Re: Boot from C:\prompt?

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Anna wrote:
"NoWay" <user@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:UYlhh.7015$a14.4200@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

NoWay wrote:
I was trying to make a backup copy of my wifes computer - found an old copy of Norton Ghost 2003 (yes, I've already posted on the "symantec.coustomerservice.general" newsgroup awaiting an answer....) and installed it. Things went just swell until it had to reboot to start the backup process. Asked if I wanted to proceed with Norton Ghost procedurre or launch Windows - obviously, I chose to continue with the Ghost operation. Started launching PCDOS and so on...rcvd msg that "Mouse mot installed", aborted operation. Asked to "Abort, Retry, Cancel?", but am unable to choose any of the three - appears frozen. Rebooted, chose "Launch Windows" this time...goes to C:\ prompt and freezes.

Is there any way to:

A) make the puter forget to run Ghost at bootup,
B) launch Windows from the C:\prompt, or
C) reload the hdd with a backup copy I had made with the Windows backup program just prior to the Ghost fiasco, remembering I can't launch Windows?!

Or any other suggestions would be appreciated!

HP Pavilion a1210n
Windows Media Center OS
AMD Athlon 64 3500+
1GB RAM

TIA,
Fred


Anna wrote:
Fred:
Just to clarify your situation...

1. When you say you were "trying to make a backup copy of my wifes computer" using Ghost 2003, I assume you're referring to a clone of the source computer, right? So you're using the Ghost 2003 program for disk-to-disk cloning, not disk imaging? Is that correct?

2. Assuming we're talking about a disk-to-disk cloning operation, what was the destination drive? A USB external HDD? Another internal HDD? What?

3. In using Ghost 2003, were you using Ghost's GUI to undertake the process, or were you using a Ghost bootable floppy disk (or Ghost bootable CD)?

I could step you through the disk cloning process using the Ghost 2003 program with a bootable floppy disk or bootable CD if you want. We do not use Ghost's GUI to undertake this operation for a variety of reasons. And we do not use that program for "disk imaging".

If you're interested, answer the above and we can go on from there if you want, making a fresh start. I'm assuming in all this that your wife's computer boots without incident and functions without any problems. We certainly do not want to clone "garbage", right?
Anna


Hi, Anna,
Thanks for replying - I'll try to answer your questions as well as I can.

1. Yes, a clone - a complete "full" backup - I wanted to have that in case anything should happen to her computer....guess I should have left well enough alone!
2. Destination was a SimpleTech USB 2.0 external hdd.
3. I had used the GUI to start the process of creating the Ghost backup...after completing the initial setup, it then wanted to restart the computer and start the backup process (from PCDOS), which where the ugly problems began... But, yes, the computer had been functioning just fine before all this.

Where do we start? :)

Fred


Anna wrote:
Fred:
As I mentioned in my previous post, when we use Ghost 2003 we use the program for disk-to-disk cloning using a Ghost 2003 bootable floppy disk that can be easily created from the program. (A Ghost bootable CD can also be used, but you need to first create the Ghost bootable floppy disk and then use a disk burning program such as Roxio or Nero to create a Ghost bootable CD from the floppy. There's no way that I'm aware of that one can create the bootable CD *directly* from the Ghost 2003 program).

Can you go that route? I can provide step-by-step instructions for creating that bootable floppy disk from the Ghost 2003 program.

If you can, fine. But first, do you know the version ("build") of your Ghost 2003 program? You said it was an "old copy". That might pose a problem because the earlier versions of Ghost 2003 did have some incompatibility problems - particularly with respect to cloning to an external HDD, such as you want to do. Check Help > About Norton Ghost 2003 and indicate the version. Hopefully, it will be 2003.793.

Generally this wouldn't be a problem even if your version was an earlier one since by using Symantec's LiveUpdate feature you could automatically download/install that latest "build" - 793. But we recently learned that Symantec may no longer be providing any updates to the Ghost 2003 program. We've contacted Symantec about this and we're awaiting their response.

Anyway, indicate the version of your program. If earlier than the 2003.793 version, try the LiveUpdate feature and see what happens. We'll go on from there.
Anna


"NoWay" <user@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:3_Hhh.5468$RR4.5175@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anna??? Heeellllloooooo, Anna???!

Another idea - if I reinstall Windows, will the files (other than Windows) be preserved? Even if not, would I then be able to use the Windows Backup/Restore function to reinstall the original configuration using the backup I made with the Windows Backup tool after reinstalling Windows?

Just stumbling around looking for hope...

Fred


Fred:
I'm afraid I'm getting a bit lost here. Have you abandoned the idea of using the Ghost 2003 program to clone the contents of your wife's PC to a USB external HDD?

We rarely use the XP built-in backup utility because of its limitations and (in our opinion) its awkward interface. But I know others do use that program for general backup purposes and are quite content with it. I would rather have those users who are more familiar with that program respond to your latest query.
Anna


Guess it has been confusing - in my original post, I said (was trying to say?) that I had tried to make a backup of my wifes computer, and in the attempt, Ghost failed to launch after the requisite restart following setting up the job. So, yes, at this point, Ive given up the idea of backing up her hdd since I can no longer access it! My goal at this point is to get it running again...either by voiding the current backup job which will not run and hoping I can then return to Windows, or by finding if a reload of Windows will preserve the current files, or, if I reload Windows, will I then be able to install (reinstall?) the files to her computer from the external usb hdd where I placed a backup of her files via Windows backup utilty?
Fred

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