Resolved Swapping C drive for G drive

OK Mark,
I had a look at your suggested sites/downloads, and have considered the fixmbr command. I must admit to considering waving a white flag, as the time and complexity of what seems should be a simple task has worn me down, so for now, unless someone comes up with a magic wand, I will let it go, and keep my original setup.
Perhaps in a month or two the enthusiasm will return and I will open this thread again and see if you are still out there,
Many thanks for your time
Best wishes
David D

 

I understand, trial and error can drag on. The only magic wand would be to get your self a copy of Spotmau Powersuite as I have tried this and know that it works.

Best mark this thread as resolved for now you can always come back and open it again. Just click on the "Thread Tools" tab top right hand corner of first post and select mark as resolved, go to the same place to reopen it.

Best of luck, Mark.

 

Thanks Mark,
If I buy Spotmau Powewrsuite tomorrow, will you talk me through it if I can't make it do what I want,
Regards
DD

 

Not something I have used much but I will do all I can, there is probably a guide on line I can find you. Just shout if you need assistance.

 

I found this for the latest version, looks like it does a lot more than the older version I have and it still includes a cloning facility that copies everything. I guess it will have a built in help section.

http://www.spotmau.com/products/package/full_winrescue.htm

 

Thanks Mark,
Just before I push the pay now button, how am I going to use this utility. I presume the basics are the same as your version with a few more bits added.
Do you envisage me cloning with Spotmau and all the other steps are the same, or will the programme do its wizardry after cloning without me having to open the PC up and swop cables and play with jumpers etc. Need jumpers today, as -5 this morning near Southampton, (the warm south)
Regards
David D

 

As far as I can recall the cloning facility runs off a bootable disc in dos and just requires a few clicks of the mouse and the job is done. There was no need to do anything to the clone to make it boot as it makes an exact mirror image. Temp here is about 20º warmer, I don't envy you.

 

Global warming hasn't reached UK yet!
Sorry to be pedantic
Do you think then that I might be able to leave all the connections ,jumpers etc as they are now, and the programme will just tell the PC to boot from the 750 (after cloning), or will I have to disconnect the 320 alter jumpers and cable on the 750 and then reboot.
DD

 

You can use the software easybcd that I gave the link for in post 3 to control boot up, although Spotmau probably has a facility for that. I'm not quite sure what will happen if you try to boot with two identical boot sectors available it might just give you a choice during the boot sequence. Might be better to disconnect the 320 to check that the 750 clone has been 100% succesfull, then re-connect the 320 and reboot from the Spotmau disc so you can then continue with formatting the 320 disc.

 

OK Mark,
I will buy the Spotmau and give it a try over the weekend.
I couldn't get easybcd to work on my XP machine, I can't remember why now !
Will let you know.
The Spotmau site is offering an Xmas sale price, only for one more day, but that day extends on a daily basis. If you don't order after looking, it then offers you another 15% off !!
Regards
DD

 

Sounds like a bargain. Easybcd is used by a lot of people and I have it myself, can't imagine why it would not work for you. Anyway, hope to here from you once you have done your cloning.

 

Hi Mark (Oh no I hear you say)
I cloned my 750 with Spotmau but no difference.
I found http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=25237
and recloned as per the instructions and changed Bios to "large" as quoted but again I am no farther forward.
If you read the above page, do you have any thoughts, it appears there is a problem with Asus/Seagate/XP working together
Regards
DD

 

and

My clone was done from a Seagate to an ExcelStore drive without a hitch.

When you did the clone did you test it with the other drive removed?

Have you checked to see if the cloned drive is set as Active?

Did you clone Disk to Disk or did you use another choice for cloning partitions?

Was the 750 drive completely erased with a low level format before cloning to make sure nothing (a boot sector for example) was left behind?

 

In this link you will find Seatools for dos and the instructions to make a diagnostic disk to test the Seagate drive, the tool will also allow you to do a low level format.

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads

This guide shows how to set the drive as active.

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/set-active-partition-vista-xp/

 

It seems going TO a Seagate with an Asus MB might have the bugs ?
Other drive was completely disconnected
Is set as active
Disk to Disk
Erased with low level format.
Seatools Passed the 750
I will erase again tomorrow to make sure and try again

 

I am running out of ideas but I am still convinced this is a problem with the MBR, the bit that makes it boot. You've tried the fixboot command which is supposed to repair a damaged MBR now try fixmbr which should create a new MBR. I've seen some suggestions in the dozens of threads I have read that the difference in disk size may mess up the MBR when making the clone.

The last resort would be to get yourself an XP disc (must be the same version as yours and same SP or higher) and run a "Repair" install. Try fixmbr and see what happens. Also tell me what you see on screen when trying to boot with the cloned drive.

 

When you try to boot the clone now , just what happens ? If it is tring to boot but stalls, be sure ALL other hdd,s or any type of storage device with FAT or NTFS partitions are removed.

 

I appreciate you are only trying to help but in post 35 David Downes has stated that the other drive was completely disconnected. I have also asked in my last post what happens when trying to boot from the cloned drive

 

Something else to try after cloning the drive (with the smaller drive removed) go straight into the bios and check the clone is set as primary. Save and exit bios. With the floppy in the drive continue boot up. At the A:\ prompt type:

fdisk /mbr <enter>

Remove the floppy and re-boot.

To get the floppy go here.

http://www.allbootdisks.com/download/98.html

Click on "Automatic Boot Disk" a list of options will appear, click on Windows98.exe, then
save. When the download finishes close all windows and double click on the .exe file and
follow the prompts to make the floppy.

 

OSs on small drive

Just throw this out and food for thought.I run my OSs on a 27gb samsung XP and win7 duel boot and nothing else with them.Use three other drives for everything else.Gives fastest and best performance and can reinstall a os with diskimage in a matter of just a few min.