How To - Windows XP Install from HDD

[the_yeti]

Hye everyone,

I'm trying to build an hided partition to install / recover a previous windows XP installation.

The idea is to install windows XP with all drivers and softwares, and when all is OK, make a System Image with driveImage or Ghost (Partition to File). I wanna copy this image on an hided partition on the same HDD as windows XP install (of course an other logical partition) so that under windows XP the RECOVERY partition will not be displayed, but could be accesed to re-install / recover ...

I just tried Ghost, but this one could not save the image file on the hided partition, and without the DOS Ghost CD it's impossible to deploy the created image.

So the perfect solution for me should be a software whitch could build an drive image on a hided partition, whitch could be accesed under DOS if I need to re-nstall / recover my previous windows XP installation ....

IS IT POSSIBLE ???

Thanks

P.S. Sorry for my english

[likuidkewl]

I know that Drive Image was able to do this because for a little while Compaq and HP, before the merger, were both using it. In different ways though. HP would give you the disc(s) which restored, and compaq used to hide it on thier HD's, and that is where, if you opened up the cd files, the install looked for it.

Edited March 23, 2004 by likuidkewl

[X-Ecutioner]

I guess another option would be make the "to be hidden" partition bootable (format /s) copy the boot files from either ghost or drive image so the partition boots directly to either dos-based program.

From that point all you need to do is make a backup image of your system. In order to access the program on the bootable partition, edit the boot.ini and add a line that refers to the bootable partition called "Recovered Image" as the name.

This way, when there's a problem, hit F8 and choose the "Recovered Image" and it should boot to the program and you can restore the image.

Confused yet? haha this is all theoritical and when I have time ill try and put it into action but I dont think anyone has tried this.

Now as for hiding the partition, I think that partition magic has an option to hide a partition or maybe theres an option in computer management

WOW thats a mouthfull. Ill gladly clairify if something is a miss.

[Skyfrog]

Wouldn't it be better to copy the image to a CD-R or DVD-R? That way if the hard drive were to die the data would all be safe, plus this way there shouldn't be any problems trying to access it when restoring.

[dennxyz]

Hi

Partition Magic can hide and unhide partitions.

Drive Image can save and restore to these hidden partitions.

So you should be able to create a primary or logical hidden partition and image your OS to it. High compression will minimize the size of your image and do select the option to split your image so you can back it up to multiple CD's.

Myself, I have an unhidden partition that I keep images of my OS at various stages, ie: clean install-no updates, clean install - all updates, clean install updated -all applications. Very handy and easy to go back to any stage of the install. Yes, it's time consuming to set up but well worth it.

Found a very nice tutorial on making a bootable "Rescue" CD containing Drive Image, Partition Magic and Ghost at:

http://www.burningissues.net/how_to/BootableCD/bootcd.htm

I also include on my CD the file "Bart's free JO.SYS" which can be had from:

http://www.nu2.nu/jo/.

Thanks again Bart!

(Delpart is another handy DOS utility to put on the CD)

Best regards, good luck and thanks to all for the great info on this site,

it has enabled me to build unattended XP and Windows 2000 CD's!