Re: New HDD Installation

The important thing to remember is that the "object" has to have "focus". You obtain focus by using the SELECT command. The commands for the task (at the DISKPART> prompt) and the typical output would be like so:


C:\>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 5.1.3553
Copyright (C) 1999-2001 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: MyComputer

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ---------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 75 GB 0 B
Disk 1 Online 37 GB 23 GB

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 25 GB 32 KB
Partition 2 Primary 50 GB 25 GB

DISKPART> select partition 1

Partition 1 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> active

DiskPart marked the current partition as active.

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

C:\>

You can do the same thing starting with the "list volume" instead of the "list disk" command, then selecting volumes to gain focus.

At this point I haste to point out that this is mostly for educational purposes and for you to gain an inner working knowledge of disks and partitions and how Windows works with them. For all intents and purposes it is quite improbable that fiddling with diskpart will cure you boot problems. You will have to reinstall the operating system, that failing you will have to rebuild the disk. The mbr disk was not properly prepared before you ran the cloning operation and the cloning operation failed to properly prepare it.

John

PS. If you get to the point where you need to rebuild the disk there is one last desparate last ditch attempt that you can try before you redo the disk. It involves using a Windows 98 boot disk and the fdisk /mbr command to fix the MBR.

JohnH wrote:

I ran diskpart but cannot seem to remember my dos commands. How exactly should the command line be? The drive letter is c: . The drive is DVR2_VOL1 .

"John John" wrote:


It means the drive is already set active, which is the expected case on a single partition disk. If the partition is also shown as "System" then things there appear normal. To satisfy yourself you can run a DISKPART session and mark the partition active again. From the diskpart session you will receive confirmation that the partition has been set active. You can also boot with a Windows 98 boot disk and confirm or change the active flag of the partition using the FDISK command.

So now, if the disk is still not bootable, you can try a repair installation... or rebuild the disc from scratch.

John


JohnH wrote:

I ran both fixboot and fixmbr but the drive seems to be unactive. The selection "Mark as active is there but I am not able to highlight it (greyed out). How do I make it active?

"John John" wrote:



Right clicking on the partition or using the | Action > All Tasks menu at the top of the console should show the option, either greyed out (the partition is already active) or usable to make the partition active. That the option doesn't show up at all is unusual, maybe because the MBR is screwed the option is not showing. Do the fixboot and fixmbr things in the Recovery Console then see if things change.

There are other ways to mark the partition active, either with a Windows 98 startup disk (using fdisk) or using the DISKPART command while in Windows XP. Do the fixes in the Recovery Console first and then we will address the active issue if needed.

John


JohnH wrote:



I simply did not see the option at all. I went to my computer and right clicked and selected manage. I the selected disk management and highlighted the drive. The info I listed was from that and I also right clicked on it and that option was not there. Am I in the wrong place to check that?

"John John" wrote:




Do the fixboot and fixmbr commands in the Recovery Console. The warning that you get when you issue the fixmbr command is a standard warning message for that procedure. I can't guarantee anything, it is possible that fixing (re-writing) the MBR may make the disc inaccessible but that does not happen very often for standard MBR discs. It is a risk that you will have to take if you want to try to fix the problem, you still have your original disc as a backup, right? So if things go ka-boom! you have a backup to rely on. Incidentally I think that the reason that the disc doesn't want to boot is because it doesn't have a proper Master Boot Record, it wasn't done by the cloning operation. Run the commands and see what happens. At this point to attempt to repair the installation you have to accept the risk that things may not turn out as desired, but you have to take the risk and at least try.

If running the commands doesn't fix the problem then you can use the F10 option to install Windows and do an In-Place Upgrade, or what is more commonly called a "Repair Install". There is a link to a Microsoft article explaining this proceedure in an earlier post, basically you just reinstall Windows over itself. Also, I'm still somewhat not certain that your partition is marked or flagged as active. The results of our earlier test in the Disk Management console were not conclusive, was the option to do so there but simply unavailable (greyed out) or did you not see any option to do so at all? If it was there but just greyed out then the partition is probably active and ok.

John

JohnH wrote:




I noticed that when I hit the F10 key to bring up the option to go into the repair console I am also given the option of loading XP. Would loading this generate the boot sector I need? I entered the repair console and pressed F6 to load the Sato/150 PCI Card from a disk then I went into the console and was going to run fixmbr but it said that if I proceeded I would erase the mbr on it and it may make it unaccessable. Is this a normal warning given when this command is run? I did not proceed and exited to get your opinion. I do not mean to be so cautious but I have been frustrated with this for a week and do not wish to do any damage and ask for your patience with me. Thanks

"John John" wrote:





Run both commands.

John

JohnH wrote:





I did but there was no option to make it active/inactive. I want to try and run the Repair Console so do I need to run just fixboot or run both fixboot and fixmbr.

