwise it will mess up the system configurations.

Please explain how booting to a couple of slave HDD's will "mess up" a windows installation or system configuration.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: John
This thread makes me chuckle. It kind of reminds me of the arrogant know-it-alls that pop into my store and lay down terms for me fixing their computers.

Please explain how booting to a couple of slave HDD's will "mess up" a windows installation or system configuration.

:laugh: You might want to check out your post. :rofl;

This is the gist of what I've gotten from your statement: You have an OS and everything on a particular hard drive from a system, you take it OUT OF THAT SYSTEM and put it into a totally different computer and then attempt to boot, now tell me, what do YOU think happens next?