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restore OS from an image to the same drive (Read 51951 times)
manman
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restore OS from an image to the same drive
Jul 24th, 2006 at 12:19pm
 
I think this is not a big deal, but i can't restore my OS:

I made an image using my Ghost 2003 from my OS partition ( G: ).
I re-created this partition (using MMC)
Then, I restored that partition from the image files. And, it didnt work. The Windows started, but froze (the colored screen with Windoes starts appeared, but the logon screen did not).

The letter assigned remain the same - G:

The image files are not corrupt (I have 2 sepparate images, and the behaviour is the same)

Also the harddisk is the same. The number of the partitions is differrent (i.e. I deleted another partition). But I repeat, the letter asigned to OS partition is the same.

What can I do? I have many programmes installed there.

Thank you



 
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #1 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 12:45pm
 
manman

Quote:
I re-created this partition (using MMC)

Not sure what you are referring to--best not to use *abbreviations* until after you identify what they refer to.

Quote:
The number of the partitions is differrent

The boot process has two steps that are critical--and changing the *layout* of your system may muck this up:

1.  *boot.ini* has to point to the correct *partition*--that's probably where the problem is if you have changed the number of partitions.

2.  Once the boot process finds the correct partition from *boot.ini*, then the drive letter assignment has to correspond to what the OS registry points to.

What capabilities do you have?--

Are you able to create DOS boot disks and run DOS utilities?

Do you have PartitionMagic's DOS boot and program disks? 

Do you have another WinXP system where you can create WinXP boot disks (floppies)? 

Can you boot your system from floppies?
 

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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #2 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 1:08pm
 
Thank you.

Soryy for MMC = Microsoft Management Console

The system is booting from the correct partition simply because I have only 2 hard disks:

HDD1: 3 partitions, the OS1 on the third - here is the problem
HDD2: 3 partitions, the OS2 on first - functional

When the system is booting, I press on "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" line. The corresponding line of the boot.ini is:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

(there is no other line in the file labeled like this)

I dont have any other OS on the 3rd partition, on HDD2. So that's why I don't think the cause is boot.ini file.


I have a ghost boot disk (floppy). I have a second OS, completelly functional, on HDD2, with Ghost 2003 installed on it.

And the problem is the system (Windows) is loading, but after some seconds, before the logon screen appearing,the system freeze.
 
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #3 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 2:09pm
 
manman

So, explain again what you have done--you said you have changed the layout of the HDD that you restored to:

Quote:
The number of the partitions is differrent (i.e. I deleted another partition).

I don't see what you mean by this given your last post.

As far as creating an image and restoring--what was the sequence of procedures--which HDD is the source and the destination in each step?

Were both HDD's hooked up when booted to WinXP?

Did you do the Ghost procedures in DOS vs using the Ghost Windows GUI?
 

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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #4 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 2:59pm
 
OK. Here are the sequence:

(Note: HDD2 remain the same, the OS2 is OK)

State 1:


Harddisk        Partitions
-----------------------------------------
HDD1:         C
E F G
       OS 1 (functional in this state)
HDD2:         D H I             OS 2 (functional)

Actions :


1. make an image of G;
2.
delete E, F, G
(using Microsoft Management Console from OS2, but I think it doesnt matter)
3.
make 2 new partitons: E G

4. restore the image to the new partition G

So now am I in:

State 2:


Harddisk        Partitions
-----------------------------------------
HDD1:         C
F G
       OS 1 (with problems)
HDD2:         D H I            OS 2 (functional)

(E is CDROM - doesnt matter, I think)

The boot is OK, the selection screen with OS (from boot.ini) appears; I select OS1 and the system begin to load, the Windows loading screen appears (that screen with the cursor blinking), then the system freeze - it appears blue screen (not BSOD) but without users - just the logo

I think the problem is with the action 4, i.e. the new partition has a different identificator. Nota bene: the HDD1 (the psysical drive) is (remain) the same.

The boot.ini is on C:

I restored using the DOS versions og Ghost; furthetmore, I have 2 versions (images) of the same G, and the behavior is the same.

 
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #5 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 4:07pm
 
Manman, I infer that your end-in-mind objective is to reallocate space among partitions on HDD1 (and possibly hide one partition).  If that is the case, then have you considered (A) restoring your system to State 1, and then (B) using Partition Magic to accomplish the objective rather than Ghost?
 

ple • o • nasm n. “The use of more words than are required to express an idea”
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #6 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 4:33pm
 
yes, my goal was to reallocate the space between partitions.

