Restored image won't boot?

Hi.

I am trying to upgrade to a larger hard disc, transferring data using ATI’s backup and restore features. I have done a full backup of the system disc (disc option ticked, just one partition on it) but when I restore the image to the new (larger) disc the system won’t boot from the new drive.

When I attempt to boot from the new disc the PC first displays a dark screen with a large Windows logo (with three dots running across the screen below the logo), then a blue screen with a small Windows logo, then a blank blue screen. From this point on the display remains unaltered, but after an extended period (a few minutes) the sound effect associated with Windows starting up is played. After a few more minutes the sound of Windows closing is played several times in succession (with about 30 seconds between each playback). The PC then reboots and the process repeats in a loop.

After the restore operation I have tried;
Rebooting with both the original and new discs installed but with the new disc selected as the primary boot disc.
Rebooting having disconnected the original disc.
Rebooting with both discs in place, and with the original disc selected as the primary boot disc, then rebooting with the original disc disconnected.

Each of these options has been tried with a fresh backup and restore operation.

In each case the re-boot after restore has been attempted first without restoring the MBR, then restoring the MBR to the new disc and attempting to boot from the new disc a second time .

Each option has also been tried with the new disc connected to the same SATA port as the original disc (i.e. making it disc 0) and with the new disc connected to the same port as when the restore operation was run.

Cloning the disc works perfectly, which would solve my immediate problem – but I would obviously like to get the restore operation working now, when it isn’t vital, so that it will run OK if it is ever needed.

My knowledge in this area is limited, but I seem to recall experiencing similar symptoms in the past when I cloned a disc, did not disconnect the original disc before rebooting, then attempted to boot from the new disc. I believe this problem arises due to a conflict between the disc identity and the disc identity recorded in Windows (I am hazy on the details). Could something similar be happening with my restore operation?

Does anyone know what might be wrong?

It would be great to solve this problem with the benefit of some knowledgeable advice – this is really starting to take up a lot of time.

Thanks.

 

imprator,

Could you describe for me how you created the image?
Where was the image written?
Did you have both HDs in the computer when the image was created?
Did you have partitions on the second HD when the image of the first HD was created?

When you first booted the new HD, had you removed the old HD from the computer?

 

Brian K

Thanks for your reply.

My existing setup comprises two hard drives, each with a single partition. Both drives are identical. One contains both the operating system and data, the second drive has data only. The partition on the operating system drive appears as “System” in Windows XP’s Disc Management window, the data-only drive is listed as “Active”.

I have two new drives to install, each identical to the other. All drives were installed (i.e. two original + two new drives) when I created the backup image. Each new drive was installed and partitioned (a single partition on each drive) using ATI’s “Add New Disk” function. Both the old and new discs are formatted using NTSC.

I created the disc image using ATI’s “Backup” function, with nil compression. The image was written to one of the new discs. The image was restored to the other new disc.

All four discs (two old and two new) were installed at the time that the image was created on the first new drive, and when it was written to the second new drive.

Both new discs had partitions (one partition on each disc) before the image was written and restored. The partitions were created using ATI’s “Add New Disk” function, as mentioned above (NTSC file system, Primary and Active).

I have tried booting the new hard drive (following a fresh restore) both with the old O/S hard drive disconnected and with it connected. The results were the same. I did leave both the second (data-only) original hard drive and the second new hard drive connected when booting from the new drive for the first time – could this cause a problem?

Thanks.

 

It doesn't take much to confuse True Image. . Try using the Clone function for your situation and use the Rescue CD to do so. Have just the drive with the system and one new drive (the one to be cloned) installed. Leave out the other two drives. After the cloning, remove the old system drive and boot with the new drive. If it boots correctly install the old second drive and the new second drive.

The second drive (with data only) can be copied to the second new drive using Windows Explorer or Xcopy.

 

I prefer to restore using the recovery CD as this is a bit simpler and probably reflects a true failure scenario more accurately. I'd recommend that you configure your "new" drive as you would if your original HD had failed, and just make the backup source drive available - no others (reduces the chance of an error). Boot using the recovery CD and choose the option to restore the MBR. I tried restoring without the MBR option and came unstuck every time, though in my case I got as far as the windows desktop, but couldn't do anything further.

You are right to want to get the backup/restore working, rather than use the cloning process, as you need to know that you can rely upon backups should the worst happen.

You might want to take a look at a thread I initiated (BillyPig) called "Cannot Restore to new partition" (can someone tell me how to insert this as a link ?) as I received some very helpful responses when I had a similar problem.



Pete K

 

imprator,

Thanks for the detailed posts. In your first post you state..

I've seen this screen many times in testing. It's WinXP's way of saying you made a mistake. WinXP is assigning an incorrect drive letter to itself and can't boot. In your case it's because WinXP already saw that destination partition before you created the image. And that partition information is recorded in the registry. So when you restored the image WinXP tried to take that drive letter when it should have been assigning itself C: drive.

Don't be confused by the term clone. It covers partition clone and in effect, that's what you are doing.

Also, after you have completed the restore process, remove the old HD prior to booting to the new HD.

You could make your new HD boot by using Method #3 or prevent it happening by Method #2.

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/partsigs.htm

A simple change in technique will prevent the problem. Only have 2 HDs in your computer, the one containing WinXP and the one which will be the new OS HD. Call them Old and New. From Windows Disk Management, delete the single partition from New. Now New appears as unallocated space in Disk Management and isn't seen in My Computer as it doesn't have a drive letter.

Remove New from the computer and install one of your other HDs. Call it 2. Create an image of Old, writing the image to 2.

Remove Old from your computer and replace it with New. Boot to the Acronis TI CD and restore the image on 2 to the unallocated space on New. Don't create a new partition. When the restore has completed let New boot to WinXP. After the first boot you can add the other HDs if required.

Good luck.

 

BillyPig is referring to this thread.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=167780

His problem was different to yours but there is interesting discussion in that thread.

 

Looks like a drive letter change problem.
Use the demo of "paragon justboot corrector" to bootup your computer, it will analyze your hard drive for operating systems and will tell you how the drive letters on the registry are allocated.
On most default installations the system partition needs to c: . On these problems changing a drive letter and rebooting will get the new hard drive to work.
With windows xp, you need to be perfect in how you restore your hard drive otherwise you get these drive letter changes. It's a 5 minute fix if you have the right utiltys.

this link shows different ways to change drive letters
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=174958

To insert a link to another thread, open the page with the thread and just copy the "URL" from the top of the browser, then just paste that url onto your reply message. That's how I do it, works every time..

 

Hey, great replies guys!

I ran a test restore operation last night in accordance with the advice and it booted-up perfectly. Evidently my problem had been caused by letting Windows "see" the partition on the new disc prior to restoring the image, as advised in your posts.

So, problem solved.

Thanks for taking the time to help; I appreciate it.

Cheers.

 

To insert a link to another thread, open the page with the thread and just copy the "URL" from the top of the browser, then just paste that url onto your reply message. That's how I do it, works every time..[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that and also for the information about the paragon utility.

Pete K (alias BillyPig)