XP auto-detects backup copy

Did you know that if you use some program like Drive Image and do a "Disk Copy" to a second physical drive, XP will detect that copy and place the necessary information in your boot.ini file so that you'll be offered the opportunity to boot to the backup each time you boot?

I booted to the alternate and sure 'nuff, it's the stored copy.

This is all done without you taking any action. I find that remarkable. All the while I was wondering what would be the easiest way to utilize the backup when needed and XP just went ahead and took care of that issue for me.

Has anyone else had this happen or does everyone know about this but me. Sometimes that happens.

 

It's still working great. I have since updated the backup drive and can still boot to it when I so desire. I think this is pretty great since I didn't have to do anything to set it up. It just happened on its own. I never took any steps to create a dual boot system, it just happened!

I would buy software that promised to do this, but it's apparently a free thing with XP. Has anybody else tried this?

 

Still going...

 

My XP machine smoked the CPU. Waiting for an XP2100, then I'll try this with ghost

 

I wonder if there's a way to boot from CD and use something like the old XCOPY command to replicate the partition?

 

Hi weismer

No, that has been tried using Xcopy and even the improved XXCOPY. Nobody has successfully managed to copy and produce a bootable partition in XP.

I used XXCOPY for doing that with all Win9x versions and it worked fine but XP presents obstacles that aren't easily overcome, what with all the files it keeps active and locked when it's running.

About the only way to get a good copy of XP is to throw down the chips for some 3rd party software like Ghost, Drive Image2002, or NovaStor InstantRecovery. I have all of those and like Drive Image 2002 best.

Thanks for the comments and good luck with your processor replacement.