But right now I cant restore the system to the state 1, simply because I have an image only for the G partitions.

Yes, I could use PartitionMagic, but, at that moment, I only had Ghost.

At this moment, restore the system to the state 1 manually (i.e. using Partition magic) is not a good solution for me. Reason: my F partition is ~ 90GB of important data. And, you know the rule - you use Partition Magic on your own risk. I could write 90Gb on DVDs but... no time.

Plus, I plan to use Ghost for restoring my system in the case of a drive failure. What on earth I will acomplish that, if, for the same HDD, and the same letter of volume it didint work?

But first I want to make the OS1 functional.

Another thing: on OS1 I have no important data - I want that OS only for installed programs and settings. Furtermore, the files (Program files, documents & settings) are restored, I can copy the files. Can I somehow repair Windows (Repair from WinXP CD) and then have those programs installed and functional?

thanks



 
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #7 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 5:52pm
 
manman

If you put */SOS* at the end of the line for the problem OS, that eliminates the Windows splash screen during boot, and you might then see the error state that Windows is freezing at:

Quote:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
/SOS


To find out if it's a *boot.ini* partition problem, probably the fastest testing is to create, using your functional WinXP (?) system, a WinXP boot floppy that bypasses the *boot.ini* and other boot files on the HDD.

See here for the outline: 
How to use System files to create a boot disk to guard against being unable to start Windows XP
.

Here's a *generic*  *boot.ini*:

Quote:
[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition
(1)
\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /SOS


I have created 4 boot floppies using the WinXP format, and not the MS-DOS startup disk option.  Added Boot.ini, NTLDR, and Ntdetect.com to each.   And for each floppy the *partition(x)* in *boot.ini* is incremented by 1--so 1 thru 4--these represent the 4 possible primary partitions that Windows can be booted from on a *standard* boot scenario for Microsoft.  (Alternatively, you can edit the *partition(x)* on a single boot floppy after each boot attempt with numbers 1 thru 4 and then attempt to re-boot after each edit.)

I then boot the system from the boot floppy one at a time until the system boots (if it's going to, at least  Wink !), then I know based on the *boot.ini* that worked, what number belongs in the *boot.ini* that's on the HDD.

I know you are going to argue that you have three partitions and the OS is on the third *physical* partition of the HDD--but--we don't get to see what Disk Management or MMC is doing to the partition table.  Here's the deal--there's 4 primary slots--the order of the partitions in the partition table depend on the order that the partitions were created--and not on the *physical* positions that they exist on the HDD.  I (and you) don't know if after you deleted the two partitions, if Disk Management and/or the HDD's partition table forces the next new partition that's created to go into that 4th position before going back to the first, second, or 3rd position to see if they are in use or available for enumerating the newly created partition.  So, it's possible that your partition table lists the partitions *out of order* relative to their *physical* placement.  And, the partition table order is what *partition(x)* looks at, and not the physical layout!!!!

There are ways to *look* at the partition table to determine if the order is not *sequential*, but that will take more time to explain and test out than the above *quick* test can take.

Results?

 

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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #8 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 6:32pm
 
manman

Here's the information on trouble shooting the partition table to see if it's sequential or *out of sequence*:

Editing the Boot.ini file using BTini


If you look under *Editing Boot.ini*, it explains how to use *PartInfo.exe* to generate a *Diagnostic Report*--
after the shown example of the diagnositic report, it outlines how to determine what the actual boot number is that's needed for the *partitition(X)* in the boot.ini file


That *outline* starts after the line *
To identify the order in which the primary partitions exist in the MBR, generate a PARTINFO report (see the following example).
*.

Under the heading *Obtaining the Boot.ini file*--there's a link to download the program to edit boot.ini called *BTini*, or click the link below:

BTini.zip


***********************************************
There appears to be better tools for editing *boot.ini* now:

The Ghost 9.x and 10.x *Recovery Disk*, I think under *Advanced Utilities* has a *Edit Boot.ini* utility.

And there is a freeware program that can be run from DOS from TeraByte called *EditBINI* found here:

TeraByte Unlimited Freeware--look for EditBINI


***********************************************

You can get *PartInfo for DOS* here:

PartInfo.zip for DOS


and how to use it here:

Generating diagnostic reports using Partinfo.exe


***************************************

This tool may give the needed information faster:

MBRWizard - The MBR utility you've been looking for!


If you run the DOS version from a DOS boot floppy with the command line:  *mbrwizd.exe /list*

The website says this command line will:

Quote:
Display the partitions listed in the MBR, their order in the MBR, partition type, size, and whether active or hidden.
The Pos field indicates the order the partitions are laid out on disk
,
while MBRndx shows them as they're listed in the MBR record
.


