New Hard Drive, how to make it bootable?

[Scott Townsend]

I have a new Hard drive and I've imaged my old drive to the new Drive. I
can see all of the files, the special boot files in the Root of C Drive,
though the HD Wont boot.

Is there something I need to do to the Boot Sector/Record to get it to boot?

When I go to the Recovery Console it asks for the Admin Password. I've
entered the Password and it does not like it. I know that is the password
as I just changed it before I did the Image.

Does it matter what XP CD you boot from to the Recovery Console? I have an
IBM Laptop, so I dont have a WinXP SP2 OEM CD. I do have a Open License
WinXP (No SP CD) could it be using a different password retrieval and not
getting the right one?

Thanks,
Scott<-

 

[Dave B.]

If it was imaged properly it should be bootable, what did you use for the
image?

 

[Scott Townsend]

I'm Using Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 1.1

I've Tried the Image Boot, Image All, -ID And still nothing.

Its like there is something fundamental about the Drive that is not set.

I've tried with several new 100 GB Drives and several Sources, all with the
same results.

I'm working IBM G40/G41 Series laptops. I'd like to Copy the original Disk
to get the Recovery partition, boot sector, etc.

When Ghosting All I get is a Flashing Cursor.

I was thinking maybe start an XP install on the Disk to get it to at least
boot & Have the partial Install boot the Drive, then Do a Ghost image onto
it??

Thanks,
Scott<-

 

[George Valkov]

a/
Attach to a working windows. Format. Now it should be bootable. Extract
files. Move back the HDD to your computer and it should work.

b/
If you make it to recovery console type:
map
No you see what partitions and disks you have. Choose the correct drive
letter which it is using (in this exabple c and type:
fixboot c:
If it still does not work, try:
fixmbr \Device\HardDisk1
(in this example the partition is on \Device\HardDisk1)

WARNING:
Using FIXMBR incorrectly will lead to data loss on disk or partition. NEVER
use FIXMBR on partition (fixmbr \Device\HardDisk1\Partition1).

To fix the boot record on a partition always use FIXBOOT with either drive
letter or \Device\HardDisk1\Partition1.

 

[Dave B.]

Ok, laptop. Are you ghosting the drives in a different computer using hard
drive adapters or does your laptop support 2 hard drives?

 

[Scott Townsend]

Its on another Desktop with 2.5 to 3.5 adapters.

Thanks

 

[Scott Townsend]

Thanks, I'll try these Suggestions next.

I think the FixBoot and FixMBR do make it bootable, though they kill the
Press F11 (or IBM Access Button) startup that is in the MBR/Sector.

When I tried to just use the Recovery CDs on the new HD it didn't like the
new HD. Gave Boot Failures.

I started an XP Install, did a Format and let it get to the part of the
install where it reboots into Windows.

I then put back in the Factory Recovery CD and its letting me go a head now.

On the Next HD I'll Try Formatting it in Windows, then doing the Ghost of
the Drive and see what I get.

Thanks!

 

[Dave B.]

Ok, I had this exact same problem with my Thinkpad A20M, it was due to
differences in the hard drive controllers between the machine used for
ghosting and the laptop, I tried ghosting on another desktop with a
different motherboard chipset/ide controller and the no boot problem
dissappeared.

 

[DL]

I used an external drive caddy/usb - worked fine

Ok, I had this exact same problem with my Thinkpad A20M, it was due to
differences in the hard drive controllers between the machine used for
ghosting and the laptop, I tried ghosting on another desktop with a
different motherboard chipset/ide controller and the no boot problem
dissappeared.

 

[George Valkov]

Scott, I read that the boot stops on blinking cursor. This is most likely
invalid or non-existing Master Boot Record.
Create a partition and format it. Then use FixMBR on the disk. And then
extract the files. Or if you rewrite the entire partition, try FixBoot after
if it is not working.

My policy for backups is to run:
ntbackup.exe
backup or restore files with it. All partitions are created and configured
under windows. If this is a new disk, I may need to use FixMBR. There is one
situation in which you won`t need FixMBR and this is when you are installing
windows, because setup will take care of this.


How it starts:
When BIOS try to boot from a disk it sends the control to the Master Boot
Record (MBR). The MBR created by windows simply redirects the boot process
to the active partition (the one marked as bootable). There are other MBR
managers like LILO and BootMagic that are programs and alow you to do other
tasks or select a partition to boot from.

Also make shure there is a partition marked as active (bootable). Else it
will try too boot from another disk, if configured to do so.