Creating a new bootable hard drive

[Gordon Biggar]

One of my computers, which uses a 200 GB hard drive, goes into a loop when
booting up (presumably, a Windows or registry problem?) Booting up in the
Safe mode, or in the Last Known Good Configuration mode, produces the same
results. I have installed this drive as a slave on another Windows 2000
computer, and all of the files/folders are accessible/recognizable.

I have a second computer with a 320 GB hard drive that is a duplicate (files
and folders) of the one that has failed. My thought is to format the failed
drive, and to copy all of the files/folders over to the re-formatted drive.
Naturally, life is not that simple. What process must I go through to make
the failed drive a bootable drive? When I installed it originally, the
system was made to recognize the drive as a large-size drive. Will the
formatting of the drive destroy this? Once it becomes a bootable drive, can
I then use something like Windows Explorer to copy over all of the
files/folders (assuming that the re-formatted drive is used as a slave drive
on the 320 GB machine)?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

One of my computers, which uses a 200 GB hard drive, goes into a loop when
booting up (presumably, a Windows or registry problem?) Booting up in the
Safe mode, or in the Last Known Good Configuration mode, produces the same
results. I have installed this drive as a slave on another Windows 2000
computer, and all of the files/folders are accessible/recognizable.

I have a second computer with a 320 GB hard drive that is a duplicate
(files
and folders) of the one that has failed. My thought is to format the
failed
drive, and to copy all of the files/folders over to the re-formatted
drive.
Naturally, life is not that simple. What process must I go through to
make
the failed drive a bootable drive? When I installed it originally, the
system was made to recognize the drive as a large-size drive. Will the
formatting of the drive destroy this? Once it becomes a bootable drive,
can
I then use something like Windows Explorer to copy over all of the
files/folders (assuming that the re-formatted drive is used as a slave
drive
on the 320 GB machine)?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

You need to tell us just how far the machine gets in its boot process before
it starts looping.

 

[philo]

One of my computers, which uses a 200 GB hard drive, goes into a loop when
booting up (presumably, a Windows or registry problem?) Booting up in the
Safe mode, or in the Last Known Good Configuration mode, produces the same
results. I have installed this drive as a slave on another Windows 2000
computer, and all of the files/folders are accessible/recognizable.

I have a second computer with a 320 GB hard drive that is a duplicate (files
and folders) of the one that has failed. My thought is to format the failed
drive, and to copy all of the files/folders over to the re-formatted drive.
Naturally, life is not that simple. What process must I go through to make
the failed drive a bootable drive? When I installed it originally, the
system was made to recognize the drive as a large-size drive. Will the
formatting of the drive destroy this? Once it becomes a bootable drive, can
I then use something like Windows Explorer to copy over all of the
files/folders (assuming that the re-formatted drive is used as a slave drive
on the 320 GB machine)?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

You cannot simply copy the files over

you need cloning software such as Acronis

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You cannot simply copy the files over

you need cloning software such as Acronis

Sorry to disagree but you actually can if you do it correctly. I've done it
several times.

 

[philo]

Sorry to disagree but you actually can if you do it correctly. I've done it
several times.

Wow. That's news to me.

I know you could with Win9x.
all you'd have to do is "sys" the drive afterwards.

But with Win2k and XP how can you transfer the MFT/System Volume
Information & swapfile...over?

I'd sure appreciate it if you told me exactly how you did it.

The truth is I have never tried it simply because I assumed it could never
work.

If it's as simple as just copying the whole drive over, why does everyone
use cloning software?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Wow. That's news to me.

I know you could with Win9x.
all you'd have to do is "sys" the drive afterwards.

*** WinNT/2000/XP is actually simpler.

But with Win2k and XP how can you transfer the MFT/System Volume
Information & swapfile...over?

*** You don't need to transfer any of those.

I'd sure appreciate it if you told me exactly how you did it.

The truth is I have never tried it simply because I assumed it could never
work.

If it's as simple as just copying the whole drive over, why does everyone
use cloning software?

*** Because cloning software takes the sting out of the operation.

OK, here we go.
1. Connect the source & target disks to the secondary IDE controller
of some other Win2000/XP machine.
2. Partition & format the target disk.
3. Mark its primary partition as "active".
4. Use robocopy.exe or xcopy.exe to copy the source disk to
the target disk. Make sure to include all hidden files and folders.
5. Connect the target disk to the original machine. Leave the source
disk disconnected.
That's all! And why does it work? Because you created a WinNT
MBR in Step 2. The code in the MBR will automatically look for
the boot loader ntldr. There is no need for a "sys" command and
there is no need for the boot loader "ntldr" to be in a specific place
on the disk, as was the case for the DOS/Win9x system files.

A few additional observations:
- If no spare Win2000/XP machine is available then you can go
through the above steps by booting the problem machine with
a Bart PE boot CD.
- It is possible that you end up with a looping logon process.
The problem is well-known and easily fixed.
- The above process is unlikely to help the OP. I suspect that
his problem lies elsewhere, hence my question to him.

 

[philo]

*** WinNT/2000/XP is actually simpler.

*** You don't need to transfer any of those.

*** Because cloning software takes the sting out of the operation.

OK, here we go.
1. Connect the source & target disks to the secondary IDE controller
of some other Win2000/XP machine.
2. Partition & format the target disk.
3. Mark its primary partition as "active".
4. Use robocopy.exe or xcopy.exe to copy the source disk to
the target disk. Make sure to include all hidden files and folders.
5. Connect the target disk to the original machine. Leave the source
disk disconnected.
That's all! And why does it work? Because you created a WinNT
MBR in Step 2. The code in the MBR will automatically look for
the boot loader ntldr. There is no need for a "sys" command and
there is no need for the boot loader "ntldr" to be in a specific place
on the disk, as was the case for the DOS/Win9x system files.

