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?

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:

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