"John John" wrote:






It's probably already active but just to make sure right click on it and see if it can be made active in the context menu.

John

JohnH wrote:






I went into disk management and it had the following information about the drive:
DRV2_VOL1 (C:), Type= Basic, Status= Online, Partition Style= Master Boot Record(MBR). I did not see " active" but it stated Healthy System.

"John John" wrote:







Use the password for the "Built-In" Administrator account, not your account. When you log on to the Recovery Console you do so with the Built-In Administrator account. More often than not the password for the account was left blank, you can just try pressing <Enter>. If you have administrative privileges you can change the password for the Built-In Administrator account, that way you will be sure that you have the right password when you try to access the Recovery Console.

Also, while your installation is up and running use the Disk Management tool and make sure that you have a properly identified System Partition and that it is marked as "Active". If it is so identified and marked and still won't boot then do both commands (fixmbr & fixboot) as Ron suggested.

John

JohnH wrote:







I am set as the administrator but my password does not work with the Recovery Console. I switched to classic view and went to the Admin Tools to enable this, but there was not a Local Security Policy file or folder to click on as instructed by your knowledge base article. The following files or folders are available for selection:
1. Component Services
2. Data Sources (ODBC)
3. Event Viewer
4. Microsoft .Net Framework 1.1 Wizards
5. Services
6. Computer Management
7. Desktop.ini
8. Microsoft .Net Framework 1.1 Configuration
9. Performance

I was able to boot the system with the XP cd but I believe that a boot sector must be missing as per Ron's advice. Any help with the admin password should get me access to fix it. Do I need to run both fixmbr and fixboot or just fixboot alone? "John John" wrote:








Do as Ron suggested, if it works it's the easiest way to get your installation up and running again.

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

Note that you may have to press the F6 key early in the setup process and have the Maxtor SATO/150 PCI Card drivers on a diskette so that the setup program may load them and properly identify your disc. See here for information on storage controller drivers and Windows setup: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314859

Another quick check you can try is to see if you can boot the computer with a startup floppy diskette. See here for information on how to create such a disk: http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/ntboot/ Note that with your hard disc on the Maxtor controller you will probably have to edit the rdisk value in the boot.ini file, you can use the MAP ARC command in the Recovery Console to get the proper ARC path and rdisk value for the boot.ini file. See here for more information: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/bootcons_map.mspx?mfr=true

John

JohnH wrote:







If I understand you correctly you want me to try and do a fresh install of the Windows XP w/SP2. It would take awhile but I am willing to start fresh if it gets the new HDD in and the small out. I just have a few questions before doing this.

1. The Windows XP was an upgrade from the Windows Me that was installed in the system and all I got was a restore disk. Do I need the Windows Me disk?

2. Can just booting the the XP upgrade work without an OS in place?

3. Do you know if it is reccomended to disable the motherboard IDE or just leave on auto?





"Anna" wrote:









"JohnH" <JohnH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:50BF24E1-58E0-455B-8496-9DDC82D2089B@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I bought a Western Digital 160GB Caviar SE EIDE Drive. My motherboard
is older so I was instructed to add a Maxtor SATO/150 PCI Card so the
full capacity of the HDD would be detected. I connected it and copied the
old drive over to it. After completion I was instructed to disconnect the
old and put the new in it's place. Upon restart it ask for a boot disk to
be installed. When I bought the system it had Windows ME on it and I do
not have a software disk but I was given a restore disk. I later upgraded
to Windows XP w/ SP2. Can I use the restore disk or the Windows XP
upgrade disk as the boot disc. The support from Western Digital states that it may
need to be done and some not, so I am confused as to how to make this as
quick and painless as posible. I also would like to know if disabling the the
primary IDE off the motherboard in the CMOS would help too.


"Ron Sommer" wrote:








The new disk needs a boot sector.
If you just copied the partition, you didn't get the boot sector.

You can run fixmbr and fixboot.
--
Ronald Sommer


"JohnH" <JohnH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:F3F46E78-948E-48A0-9DFB-DA6D37C8AEA6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I used the HDD Installation Tool software to copy the partition from the
old drive to the new, I guess that would be a clone. The transfer seemed
uneventful and removal of the old drive was done. It seems to be asking
for a boot disk upon reboot once the old drive is removed. Can the Windows ME
restore disk be used? Can the Windows XP w/SP2 upgrade be used? Anymore
advice would be greatly appreciated.


"Rich Barry" wrote:
John, you may have a setting in the Bios for that Maxtor Card. In
there will give you the ability to select the boot disk.
How did you copy the old drive to the new? Did you image it or clone
it?


"JohnH" <JohnH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:C70B85D8-8350-442A-A606-BA4501408D09@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
.

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