Arrgh!  I just clicked to Post and lost my very detailed cry for help.  Here’s an abbreviated version….

A little while ago I had to replace my HD.  I used WD’s tools to “clone” the drive.  The system had all sorts of irritating issues and I finally decided to simply use the Dell System Recovery option as I didn’t have time to go fix every issue as they popped up.

I used DSRfix to get a look at the partitions.  The output was

Alert:  Boot code does not match Dell MBR
Good:  PBR descriptor 1 is type DE
Good:  PBR descriptor 2 is type 07
Good:  PBR descriptor 3 is type DB
Info :   PBR descriptor 4 is type 00
Good:  PBR 1 is fat16 label is Dell Utility
Good:  PBR 3 is fat32 label is Dell Restore
Alert:  Reference partition table not in sync

Seeing that PBR 3 was the restore as I’d expected, I used DSRfix /f to fix the alerts.  I did not receive any errors.

Upon booting, however, I get a screen that says “PBR 3 done” and then the system hangs there.

Before doing any of this I’d backed up my data and knew I had multiple Ghost backups.  I then used Ghost 2003 to Restore Partition from Image (via CDs).  This completed w/o errors.

When I attempt to boot from the HD, or even a XP reinstall disk, I still hang at a screen of “PBR 3 done”.

When I use Ghost 2003 and select the destination partition I see the Dell Restore and Dell Utility partitions “greyed out”.

I’m obviously typing this from another system.  It happens to be a duplicate of the first, with the only HD difference being the HD that was replaced on the system that is now not working.

I have a Dell 8400 running XP Home.  I have a CD, DVD, and Floppy.  I have Ghost 2003 and Ghost 10.

What is the best way out of this problem?  I’d thought about cloning the second systems HD to the first one’s HD and then trying a Cntrl F11 from there.  But at this point I thought I’d best check with “those who know”.

How do I get myself out of the mess I’ve gotten into?
:'(

I chatted with Dell and they've had me reload the OS via the resource CD.  But noiw that I walk back into the room the sick computer has only a blinking cursor in the upper left hand corner of a black screen.

I'm thinking it is stuck in the Ghost virtual partition and know that I've seen msgs about how to fix that here.  (I don't have my Bookmarks on my friend's computer!)  I've used search but can't find anything here or at Symantec.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?  I've been reading the FAQs but cannot find it there yet.

Thanks!

artesian79

Don't feel as if you are being ignored--but I don't think too many folks have experience with the Dell restore feature.

Forum member Dan Goodell is the expert in this area, but his participation is not on a regular basis--and your thread title might not attract his attention.

A thread title like *Dell Restore Partition Problem* or something more specific to your problem might catch his eye.


Quote:

I'm thinking it is stuck in the Ghost virtual partition and know that I've seen msgs about how to fix that here.

Why do you think you're trapped in the Ghost *virtual partition*?  Ghost only uses the virtual partition when you use  the Ghost Windows interface to set up the Ghost procedure, and then Ghost closes down Windows and re-boots to DOS--is that how the Dell restore from the resource CD works?

Here's references on recovering from the *virtual partition*:

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

artesian79 wrote on Mar 12^th, 2007 at 6:46pm:

But noiw that I walk back into the room the sick computer has only a blinking cursor in the upper left hand corner of a black screen.

artesian79,

I had a Dell 8400 with the same blinking cursor problem. Dell replaced my motherboard which fixed it but it recurred a month later. Motherboard was replaced again and the computer was OK for another month. Then it recurred. The computer was taken to their head service centre and they diagnosed a bad RAM module. Luckily for me they dropped the computer and it was replaced with a 9150.