Clone problem.........urgent

I decided to make a clone of my C drive on my server, in case I lose it someday. I used Clone mode - and chose to leave data on the source drive.
When I try to boot from the original source drive, I get a windows error that there is no paging file, and therefore windows won't start. (I get as far as the login, and get the error message after I enter username and password)

The error message suggests I right click "my computer" and change the size of the paging file - but I can't get to "my computer" if I can't log on!

HELP>>>>>>>>>

Thanks
(I am using a Dell 1500SC Poweredge Server with SCSI drives, Windows 2000 with Small Business Server)

 

Hmmm ... you might have to boot with your Windows Installation CD and do a Repair. But if you do, ignore the first dialog window with a Repair option, keep going till you get a second dialog window that has Repair. This one will leave your programs and files intact.

 

What is interesting is that the new drive works fine as a boot drive - everything comes up correct (except the drive comes up as "1" instead of "0", but I think that's a SCSI select matter.

But the whole point of doing ths was to have a spare boot drive - and I don't. Just traded one for another.

I am puzzled as to why ACRONIS did anything to the source drive. That doesn't make sense to me at all. If you clone a chicken, you have to take a few cells from the donor. But I was under the impression that you didn't need to remove anything from a "donor" hard drive to create the clone!

Jay

 

I like your chicken comparison . I have found that the Clone feature is a bit weak - it doesn't take much to throw it a curve. I use only the Image Backup feature. Check your PM.

 

Try booting into safe mode to fix the paging file. By the way, you screwed up by letting the windows see both drives at once.

 

Couldn't get past login in safe mode either.

When I created the clone, I booted from the CD and when it was finished, I shut off the computer and pulled the new drive out before I rebooted to Windows. I don't think Windows saw both drives at the same time.

When I boot from the Windows 2000 CD my choices are but three:
install Windows 2000
Repair a previous installation
Exit

I can't get to a second "repair" screen as exit just closes the program.

The "urgent" part is less so as I have found the clone works..........but I really want to get this other drive up again.


Thanks

Jay

 

I booted from the Windows 2000 Cd and clicked "repair"
This lets me go to the repair console - which gives me a cmd prompt screen.

If it is useful, can't figure out how.

Jay

 

This thread should give you some insights:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=83783&highlight=paging+file

The best results now would come from zero filling the drive that does not work and recloning from the drive that does work. (If you are brave)

 

Re-read Chutsman's post - I think you're at the wrong Repair.

 

Well, I don't know if Win2k has that "second Repair" feature ... I thought it was a WinXP system. But here's another option which requires a third drive.

Use the Image Backup feature instead of Clone. IMHO, it is too easy to make the Clone feature NOT work. The Image Backup/Restore feature is a more solid process.

 

I think my puzzle concerning why this happened is answered at:
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=249321

This is evidently a problem evident only in Windows 2000.

I'll try one of the suggested methods for repair - and be thankful that the cloned drive actually works. If the repair works, then I'll run off the original drive, put the clone away in case I need it later and use drive image instead of clone from now on!

The link from "beentherebe4" was great - and it took me to a site for Ghost that suggested using chkdsk /r (didn't work) - not too far from MSFT solution of FDISK /MBR

Anyway - if I get this problem resolved, I'll post the solution. The forum is very generous - and quick. Particular thanks to Chutsman....... you're particularly generous with your time and advice. Yes, u r.

 

Problem solved! Found a very old floppy (Win 95) and booted.
Ran fdisk /mbr
Took about two seconds. Was sure it couldn't work as I have no idea how Win 95 floppy could cause anything to write to a SCSI drive without drivers......
Rebooted and everything was normal!

4.5 hours and 2 seconds later - moral of story.... don't throw out anything, and never give up.

I'll repost this to a single message with appropriate key words to hopefully save someone else the aggravation.

Thanks to everyone who helped!

Jay

 

Hi Jay,

If you're still interested, Method #3 ("Kawecki's Trick") in this <Dan Goodell> article explains how/why the Win9x fdisk /mbr command resets an incorrect DiskID.

Regards

 

There is some elegance in one system problem being easily fixed by a because of bit of legacy software was a bit sloppy. Sounds like a Sherlock Holmes mystery: The case of the four bit redundancy.

I'm just glad I still had a floppy drive on my server.

Thanks

Jay