TrueImage 8.0 Boot Failure after restore to different system

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by grippo, Sep 23, 2006.

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  1. grippo

    grippo Registered Member

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    Backup image taken of C: NTFS, D: and E: (extended partition)Fat32 on laptop system. TI booted from 8.0 boot CD. 4 CD set created.

    In order to check restoration, without risking the laptop system, the CDs were transferred to a desktop system, (normally running Win 2000 Pro), with removable hard drives. System booted from TI 8.0 CD, and all 4 CDs verified OK.

    Desktop system prepared for testing restore by deleting all partitions on the 40 MB HD using Partition Magic 6.0, booted from CD. System re-booted from TI 8.0 CD and image restore to HD was successful. It was noticed during the setup dialogue before "Commit" when selecting C: NTFS that C: - > - was shown, not C: ->- C:. (C: was set active).

    Could not boot from restored Image. Win 98 FDISK (from Win 98 startup floppy) run, and NTFS partition (Active) had no drive letter. The two FAT32 drives in the extended partition were shown as C: and D:, not D: and E:,

    Tried FDISK /MBR. No change in drive letter assignments. Where has C: gone?

    I would expect the restored XP system to get as far as user login, and then Product Activation to kick in due to different hardware.

    Any ideas anyone? As I have a backup set that I do not have full confidence in!

    Many thanks
     
  2. jmk94903

    jmk94903 Registered Member

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    Wow! Sometimes the best intentions just don't work out. :)

    First, restoring an image to different hardware normally doesn't work. Restoring a notebook image to a desktop machine is just about 100% guaranteed not to work. The drivers for the notebook just won't be anything like what needed for the desktop's motherboard, video card, etc. That's why the system won't boot. If you ran an 'Upgrade in Place" reinstallation of Windows XP, the system probably would be bootable, but that would negate the value of the experiment in testing the restore.

    Second, a Windows 98 boot floppy only understands FAT formatted disk drives. It can't even see an NTFS formatted drive, so C is invisible when you boot from the floppy; and another partition, one formatted FAT32, is given the C drive letter.

    As long as the backup verified, it's pretty certain that you have a good image. The only test you can do to be completely certain is to restore it to the notebook.
     
  3. grippo

    grippo Registered Member

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    Many thanks for your comments, JMK94903. I did have a recollection of getting as far as the login to XP on a restore to the desktop machine (but possibly mistaken!), but it certainly works OK on an image from the same machine,

    The real problem is you don't want to find out your backup does'nt work when you have restored it on top of the existing flaky but working system, or indeed, after the existing disk has thrown its legs in the air. Unfortunately, laptops don't lend themselves to the idea of removable drives. I'm not sure if this one (HP Pavilion ze5702) can boot from a USB drive. If so, then one would be able to test boot up the restored system, without risking the existing install.

    Any further comments, and thanks again.
     
  4. Xpilot

    Xpilot Registered Member

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    Hmm. Perhaps swapping laptop drives is not as hard as you think. One I have examined is an e-machine. The hard drive is already mounted in a tray that is fixed in the machine with just one crosshead screw. Undo the screw and the drive in its holder can easily be slid out.
    The best way would be to obtain a second mounting tray for the swap drive and the job is done. Otherwise there are a further four small screws and a connector to contend with which makes the job a lot more fiddley. In fact that would make a total of ten screws in one session which would be a bit excessive [​IMG]


    Xpilot.
     
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