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Cloned Hard Drive - won't boot

  • 08-06-2008 5:58pm
    #1
    randomguy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 286 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I am in the process of cloning hard drives for my laptop. Things went wrong, so I have already posted in computers section, and gotten some good help. Only just discovered this section here.

    My new hard drive won't boot - the computer tells me that there is no OS installed when i restart with a CD of a bootable file and with my new Hard drive installed in the hard drive slot.

    One possible issue is that Windows has given a letter (E:) to the new Hard Drive when it was connected via the USB enclosure - could that be what is stopping it from booting? If so, can it be fixed? All advice really appreciated, thanks - am learning more about computers this weekend than in the the last 10 years.


Comments

  • #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,427 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    which SW are you cloning with ??

    a cloned copy of windows should boot fine
    - if the partition it's on is active
    - if its on the same partition (first / second ) as the original
    - - if this is the only problem the edit BOOT.INI
    - if its at the same cylinder as the original partition because of a diagnostic partition on the start of the drive
    - - this one is a bitch and you need a utility to fix it , fixmbr / fixboot won't fix this ( though fixmbr might solve some problems)
    and if a different PC
    - if the hard drive controller is compatible between both
    - - use device manager to change the controller to standard
    - and you use a similar or lower HAL


    The drive letter problem is secondary and can be fixed when you boot into windows, www.petri.co.il/change_system_drive_letter_in_windows_xp.htm


  • #3
    rabbitinlights
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,008 ✭✭✭rabbitinlights


    Did you clone it to an external HDD enclosure and then swap out the drive into the laptop?

    I recently changed the HDD in my laptop, I cloned the old drive onto an external drive, which wasnt bootable afterwards for some reason, but I then cloned the external drive onto the new drive in the laptop using a bootable CD with a basic version of the cloning software on it and it worked a treat.

    It was a bit annoying having to clone it twice, but it worked.

    S.


  • #4
    SouthpawGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭SouthpawGuy


    A lot of manufacturers are using restore partitions that will interfere with a cloned image of the main system partition ... IBM, HP, Fujitsu, Dell etc.
    This often can prevent the cloned image from booting.
    Your cloning software may not have cloned the restore partition, only the system partition, and it will then not boot.

    I presume you are using Windows, if so right click on "My Computer" > manage > disk management

    If you have a restore partition it may or may not be visible to Windows.


  • #5
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,427 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    If the destination partition is not the exact same number of sectors from the start of the disk then it wont boot.

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/prork/prcb_dis_stfl.mspx
    Hidden Sectors: This is the number of sectors on the physical disk preceding the start of the volume. (that is, before the boot sector itself) It is used during the boot sequence in order to calculate the absolute offset to the root directory and data areas.

    http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/ptedit.htm
    Find the entry for "Hidden Sectors". Oops, it shows 63! This needs to be the number of sectors from the beginning of the disk to this partition boot sector.


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