Jump to content

(Partially SOLVED) How to install XP to one HDD, then clone it to anot


PROBLEMCHYLD

Recommended Posts

Hmmm... you can't clone a "running" XP. No way. HIVES are actively being accessed. The rationale behind the removing the Registry Entries is the fact that XP stores the HDD info in it and it will (probably) not boot to the cloned drive because it still (in those REG entries) "sees" the Original HDD as the Device on which it's installed. XXCOPY weighs in at approx. 550kb.

jaclaz might suggest Plop Booting maybe?

Since you have ONE attachable CD, maybe you could (RAM permitting) load a LiveXP from it into RAM which would allow for disconnect-CD/reconnect-HDD for the "clone" operation. Been doing this for about a year now (using a HDD "image", a not-really-SDI-image BOOT.SDI), both USB and CD. This is how I "beat" a laptop having the same situation as you (no CD, no Floppy, but DID boot from USB).

I wouldn't mind using Robocopy or XXcopy since I can just delete the file. Edited by PROBLEMCHYLD
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Nonetheless, under the constraints you've given (only one XP installed on C-drive and no other CD than attachable and no floppy or bootable USB) you're kind of stuck. You'll STILL need some method of copying a NON-RUNNING XP to the External. Hence the link I gave (see "H.- HOW TO CREATE A SECOND WINDOWS XP BY COPYING THE EXISTING ONE").

If you had a dual-boot (e.g. a second XP installed and running with independent PageFiles) it would be possible to clone the first install to the External. Hence the suggestion of a Winbuilder/LiveXP In-RAM.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

??? Are you referring to WinBuilder? It's not an "installable" item. Unpack, use it, test the result, when satisfied, delete it.

Your alternative is to create a SECOND XP, boot to it, and copy the FIRST one, as specified. After booting to Extenal, one can RECLONE it back after redefining the partition(s) on the original. MBRFIX is a simple program and included in the WinBuilder Stable releases.

You're only "screwed" because you want to clone a RUNNING XP. No biggie, just a little extra effort to boot to "something/anything else". Not sure if a LiveLinux would do any good (don't use them, but...).

edit - for second XP you could maybe repartition using Gparted Live. :ph34r:

Edited by submix8c
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I may have a better way. I have a StarTech USB to SATA and IDE adapter.

If I install WinXP on the IDE drive and remove it from the laptop, then connect it to another laptop along with the 120gb SATA drive using my StarTech USB to SATA and IDE adapter. Can it be done this way? Please list instructions if possible.

Edited by PROBLEMCHYLD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, I am losing my patience. :w00t:

All you have to do is to add a single line to your BOOT.INI and add to the root of the volume where NTLDR and BOOT.INI are three files:

  1. grldr <- between 220 and 270 Kb depending on versions
  2. menu.lst <- optional, normally no more than 512 bytes
  3. an image <- this can be as little as a floppy image (1440 Kb) or as big as a few hundreds of Mb (a .iso CD image), depending on the tool you choose

NOTHING is "installed", you can add the line in BOOT.INI by hand or use a small batch to do that and re-add it (if needed) manually or by using another batch.

The line amounts to:

C:\grldr="grub4dos"

If even this is not acceptable along your (IMNSHO senseless) restrictions, then yes, you are stuck :ph34r: .

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, I am losing my patience. :w00t:

All you have to do is to add a single line to your BOOT.INI and add to the root of the volume where NTLDR and BOOT.INI are three files:

  1. grldr <- between 220 and 270 Kb depending on versions
  2. menu.lst <- optional, normally no more than 512 bytes
  3. an image <- this can be as little as a floppy image (1440 Kb) or as big as a few hundreds of Mb (a .iso CD image), depending on the tool you choose

NOTHING is "installed", you can add the line in BOOT.INI by hand or use a small batch to do that and re-add it (if needed) manually or by using another batch.

The line amounts to:

C:\grldr="grub4dos"

If even this is not acceptable along your (IMNSHO senseless) restrictions, then yes, you are stuck :ph34r: .

jaclaz

Please wait to lose (ALL) of your patience only after I get the solution :w00t: .

You did lose me for a second. I don't understand how editing BOOT.INI will help me copy the drive. I'm sorry but I just don't understand. If you want, I will fight with you later :wub:

Edited by PROBLEMCHYLD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

you can't clone a "running" XP. No way.
NTBackup supports Volume Shadow Copy, registry is saved too.

