file system references disk sectors beyond the partition boundary

[Donald]

I have a 2.0 GHz Gateway computer, with 512 Mb RAM, an 80 Gb Western Digital
Master HD 40 Gb free, & a 80 Gb Western Digital

Slave HD, & a 200 Gb Seagate Firewire HD, running Windows XP Pro SP-1.

I have been successfully cloning my Master HD (which boots & runs normal) to
my Slave HD for over two years every other week

using Norton Ghost 3.0 (part of Symantec System Works 2003). Before each
cloning I would defrag my Master HD using the

Windows defrag program with no problems. Then on 04/28/05 I defragged my
Master HD using the Symantec System Works 2003

defrag program. After that Symantec System Works 2003 defragging, I was
unable to clone my Master Hd, receiving the message

"file system references disk sectors beyond the partition boundary" when
attempting to clone.

Symantec Tech Support advised me to purchase Symantec System Works 2005
which has Ghost 9.0 that gets around this problem.

So I did. This new program does not have a cloning feature, but has HD
complete copy and backup/restore features. Symantec

Tech Support was right, I no longer get this message, however, I now have a
new problem. I copy my Master HD to my Slave HD

using Ghost 9.0, or backup using Ghost 9.0 or the Windows backup program to
my Firewire drive, then I restore to the Slave

HD, formatting it before each copy or restore. My new problem is the Slave
HD won't boot, connecting it as the only HD on

the computer. In order to get it to boot I must run fdisk/mbr from a floppy
disk. Then the copied/restored HD boots & runs

normal.

Symantec Tech Support told me to run CHKDSK, fdisk/mbr, clean boot,
disable/enable virtual memory, & delete the page file on

my Master HD. I did that several times with the same results above. When
Symantec Tech Support ran out of ideas, they told

me that some systems require the fdisk/mbr applied after copy,
backup/restore to get a HD to boot, nobody knows why, not even

Microsoft, but that it works. I don't accept this answer, because it seems
to me that the Symantec System Works 2003 defrag

program somehow moved files outside the partition boundary on my Master HD,
resulting in the message I received immediately

after using it.

I have two questions after this history:

1. Except for the nightmare of fromatting & re-installing everything on my
Master HD, does anyone have any ideas how I can

restore my Master HD (which boots & runs OK) back to a condition where copy
backup/restore of it works normally?

2. One Symantec Tech Support technician told me there is no problem having
Master Slave HD's both Windows bootable,

connected on the computer. Another Symantec Tech Support technician told me
that Master Slave HD's both Windows bootable,

connected on the computer is a disaster waiting to happen. As soon as the
copy or restore is made, that HD should

immediately be removed from the computer. Which is the correct advice?

Thanks for your response & patience.

Regards...Don

 

[Richard Urban]

Donald,

Answers and comments on your problems!

1. I would "never" recommend Norton Speed Disk to anyone. It uses
un-documented system calls and is a disaster waiting to happen. There are
much better defragmenters on the market, PerfectDisk being one of the best.
Diskeeper is another. There is also nothing wrong with the system supplied
de-fragmenting program.

2. There are different opinions regarding backups. You have just heard a few
of them from Symantec. If you want to use the second disk for disaster
recovery it certainly "is not" a good idea to leave it permanently connected
to the system, where it can suffer from the same problems that may kill your
first drive (power spikes etc.).

Image the Windows partition/drive to an external USB 2.0/Firewire hard
drive. Then, turn off the power switch, or physically pull the power plug,
on the external drive. Unless your home burns down, you now have a protected
image of your operating system to restore from.

3. Norton Ghost 9.0 is a fine program. It's "copy" function is the
equivalent of the clone function you referenced.

4. Be certain that you create an image when your operating system is in a
known "good" condition. Remember, crap in = crap out!



--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Bill Blanton]

<below>

I have a 2.0 GHz Gateway computer, with 512 Mb RAM, an 80 Gb Western Digital
Master HD 40 Gb free, & a 80 Gb Western Digital

Slave HD, & a 200 Gb Seagate Firewire HD, running Windows XP Pro SP-1.

I have been successfully cloning my Master HD (which boots & runs normal) to
my Slave HD for over two years every other week

using Norton Ghost 3.0 (part of Symantec System Works 2003). Before each
cloning I would defrag my Master HD using the

Windows defrag program with no problems. Then on 04/28/05 I defragged my
Master HD using the Symantec System Works 2003

defrag program. After that Symantec System Works 2003 defragging, I was
unable to clone my Master Hd, receiving the message

"file system references disk sectors beyond the partition boundary" when
attempting to clone.

Symantec Tech Support advised me to purchase Symantec System Works 2005
which has Ghost 9.0 that gets around this problem.

So I did. This new program does not have a cloning feature, but has HD
complete copy and backup/restore features. Symantec

Tech Support was right, I no longer get this message, however, I now have a
new problem. I copy my Master HD to my Slave HD

using Ghost 9.0, or backup using Ghost 9.0 or the Windows backup program to
my Firewire drive, then I restore to the Slave

HD, formatting it before each copy or restore. My new problem is the Slave
HD won't boot, connecting it as the only HD on

the computer. In order to get it to boot I must run fdisk/mbr from a floppy
disk. Then the copied/restored HD boots & runs

normal.

Symantec Tech Support told me to run CHKDSK, fdisk/mbr, clean boot,
disable/enable virtual memory, & delete the page file on

my Master HD. I did that several times with the same results above. When
Symantec Tech Support ran out of ideas, they told

me that some systems require the fdisk/mbr applied after copy,
backup/restore to get a HD to boot, nobody knows why, not even

Microsoft, but that it works. I don't accept this answer, because it seems
to me that the Symantec System Works 2003 defrag

program somehow moved files outside the partition boundary on my Master HD,
resulting in the message I received immediately

after using it.

I have two questions after this history:

1. Except for the nightmare of fromatting & re-installing everything on my
Master HD, does anyone have any ideas how I can

restore my Master HD (which boots & runs OK) back to a condition where copy
backup/restore of it works normally?

Ghost should only be concerned with the partition table information in
the MBR. Running fdisk /mbr should only be required once. Sounds like a
Ghost bug and tech support was trying to snow you.

To check "sectors beyond the partition boundary", download and run
PartInNT.exe from Synmantec (written by PQ. (hopefully Synmantec hasn't
had time to ruin it yet))

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/tools/pq/utilities/

Look at the "Total Sectors" in the Partition Info pane. Then look at
the Boot Record (highlight volume - click the button at bottom). If FAT32;
"Total" should match "Big Total Sectors. If NTFS; total should be 1 more
than "Total NTFS Sectors". Don't try to correct it.

2. One Symantec Tech Support technician told me there is no problem having
Master Slave HD's both Windows bootable,

connected on the computer. Another Symantec Tech Support technician told me
that Master Slave HD's both Windows bootable,

connected on the computer is a disaster waiting to happen. As soon as the
copy or restore is made, that HD should

immediately be removed from the computer. Which is the correct advice?

I wouldn't necessarily remove the HDD, but I wouldn't leave it visible
either. Doesn't Ghost allow you to hide partitions? If so, that would be
sufficient. I don't know Ghost. FWIW, I use BooitNG and have never had a
problem with it.