I have just installed a new SATA 250 GB Maxtor hard drive in my computer with no problems
Formated ntfs 25 GB C drive and partitioned rest into three parts
Loaded win Xp pro + Drivers+Updates etc to C drive

Decided to back up C drive at this stage (before loading more software) to a separate formatted partition on the origional IDE

drive in the same computer.

This is my first attempt with Norton Ghost 2003 by the way. I was following each stage from tutorial as it happened.

Seemed to go OK until I clicked on final stage to copy to internal IDE drive.
I had not added any USB drivers etc as it was an internal drive I was copying to.

Comp closed down and restarted in PC Dos, with a page showing a grey sheet? with a sand timer in the centre.
I left it for about 10 mins but nothing seemed to be happening?  and the screen was not as shown in tutorial with progress bars

showing.  
So I pressed the ESC button, the comp started to emit a loud screaming noise?
I tried pressing Ctl Alt Del this did not seem to help.
Pressed reset button, computer starts up again but still in Pc Dos

There was also a message on this page.

Iomaga Guest driver version 8.5
Finding a drive letter for your Iomaga drive...
No drive letters added

Mouse driver version 8.2 installed

The previous operation has failed

Gives a choice continue with ghost or revert to Windows if no action is taken will revert back to windows
Returning to windows, but it then just hangs there?


I did have a Gericom 250 GB external drive connected to the comp by USB at the time of composing the ghost image setting but as I

was not using this for the backup I did not think this was a problem.

1.  Currently I am still in the dos mode and do not know how to get out of it and get back to windows, please advise

2.  Any Ideas on how to prevent the same thing happening again would be appreciated

Many thanks

"a loud screaming noise"?  :D

try disconnecting the usb drive before imaging.

there is info here for getting out of dos. lemme see if i can find it 4u.

nightowl knows exactly where it is.

sounds like ur stuck in the virtual partition. this thread may help, but there's a better one (still looking):

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1164744390

this thread might not help, but take a look anyway. still looking

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1154490796

here's another:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1153092120

key words to search for: GHREBOOT ghost virtual (maybe also: stuck, partition)

you probably need to use the ghreboot file.

there's a great thread on it, but in can't seem to locate it.

see if this helps:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/2002102214015625?

here's another:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/8f7dc138830563c888256c2200662ecd/bd9808f917bba85b88256c64007dd58b?

kostas

Here's my list of resources:

How to use GhReboot

Cannot start Windows after starting a Ghost 2003 task from Windows

How to restart the computer into Windows if a problem is encountered after running Ghost 2003

If the *automated GhReboot* does not work, check this thread on how to use the Symantec Ghost DOS command line partitioning program, *gdisk*, as to how to manually change the active partition back to your original partition:  Ghost 2003 -operating system not found

Thank you gentlemen

The ghreboot.exe worked, although I had to get my brother in law to copy it to a floppy as my laptop does not have one and I did not know how to get it from the floppy into the desktop comp as I am not familiar with dos

I am a little wary of trying to make a backup of the OS now?
Any suggestions of a more dependable system/software that will not give me this hassle

Thanks again for the swift response

Run Ghost 2003 from Ghost Boot Disks created in the Norton Ghost Boot Wizard. The virtual partition that you got stuck in will not be created/used at all.

You will have to learn very little DOS to manage it and I promise that it will be worth it.

Christer