Third party tool DriveimagXML uses Volume Shadow Copy too.

@PROBLEMCHYLD

Not tested:

Install Win98 to internal 40gb drive. Boot from internal disk

Save partition c: boot code to a file

Use winnt32 or winnt to transfer installtion files from CD to internal hard disk. http://technet.microsoft.com/library/Cc940492 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc940493

Configure migrate.inf, if you like to adjust XP drive letters.

Swap CD drive to second hard disk.

Boot from first internal hard disk, XP installation is processed. And install XP to second hard disk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand how editing BOOT.INI will help me copy the drive. I'm sorry but I just don't understand.

That's good, as it is UNrelated to "copying the drive".

Loading from BOOT.INI grub4dos is a way to load it without installing anything.

Once you are in grub4dos you can load *any* image, i.e. you can have another OS, INCLUDING a suitable imaging tool, that you can use to clone/image the disk, and this without "installing".

As said this could be DOS based (very small in size), or Linux based (a little larger) or a PE of some kind, it all depends on which tool you find more practical/like.

If you prefer the added line to the boot.ini and the grldr file are nothing but some means to give you an almost unlimited freedom of choice among the many "third party" tools available without the need to "install" any of them.

jaclaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@PROBLEMCHYLD: I think jaclaz just managed to devise a reliable method to do what you originally asked, as in:

Install XP -> add grub4dos and cloninig program without installing -> use grub4dos to load clonining program -> clone XP and free the IDE HDD for 9x installation. I bet it'll work beautifully! :yes:

I just want to add that you might as weel divide the 120GB SATA drive into a primary 40 - 60 GB partition to receive the XP image and a 80 - 60 GB logical partition for data. 40 - 60 GB is plenty space to run XP SP3 with IE8 and Firefox (or Pale Moon, preferably). I do run XP from a 40 GB primary partition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@PROBLEMCHYLD: I think jaclaz just managed to devise a reliable method to do what you originally asked, as in:

Install XP -> add grub4dos and cloninig program without installing -> use grub4dos to load clonining program -> clone XP and free the IDE HDD for 9x installation. I bet it'll work beautifully! :yes:

I just want to add that you might as weel divide the 120GB SATA drive into a primary 40 - 60 GB partition to receive the XP image and a 80 - 60 GB logical partition for data. 40 - 60 GB is plenty space to run XP SP3 with IE8 and Firefox (or Pale Moon, preferably). I do run XP from a 40 GB primary partition.

Sorry but I'm still lost. I havent got the Guru title yet, so please guide me step by step. Thanks to all you guys :thumbup
Link to comment
Share on other sites

jaclaz was clearly thinking ahead, but he's trying to set up and test step two, because step one should just work:

Install XP -> add grub4dos and cloninig program without installing -> other steps

Step two has actually two parts: add grub4dos and test it's working, then add cloninig program and test it's working.

I've color coded things to highlight their connections.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think jaclaz has this one in mind:

Most probably the easiest tool would be partition saving:

http://www.partition-saving.com/

It would be my first choice, too. However, since jaclaz figured it out, let's wait for his instructions.

PS: A reliable cloning program is a friend for life: once you start using it, you will keep doing it always, because it's the most reliable way of backing up and a great help debugging installations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EDIT: I wrote all this having only read down to the 1st page of the thread... I now see there was a 2nd page. ... :blushing: I might read everything and come back if still applies. :D

Anyway you look at it, you need to be able to boot and clone from something else than your XP. Here was a relatively simple way.

Download any tool that boots from CD and can resize partitions on your 40Gig (GPartEd comes to mind indeed). Now downsize any partition on your 40Gig so that you can create an additional partition that can contain all you want to image (data size), you should be ok with less than 2.5 gig if XP out of the box (and Win98?) are the only things on your main partition.

Now booting from cd, clone your XP to an image (a single file) on that new partition. Then you can do the rest the same way; copy the image (from the running XP) to an additional partition on the 120gig then apply image to the desired partition. To perform that last point though, you will have to run the imaging program from your XP, but some (Ghost32 for instance) do not need to be installed and just run from any place, and it won't modify your image that is already created..

After all is done you can clean the unneeded partitions. Gparted is a great free tool but it is a bit slow.

You can also use that external USB to Sata adapter but I've had problems cloning "internal to external". Maybe it was bad luck.

Edited by Ponch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...