So, you get one column *Pos* that shows the layout of the partitions on the disk, and a second column *MBRndx* showing the order they appear in the MBR (partition table)--that should be the number needed for the *partition(x)* value.



 

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John.
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #9 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 8:14pm
 
This may not be the exact answer/solution, but something you should consider.

As others have said, it is *possible* that the partition(number) is or was a factor.  However, at this point I don't think it is.

I believe the problem is that your system boot drive letter has changed.

State 1:

Harddisk        Partitions
-----------------------------------------
HDD1:         C E F G        OS 1 (functional in this state)
HDD2:         D H I             OS 2 (functional)

State 2:

Harddisk        Partitions
-----------------------------------------
HDD1:         C F G        OS 1 (with problems)
HDD2:         D H I            OS 2 (functional)

By deleting your state1 E partition, you have caused the drive letters on HDD1 to change.  Hence although you say, HDD1 is now C F G, I believe it is C E F.  The reason for that is that Windows (Dos, Windows 9x, XP etc) assigns the first partition on the first hard drive as c:, and then IF a second hard drive exists, it's first partition gets D:, then E, F, G, etc are assigned to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, partitions of HDD1.

Your configuration now is:

HDD1: C E F, where F is your boot drive.

This normally never occurs because by default, c: is the normal boot drive partition and any partition manipulation occurs AFTER the c: partition.  In your case I will bet money that you at one time had a DUAL BOOT system (or maybe had Windows 98 and then created a dual boot system for XP which was put on G: )

To fix it you could/should put a small partition physically after C on HDD1.

The other choice is to run an XP Repair Install.

The other choice is to modify the registry offline (BartPE) something along these lines:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188/ ; except you are trying to change F: so it says G: ( I think... )

Be sure you have confirmed TESTED backups before experimenting with any of this.

Sorry I don't have all my notes and references handy here now, but wanted to through this out in case you don't resolve it by modifying the boot.ini, as others have suggested.

 

Ghost4me  Ghost 9, 10, 12, 14, 15.  Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
 
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Brian
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #10 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 8:44pm
 
manman,

See this thread..

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=11406...

The joys of restoring an OS not on the C: drive.

 
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #11 - Jul 24th, 2006 at 9:11pm
 
manman

In your first post, you were very emphatic:

Quote:
The letter assigned remain the same - G:

Why did you make that statement?

How are you so sure?
 

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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #12 - Jul 25th, 2006 at 1:07am
 
manman

Found this quote in the *Manual* for the program
SavePart--aka Partition Saving
that's mentioned in the thread Brian has referenced above:

Quote:
Windows 2000 and XP store partition position in the registry in order to preserve association between a partition and its corresponding driver letter.
Partition position is composed of two parts
:
disk number that is stored into MBR (4 bytes)
and offset of first byte of partition on disk (8 bytes)
.

This means when you changed the partition structure of your HDD1, because the beginning of the partition (partition offset value) was different--so WinXP would see an error and would be forced to *re-calculate* the partition value and *re-assign* drive letters on first boot.

So I concur with Ghost4me that your drive letters are probably now wrong.  (I'm guessing that you used that 2nd OS on HDD2 to assign drive letters--but those drive letter assignments only exist in the registry of that OS on HDD2--that has no effect on the OS registry of HDD1!)

Looks like
SavePart--aka Partition Saving
could be used to edit the drive letter assignments and you will probably be good to go.

The use of *SavePart* originally came from Dan Goodell's website here under *Method #1*:  
Fixing Windows 2000/XP Drive Letters
 

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Brian
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #13 - Jul 25th, 2006 at 2:00am
 
I've used SavePart on one of my test computers and it wasn't as difficult as I expected.

Ghost4me introduced me to RegistryEditiorPE. John, do you think this

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188/

could be done with BartPE and the plugin? It can't be done from Windows here as Windows won't boot. Now that would be an interesting alternative to SavePart. The "G: drive" OS would need to be set active to be accessed by BartPE.
 
 
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Re: restore OS from an image to the same drive
Reply #14 - Jul 25th, 2006 at 2:21am
 
Dan's Method#2 can easily be done with BartPE and RegistryEditorPE plugin. Actually this is deleting the [MountedDevices] entries after the image has been restored rather than before the image had been created.

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/partsigs.htm#method2

I think this technique is likely to resolve manman's problem as well.
 
 
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