Cloned C drive isn't accessible but boots

[oakdale]

I note you mention "XX Copy". For a system drive, I have been using XXClone Freeware for several years (on XP SP3) and have never had a problem; it does a good job, including managing drive letters and writing an appropriate boot.ini, so you can boot directly from the target volume (no need for a restore).

It may seem a bit like overkill, but on two hard drives I have two system partitions on each, from any of which I can boot, and because I have additional partitions for data, XXClone takes only about 10-15 minutes.

Because it's a file copy, you can clone to a smaller partition, as long as everything fits. And you can do incremental backups if you're willing to pay for a license.

For years, it wouldn't work for Vista, but the latest version claims it does, & for Win7.

Definitely worth a try.

[satrow]

@ oakdale: XXClone has worked fine for me twice on W7x64, first from 80GB to 250GB then from the 250GB to a 128GB SSD. Single partitions.

[rgerick]

I use xxclone(free - Google it), and just clone one drive to another and you can then take out C: and replace it with the cloned drive and it works great. HOWEVER, xxclone only works from one drive to another of the same size. I solved that by partitioning 2 drives .... a C: of 25gb and a D: of 975gb on the first drive, then, an E: of 25gb and a F: of 975gb on the second. I then xxclone C: to E: .... and do this at least twice a week .... the 975gb on each drive is not as important(mostly just old movie and music storage I can live without) as the 25gb XP operating system, and some business data I keep readily available on the C: drive. I also have a 2Tb 3rd drive I store most data I am required to retain for business purposes for years.

This seems like an archaic way to do things, but I'm old, gonna use XP 'til I'm gone, and it just WORKS!

[Check Marc]

Guys I appreciate the software suggestion but the software isn't the problem. I've used XXCopy many times to do what I'm trying to do now along with cloning non-boot drives and it worked flawlessly. With the current issue I've used XXCopy, 32 versions of Ghost in both standard, Acronis, the software that comes with the Seagate hard drives and NONE of them solve the problem. I've used them in both Windows and Safe Mode with the same results.

[lelandhamilton]

I had a failing hard drive (too many bad disk block reallocations). Bought a 2TB Seagate drive (it was actually on sale at the time for less than 500 GB and smaller drives), created a Seagate tools DiskWizard CD, and used that to duplicate the disk. The partition sizes were a bit too large, so used other tools (such as Linux partimage and EASUS partition manager) to make the partition sizes more manageable and “defragement” the free unallocated drive space for more partitions such as partitions for partition backup, Knoppix HD boot, and a large partition for a collection of assorted ISO files, etc. Note that I started with 5 partitions on the original disk: the system recovery hidden partition, the OS partition (c, the “Data” partition that came with the system intended for the current system backup for recovery, a “Family” partition where family members can save data in case I have to wipe out the C drive, and an “everything else” partition that includes a directory tree for downloaded utilities and other files.

Changed labels to reflect that this was the 2^nd generation system disk. Updated BIOS to boot from new drive. Assigned desired drive letters using Windows Computer Management. (Eventually removed original failing drive cabling – It just sits in the enclosure for now until I need the space).

Had to run a utility from the recovery partition to restore the OEMs system partition backup and recovery operation.

Notes:
To replicate a partition, it is may be faster to do it “offline” using a manufacturer’s disk utility to copy one partition to another. Most 3^rd party partition utilities also have a function to copy one partition to another. Just make sure that the partition that you are copying to does not contain necessary data, especially the only copy of necessary data, as it will be overwritten (“erased”) by the copy.

To copy many files I suggest using Microsoft’s RichCopy or the older RoboCopy (which happened to be on my recovery partition). These utilities can be downloaded from the Microsoft site and probably your favorite utility download site.

If you are restoring the system partition (usually C, before restoring make sure to copy any required user folders somewhere else (e.g. Vista: backup the users folder). Outlook, music (iTunes) and the “my documents” equivalent folder are buried under the users folder subdirectories. I usually create a copy of the system partition before overwriting it so that I recover any missed overwritten files after the restore.

My primary defense backups are done using SyncToy (available from Microsoft) to copy all “family” files, Outlook, music, pictures and other assorted files to a flash drive and a USB drive, and copy the important disk partitions to a backup USB drive. SyncToy only copies updated files so it doesn’t take as long after the first backup. I also have a clone partition of the system partition on both the hard drive and the USB drive. DVD and USB drive backups of a known good system with utilities and updates up to date as of the backup, and occasional DVD backups of the other important partitions.

[GrandRascal]

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

Pardon me for jumping in, dg1261, but it seems to me that's entirely a matter of comfort level. I myself would be VASTLY more comfortable with editing the Registry, than with editing my Hard Drive (and my Boot Sector, at that!). Just the mere thought of THAT, would be enough to give me the Cold Sweats!

[dg1261]

Pardon me for jumping in, dg1261, but it seems to me that's entirely a matter of comfort level. I myself would be VASTLY more comfortable with editing the Registry, than with editing my Hard Drive (and my Boot Sector, at that!). Just the mere thought of THAT, would be enough to give me the Cold Sweats!

That's fine. Do what you're comfortable with. But it doesn't change what I said--Kawecki's Trick or the post #9 method is quicker, easier to execute, and doesn't involve tinkering with the registry.


Dan

[Check Marc]

I finally got back to this after fixing the AC and putting in new struts in my car. Dan I ran and made the changes. Remove the old disc and booted to the new disc and got this message: "windows could not start because the following file is missing\windows\system32\config\system". So I think I'm back to this

"Langa Letter: XP's No-Reformat, Nondestructive Total-Rebuild Option"

http://www.informationweek.com/news/...9400897?pgno=1

[Check Marc]

Thanks after several more attempts it works great.