Image restore Questions

Hi,

I'm using TI8 build 937. I created an image of my WinXP SATA hard drive to a network share. I removed the drive and replaced it with the exact same make and model drive. I restored the image to the new HDD. When I boot, I get an error that says something like: Windows can't access the HDD or can't find the path......



Must I format the new drive before restoring the image or does TI8 take care of that? In this case, I did not format the drive.

What type of partition do I choose? In this case I chose ACTIVE.

Thanks

 

Check the c:\boot.ini. I'll bet you had a little partition on the old drive so the boot.ini probably looks like this. The (2) should be a (1) if you made only 1 partition.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

You can boot up in windows recovery console and use bootcfg to fix it. I wrote myself the following note to remind myself how to handle this in the future.

BOOTCFG – Controls the boot.ini file

After using acronis trueimage to load a hard drive, sometimes windows will not boot and show the error:

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

The problem is in the c:\boot.ini file. It might reference partition 2 and now you don’t have a partition 2, only partition 1. Of course you can’t edit it if you can’t boot. So you boot the recovery console and run bootcfg to fix it. Actually bootcfg will add a boot reference to partition 1 and you will get an option to boot off partition 1 and partition 2. You can then delete the reference to partition 2 once the system is running fine.


A knowledgebase article about the use of bootcfg is online at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q291980/

Boot from the Windows XP CD
Run the recovery console
At the prompt

C:\ bootcfg /?

It will list it’s options. Here are a few:


The bootcfg /add command scans the computer for Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP (if it is dual booting) installations, and then displays the results. From this location, you can add an installation to the Boot menu.

You may receive a message that is similar to the following message:
Scanning all disks for Windows Installations
Please wait, since this may take a while...

Total Identified Windows Installs: 1

[1] C:\Windows

Select installation to add: (select a number)

Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
You can type: Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)
/fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn


I hope this helps.
Selwyn

 

Thank you very much, Selwyn!

The HDD has (3) partitions, in fact.

The boot.ini file does show "2".

Must I format the drive before restoring the image?

Can I image all (3) partitions and restore all (3)?

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

If you image the entire drive (all 3 partitions) and restore all 3, the new drive will work fine. This is one of those "features" of True Image. It only can guarantee a bootable drive if all the partitions are included in the image and restored together.

The good news is that you don't have to format the drive. TI will overwrite everything as if you had repartitioned and reformatted the drive whether it's a new unformatted drive or a previously formatted drive.

So, create a new image of the entire hard drive and restore that to the second drive. Everything should be fine.

 

Hi Tom,

If you image the entire drive (all 3 partitions) and restore all 3, the new drive will work fine. This is one of those "features" of True Image. It only can guarantee a bootable drive if all the partitions are included in the image and restored together.

The good news is that you don't have to format the drive. TI will overwrite everything as if you had repartitioned and reformatted the drive whether it's a new unformatted drive or a previously formatted drive.

So, create a new image of the entire hard drive and restore that to the second drive. Everything should be fine.

 

Thanks, John!

Appreciate the reply!