Q abt Powershadow 2.6 & Dual-boot with Linux

In XP -> go to Full-shadow mode -> restart PC -> boot in Linux instead of XP -> Linux sees but cannot mount my NTFS partitions??

Hi,

It seems I've always rebooted back into XP when using PowerShadow 2.6. But 1st time just now I booted into Linux after being in full shadow mode. Linux see 0 files in my shadowed partitions, until I reboot to XP then back again into Linux.

So there's some kind of lock on the drives that's not OS dependent? I'm not too knowledgable, if someone can explain in simple terms, THANKS.

Dual-booting with Pardus Linux.

 

Hi

That's wat I did, thanks. But just wondering how PS, initiated from within windows, has some kind of a "hold" on those drives that's not dependent on OS?

Is it something to do with MBR, partition tables?

 

Actually I'm partially amazed, yet partially scared. If my win os partition crashes when I'm not fully out of shadow mode, then my other partitions/HDDs will they always remain locked out?

Hoping there's some explanation that says that can't actually happen to hdds.

 

Yesterday, my fears came true. Was in Full Shadow mode, and upon PC reboot to windows -> BSOD just before reaching desktop :

BAD_POOL_CALLER
Stop: 0x000000C2 (0x00000043, 0xD8F02000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

My NTFS partitions wouldn't mount, seems I got locked out of all image-backups & data . Tried safe mode & last known config, but same BSOD except the two alpha-numerics in red. Knowing only bits & pieces it was a struggle but with lots of luck, I managed to unlock my partitions, image-restore windows, and got out of the mess:

1. In linux, run GParted.
2. Try to mount partition. Mount will fail, but it will suggest a Force Mount command (at own risk, it says) -> Copy that command.
3. In Terminal, as Root (in Pardus linux, "su -"), use the Force Mount command in #2 -> Partition mounted!
4. Repeat #2 #3 until all locked partitions are mounted. Don't try to reboot to windows, will still BSOD & partitions will get locked again.
5. Image-restore windows with boot cd.
_____________________
Actually I did a MBR restore before #5. I wasn't sure if MBR was affected, but now I don't think that was necessary.

As to the BSOD, perhaps my setting PageDefrag at every boot could have messed with PS's shadowed files? Not sure but I've disabled PageDefrag & will run it manually now. PowerShadow I'll still use but maybe just Single Shadow mode now

 

PowerShadow's full shadow mode did not work for me last time I used it, some days ago, but it's probably my fault. I wanted to test-run DriveSentry GoAnywhere beta on my Seagate PushButton. I first started PS full-shadow and went testing my new toy. Then when I finished and reboot my pc, PS saw nothing of what had happend on my USB external HD.
(And it might be because it works only with internal hard-drives, here is my fault to not have reread the *** user manual.)

Actually, my problem with PowerShadow is that I cannot cleanly get rid of it: each time I uninstall it and clean my system of its dead driver left behind, I find myself rebooting in a festival of blue screens.

I would now prefer to use Shadow Defender, as it protect hd low level playfield, and is actively maintained and developed. (Btw can SD protect external drives?)

But I should say that, otherwise, PowerShadow has always work nicely in both shadow modes, with all the partitions on my 2 local hard drives.
It's only its love affair with my system that keep annoying me. I will try again to uninstall it with using TotallUninstall and Revo Uninstaller, but i am not confident that they can help with PS' driver...

 

Hi ruinebabine,

I didn't realize there would be problems uninstalling PS, thanks for pointing out. I thot someone posted that it uninstalled relatively cleanly, some time ago...

For me, I guess PS would remain on this computer - it's already abt 8 yrs old now - probably until the end, lol! It has been working very well for me, except for this one MAJOR hiccup. Luckily this time I managed to get out of jail.

 

Hello,

Linux, in general, will not mount partitions that were not unmounted by another operating system to prevent possible data corruption.

You can force the mount, but the question is, do you want it?

Mrk

 

I had no choice - can't get PS to complete unmount, can't image restore win partition, can't get data out of "locked" partitions. Really panicked.

 

Oh I understand ur question now. Thanks for clarify what was happening in post #1!