Problem -- WINDOWS XP/Pro SP2 transfer to new computer using "Acronis True Image"

[Winfried Kaiser]

In order to avoid all the hazzle of a completely new installation of all the
software, I wanted to clone an existing WXP installation onto a new computer
by preparing an image of the WXP partition (in this case drive "D") using
True Image.

On the new computer, I created a fresh bootstrap installation of WXP on
Drive "C", which is working. Then I duplicated the partition structure of
the old computer on the new one, and transferred all files of the old
computer via LAN onto the new computer.

After installtion of True Image on the new computer (running the bootstrap
WXP on drive "C"), and then restored the saved image of the old drive "D" to
the new drive "D" (specifying it as a "primary" partition), which went
perfectly well.

The basic idea was, to completely replicate the old environment, and then to
make a "repair installation" of WXP onto drive "D", in order to take care of
the new computers hardware.

But, alas, the WXP installer only finds an existing WINDOWS installation for
repair on drive "C" (which is my new bootstrap WXP).

Why doesn't it find the WXP installation on drive "D", which I have just
restored using True Image????

How does the WXP installer determine after all, if a/which drive holds a
WINDOWS installation???

What can I do, to have WXP repair my WXP Installation on drive "D"???

(In the "boot.ini" I have also manually included the info for also booting
from drive "D", but trying this crashes WINDOWS.)

I have also tried to use the "Acronis OS Selector" (a boot manager) to find
this WINDOWS installation on drive "D", but also he was not able to find it.

As a complete re-installation of my old environment would consume days, I
would veeeeerrrrrrryyyyyy much like to avoid this!!

Any idea, anybody??


Dipl.-Ing.(TH) Winfried Kaiser
c/o Fortune Systems GmbH & Co.
Postfach1

D-24975 Husby
Germany

Fon: (49)4634-746

 

[Guest]

Did you, in Disk Management, mark the primary d: partition as active..?
Start, Run, type in diskmgmt.msc, ok..Right click on d: and mark as active..
j;-j

 

[Winfried Kaiser]

Yes, I had tried this also, but WINDOWS is missing "NTLDR" at start.

The original system was also a "dual boot" system, booting from "C".

 

[Winfried Kaiser]

Another strange thing about is, that the WINDOWS "recovery console" does
detect the second WINDOWS installation, and lets me connect to it!

Only the bloody WINDOWS installer refuses to let me repair this second
WINDOWS.

 

[Guest]

Have you tried changing the C: partitions drive letter and path to, say,
X:..? Then Change the D: partition to C: and see if you can repair the new XP
install on the newly named C: partition..?
Just a thought, your call..
j;-j