Help, Can't Clone T20 Hard Drive

[Jim Walker]

I have attempted several times to clone the hard drive of my T20 to an
external USB 2 hard drive. I am using Ghost 2003. I set it up in Windows
and the cloning process takes place in DOS. When I switch HDs and try to
boot up on the new HD I get the message, NTFS is missing. I note that the
new HD shows about 460 MB less used space than the original HD. That must
be a clue, but I don't have a good idea on how to fix it. In the set up I
get the window on USB drive and it shows it as 1.1. Apparently that can
happen if something in the computer is not compatible with 2.0. In any case
it seems that it should still work at 1.1 at a reduced speed of about 50
MB/minute. One suggestion from the knowledge base of Symantec is to format
and partition the new HD with the recovery disk but don't copy the OS. I
haven't done this yet and I am not sure I can stop the recovery process at
just the formatting. Help.

 

[Eric Gisin]

If you get "ntldr not found", it means the ntfs boot sector loaded but the
geometry is different from when ghost wrote the boot sector (so USB and IDE
are different CHS).

 

[Rod Speed]

I have attempted several times to clone the hard drive of my T20 to an
external USB 2 hard drive. I am using Ghost 2003. I set it up in Windows
and the cloning process takes place in DOS. When I switch HDs and
try to boot up on the new HD I get the message, NTFS is missing.

Surely it doesnt actually say that last does it ?

I note that the new HD shows about 460 MB less
used space than the original HD. That must be a clue,

Yeah, very likely.

but I don't have a good idea on how to fix it.

I'd have a closer look at exactly what is
different, whats missing on the external drive.

In the set up I get the window on USB drive and it shows
it as 1.1. Apparently that can happen if something in the
computer is not compatible with 2.0. In any case it seems
that it should still work at 1.1 at a reduced speed of about
50 MB/minute. One suggestion from the knowledge base
of Symantec is to format and partition the new HD with the
recovery disk but don't copy the OS. I haven't done this yet
and I am not sure I can stop the recovery process at
just the formatting.

Post a link to that KB article, cant find it with a quick look

 

[Jim Walker]

Rod
I wrote the wrong error message. The correct one is "NTLDR is missing"
and the KB link is
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...00/NT/Me/98/XP&src=sg&pcode=ghost&svy=&csm=no.
I can't determine what is missing because I can't boot up. Perhaps if I
used an emergency boot disk I could start the OS. I am continuing to try
different things like different USB drivers.

 

[Rod Speed]

I wrote the wrong error message. The correct one is "NTLDR is missing"

Yeah, that makes a lot more sense.

Thats basically just saying that the boot
loader cant see the files it needs to boot.

Most likely because the geometry detail in the
boot records is different when the drive is in the
USB housing and when its in the laptop itself.

and the KB link is

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...00/NT/Me/98/XP&src=sg&pcode=ghost&svy=&csm=no.

Nothing much of any real value there.

I can't determine what is missing because I can't boot up.
Perhaps if I used an emergency boot disk I could start the OS.
Maybe.

I am continuing to try different things like different USB drivers.

The problem isnt the drivers, its the different geometry
detail with the drive on different controllers most likely.

Not clear what you can do to achieve what you want to do.
Try different USB external cases to see if one of them
happens to use the same geometry detail as the laptop does
is the most promising but likely not that easy for you to try.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Yeah, that makes a lot more sense.

Thats basically just saying that the boot
loader cant see the files it needs to boot.

Most likely because the geometry detail in the
boot records is different when the drive is in the
USB housing and when its in the laptop itself.
ROTFLOL!

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...00/NT/Me/98/XP&src=sg&pcode=ghost&svy=&csm=no.

Nothing much of any real value there.


The problem isnt the drivers, its the different geometry
detail with the drive on different controllers most likely.

Not clear what you can do to achieve what you want to do.
Try different USB external cases to see if one of them
happens to use the same geometry detail as the laptop does
is the most promising but likely not that easy for you to try.