Cloned C drive isn't accessible but boots

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-03 14:57

I'm running XP SP3

I had this problem and couldn't get it resolved before. I'm was adding a new drive (normal HD) and want to clone the contents to the new drive. I partition the new drive. Marked the first partition as active and copy everything over. I disconnect the old boot drive, change the boot sequence in BIOS and boot to the new one. Everything goes great until I get to the this screen (see the attached jpg)and it stops. There are no profiles to log onto nothing. I can do this in safe mode and the same thing.

I've cloned it using XX Copy, several interation of Ghost, Acronis all with the same results. I've cloned it using XX Copy and Ghost 8 in Safe Mode.

I just added a Samsung SSD 830 with the same results.

I'm thinkking of trying this "Langa Letter: XP's No-Reformat, Nondestructive Total-Rebuild Option" http://www.informationweek.com/news/...9400897?pgno=1

Should I do this on the old Windows or the new?

At the moment I just don't have time to do a clean install. I've got lots of work to do on my car. The next clean install was going to be either 7 or 8 but not right now.

**CLiNT** · 2012-06-04 00:12

I've never seen that striped blue/black screen before.

A few things you can try:
Repair the Master Boot Record In Windows XP
If the nondestruct option does not work replace the old drive containing Windows XP and continue using it.

**Paul T** · 2012-06-04 01:19

Cloned drives should be connected to the same cable as the original disk.
You shouldn't need to partition the drive if you clone it, you should just start from a blank drive.

cheers, Paul

**Roderunner** · 2012-06-04 04:12

Hi Check Marc,
You should have made an image of the drive including partitions, to an external hdd. then replace the old one with the new hdd. then do a full restore. I know Acronis can handle restores to a hdd of a different size.

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-04 07:14

The stripes are on the screen are due to the scan rate of the monitor.  I should have mentioned that this is something that I have done at least 4 or 5 times before.  Partition the new drive and clone the old drive to it. Disconnect the old check that it boots. Boot to safe mode and change the drive letters in the registry and I'm done.

**dg1261** · 2012-06-04 08:36

Looks like a classic symptom of jumbled partition signatures in the registry.

If you've got a floppy drive, try "Kawecki's Trick", which I've described on my webpage here. You would do this with the clone installed in boot position. You can download a Win98 boot floppy from bootdisk.com if you don't already have one.

If you don't have a floppy drive, I can suggest alternatives to achieve the same affect.

Dan

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-04 11:33

Dan that seems to make sense. For a long time I had drives duplicated but with different drives letters assigned to them but they were the same partition.

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-05 11:59

My floppy drive is dead but can't I make a bootable DVD with the same data as the floppy?

**dg1261** · 2012-06-05 21:01

Originally Posted by Check Marc

can't I make a bootable DVD with the same data as the floppy?

Yes, you could download the floppy boot image from bootdisk.com, then use that file as your boot image for a bootable CD/DVD. Some programs like Nero may have a default boot image preinstalled for your use, but then it would be up to you to determine whether or not they're using a Win98 boot image.

But here's an alternative that may be quicker and easier: Install your clone as a secondary in another computer so you can directly edit the clone's DiskID. For example, put your original HDD back in so you can boot from it, with the clone as a secondary disk. Make sure there's no other HDDs installed--you want just the one your booting from and the one your repairing.

Next, google for Roadkil's Sector Editor and download it. It's free, and it's a standalone executable so it doesn't require you to install anything.

Launch Sector Editor (secedit.exe), or if you're booted to Vista/7 right-click and choose "Run as administrator". In the "Select Disk" dialog box, scroll down past the Logical drives and select "Physical 1". ("Physical 0" would be the disk you're booted from.) Secedit will display the clone's MBR sector, which should look something like the example shown below.

I've highlighted the four bytes at location 1B8-1BB. This is your DiskID, so of course yours will be some other random values. Click on any one of those four bytes and randomly change it. It doesn't matter what you choose, as long as it's not identical to what it originally was. Changing even a single character is good enough. Save the change, and you're done. Your clone HDD now has a different DiskID.

Shutdown, remove the HDDs and reinstall so you have only the clone installed. See if it will boot up correctly now.

diskid.jpg

(WARNING: of course, the usual disclaimers about directly tinkering on your MBR apply here. This should only be attempted by users who understand what they are doing.)

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-05 21:30

Let me run this past you. This sort of uses choice 2. I clone C and all the other partitions to the new drive. I go into the registry and change all the partitions to the correct letters except C and the cloned C. I change the cloned C to no value. I re-boot the system. I disconnect the drive with the old C and in the BIOS change the boot order to the the drive with the new C and let Windows correct the missing drive letter.

**dg1261** · 2012-06-06 00:12

You're making things unnecessarily complicated with the method in post #10. There's no reason to surgically try to tweak the registry because all drive letters, except C, can easily be corrected or reset by conventional means after the clone is up and running. C is the only letter requiring special treatment, and it's not as complicated as you're making it out to be. You either clear the [MountedDevices] registry key, or you change the DiskID so when the clone tries to boot it will disregard the registry signatures.

Both Kawecki's Trick and my method in post #9 take the latter approach, which avoids having to fiddle with the registry at all.

If you do opt to fiddle with the registry instead, then all you need to do is delete all the values from the [HKLM\System\MountedDevices] registry key, leaving an empty key. Trying to edit the drive letter assignments in the registry is doing things the hard way.

You can clear the registry values either before cloning (in which case both the old HDD and the clone HDD will rebuild the key the first time each boots again), or you can clear them after cloning. I don't cover that latter procedure in my webpage because it's more complicated, but it can be done.

Honestly, though, Kawecki's Trick or the method in post #9 is much quicker and easier, and doesn't involve tinkering with the registry.

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-06 06:41

Or just bit the bullet and upgrade to 7. I need to ad a 3TB drive also and that is just a mish mash on XP. 7 eliminates the problem up opens even more. If I do it I'll go to a 64bit copy what does that mean to me and the installed software? I'm checking that out now.

**dg1261** · 2012-06-06 12:26

Sounds like you're looking for excuses. I like Win7, so don't let me talk you out of it.

But to be fair, don't forget Win8 is imminent. 8 is no slouch--it won't be another ME or Vista. I've already ascertained I don't like the Metro interface so I'll be sticking with 7, but I imagine some people will find it a breath of fresh air. Unless you're sure on which side of the fence you sit, you should check out 8's release preview before committing to 7.

All that aside, if you've decided you're willing to abandon the XP clone anyway, then you should have no qualms about taking a minute and a half to try the Reply #9 option.

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-06 13:25

No I'm just tired of dealing with this. This is the third attempt to clone this drive. Each time I ending up messing with it of and on for a couple of weeks. I'm going to try your way tonight. The idea of having wasting two days or more installing any upgrade and software does not appeal to me. Every time I've done an upgrade or a clean install I missed moving over settings and it never was quit the same. Just keeping Chrome or Firefox the way they are is a PITA. Microsoft wonders why people aren't upgrading to Windows 7. It's pretty simple it's a pain so they just wait until the old computer dies and buy a new one.

**Check Marc** · 2012-06-06 13:28

Also there are so many unknowns as far as how much of my existing software will work with 7 especially if I go to the 64bit version. If I'm going to upgrade it doesn't make sense no to do that.

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