Making a Cloned Image Bootable

[Guest]

OK, Here is the problem. I have cloned my 12 gig to a new IDE 80 gig using
Acronis TrueImage. But when I make this new image the master ide it will not
boot. I get error messages of ARC and HAL problems. Acronis support says
that I must use XP SP2 sysprep utility first on the old drive. Microsoft
support will not help since the original OS ME was OEM enough though I
purchased a retail upgrade to XP. Can somone please explain what I need to
do to make my new image bootable after cloning. What options in Sysprep for
SP2 do I use to prepare the old HD for the cloning? Is there anything I have
to do afterward other that to remove the old HD and make the new image the
primary HD?

Thansk
Mike

 

[RA]

Set your disk to boot in the program you are using to burn the disk.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Mike.

Most likely, you will need to do an in-place upgrade, as described by
Microsoft here:
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q315341

and by MVP Michael Stevens here:
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

I've never used SysPrep, and I've not worked with a computer that was
upgraded from a pre-installed WinME, but that should not matter in your
case.

First, physically install your new 80 GB HD as the primary master. LEAVE
the old HD UNPLUGGED for now! Otherwise, Setup will get confused when it
finds the Active (bootable) partition on the old HD; it probably will assign
THAT partition Drive Letter C:, forcing the first partition on your 80 GB
HD - which you expect to become your new Drive C: - to become Drive G: or H:
or whatever is the next letter available after your existing partitions.
:>( We've seen many users with that complaint here, and the only advice we
can give them is to start over - with the old HD unplugged. (After WinXP is
reinstalled properly on the 80, you can plug in the old HD as slave or
secondary and use Disk Management to configure it any way you like,
including repartitioning and reformatting it if you choose.)

Then boot from your retail WinXP CD-ROM and run Setup. Follow the
instructions in KB 315341, using Method 2, and be sure to NOT choose "R" for
Repair the first time it is offered (in Step 3), but to press Enter there,
accept the EULA, then choose "R" in Step 5 to Repair your existing
installation.

This will completely reinstall WinXP itself (the version that is on your
WinXP CD-ROM), but leave your installed applications and data intact. If
your WinXP CD has SP2 integrated, you're just about done; otherwise, be sure
to update it as quickly as you can. In either case, once your firewall and
antivirus are back in place, go to Windows Update to be sure that you have
SP2 and any later updates.

RC

 

[RA]

Please disregard my incredibly stupid answer. I didn't read the post
thoroughly.

 

[Harry Ohrn]

It seems this happens due to the upgrade in hardware. Your new 80GB drive is
the culprit. You should be able to run a Repair Install to resolve this -
see How To Run A Repair Install
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| OK, Here is the problem. I have cloned my 12 gig to a new IDE 80 gig
using
| Acronis TrueImage. But when I make this new image the master ide it will
not
| boot. I get error messages of ARC and HAL problems. Acronis support says
| that I must use XP SP2 sysprep utility first on the old drive. Microsoft
| support will not help since the original OS ME was OEM enough though I
| purchased a retail upgrade to XP. Can somone please explain what I need
to
| do to make my new image bootable after cloning. What options in Sysprep
for
| SP2 do I use to prepare the old HD for the cloning? Is there anything I
have
| to do afterward other that to remove the old HD and make the new image the
| primary HD?
|
| Thansk
| Mike