A few additional observations:
- If no spare Win2000/XP machine is available then you can go
through the above steps by booting the problem machine with
a Bart PE boot CD.
- It is possible that you end up with a looping logon process.
The problem is well-known and easily fixed.
- The above process is unlikely to help the OP. I suspect that
his problem lies elsewhere, hence my question to him.

Thanks for the info

I just installed the XP resource kit on my XP machine a few days ago
so I now have robocopy.
Next time I do a clone I'll give it a try.

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Thanks for the many rapid responses!

The boot process gets past the Intel Desktop Board window, and the standard
"Starting Windows 2000" message at the lower part of the screen displays,
but that's it. There is a sound emitted, like a faint ringing bell, that
next occurs, and the boot process starts all over again. The boot process
does not make it as far as the log-in window.

Gordon Biggar

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This is what I suspected: The boot process (which consists of the BIOS
passing control to the MBR, then to the Windows boot loader ntdlr) is
intact. If it wasn't then you would never see the message "Starting Windows
2000". While your idea of copying your existing installation to a new disk
is fine, it would not solve your problem. I suggest you do this:
1. Copy your existing disk to the new disk as per my
recipe elsewhere in this thread.
2. Test the copied installation.
3. If it fails, try a "Repair Installation" on the new disk.

Since the new disk is a copy of the old disk, you can do anything you like
in Step 3. If necessary you can go back to your original disk.

 

[philo]

*** WinNT/2000/XP is actually simpler.

*** You don't need to transfer any of those.

*** Because cloning software takes the sting out of the operation.

OK, here we go.
1. Connect the source & target disks to the secondary IDE controller
of some other Win2000/XP machine.
2. Partition & format the target disk.
3. Mark its primary partition as "active".
4. Use robocopy.exe or xcopy.exe to copy the source disk to
the target disk. Make sure to include all hidden files and folders.
5. Connect the target disk to the original machine. Leave the source
disk disconnected.
That's all! And why does it work? Because you created a WinNT
MBR in Step 2. The code in the MBR will automatically look for
the boot loader ntldr. There is no need for a "sys" command and
there is no need for the boot loader "ntldr" to be in a specific place
on the disk, as was the case for the DOS/Win9x system files.

A few additional observations:
- If no spare Win2000/XP machine is available then you can go
through the above steps by booting the problem machine with
a Bart PE boot CD.
- It is possible that you end up with a looping logon process.
The problem is well-known and easily fixed.
- The above process is unlikely to help the OP. I suspect that
his problem lies elsewhere, hence my question to him.

OK

I tried it but it did not work

xcopy and robocopy (as I expected) could not copy system files that were in
use

the cloned drive failed to boot due to a registry error

(I am sure there would be more errors, but loading stops on the first one)

So I will continue to use Acronis

I think that xcopy or robocopy might work for "cloning" an auxiliary drive
to a third drive...
but is not good for the cloning of a live system.

(At least it did not work for me)

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

OK

I tried it but it did not work

xcopy and robocopy (as I expected) could not copy system files that were
in
use

the cloned drive failed to boot due to a registry error

(I am sure there would be more errors, but loading stops on the first one)

So I will continue to use Acronis

I think that xcopy or robocopy might work for "cloning" an auxiliary drive
to a third drive...
but is not good for the cloning of a live system.

(At least it did not work for me)

What's happened to the very first of my instructions?
1. Connect the source & target disks to the secondary IDE controller of some
other Win2000/XP machine

 

[philo]

What's happened to the very first of my instructions?
1. Connect the source & target disks to the secondary IDE controller of some
other Win2000/XP machine

Ooops

I sure missed that one. (Dumb on my part)

But now my question is answered concerning cloning software.

It is useful for cloning a live system when one does not have the "luxury"
of an add'l computer.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Ooops

I sure missed that one. (Dumb on my part)

But now my question is answered concerning cloning software.

It is useful for cloning a live system when one does not have the "luxury"
of an add'l computer.

I answered this one in my previous reply too: "If no spare Win2000/XP
machine is available then you can go through the above steps by booting the
problem machine with a Bart PE boot CD." A Bart PE boot CD takes some time
to manufacture but is a terrific maintenance tool. Otherwise - buy the
cloning software! You now know why it sells so well . . .

 

[philo]

I answered this one in my previous reply too: "If no spare Win2000/XP
machine is available then you can go through the above steps by booting the
problem machine with a Bart PE boot CD." A Bart PE boot CD takes some time
to manufacture but is a terrific maintenance tool. Otherwise - buy the
cloning software! You now know why it sells so well . . .

Yes, though through the years I've managed to clone quite a few drives...but
I saw so many folks referring to Acronis that I decided use it on the "free
trial" basis.

Yep it worked with no problems,
it was easy...so I made the small expenditure to buy it.

For quite a while I had things down to a science here
as all my "bench" machines have removable drive kits (IDE/ATA)
and I can easily add one or two as needed...
but now with SATA it is getting difficult to easily add two drives
and a lot easier to just use the cloning software from within the users
machine.