I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
DEFINITELY. Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
So I am trying a trick I haveused numerous times before, Copy
Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees the
drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top and a
report of damaged partition. Needless to say nothing i can do can
revive it or repair it. There is a CC command TOGGLE ACTIVE/BOOTABLE
and if you leave a drive not active or bootable, it warns you but when
I exit, i dont get any message telling me that no drive is active or
bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as being bootable
Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
obviously, simply isnt bootable. I have also tried copying the whole
of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that
one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot) but still the
computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS, presumably
on the flash drive.
I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running out
of ideas here!
> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive
> (and needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and
> Maxtor's quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
> DEFINITELY. Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt
> seem to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
> So I am trying a trick I haveused numerous times before,
> Copy Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one,
> including MBRs Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it
> sees the drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the
> very top and a report of damaged partition. Needless to say
> nothing i can do can revive it or repair it.
Presumably the damage didnt affect what was used to boot
Win 2K, but does affect what you are trying to do now.
> There is a CC command TOGGLE ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and
> if you leave a drive not active or bootable, it warns you but when
> I exit, i dont get any message telling me that no drive is active or
> bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as being bootable
> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
Replace the dying drive with a good one.
> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new
> drive but it, obviously, simply isnt bootable.
Presumably because what you are copying from is corrupted.
> I have also tried copying the whole of a Windows 2000 CD
> to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that one bootable
> (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot) but still the computer (which CAN
> boot from a flash drive) reports no OS, presumably on the flash drive.
Nope, its talking about the hard drive.
> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a
> drive bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which
> would let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does?
There are. But that wont necessarily help if the source is corrupted.
> I am running out of ideas here!
One obvious approach is to get someone to make a copy from an uncorrupted Transnote etc.
DManzaluni <dmanzaluni@googlemail.com> wrote:
> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
> DEFINITELY.
The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the drive is
not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will likely
be dead soon. It also does not care about what data is on
that disk and it is not its job to care.
> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before, Copy
> Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
> Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees the
> drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top and a
> report of damaged partition. Needless to say nothing i can do can
> revive it or repair it. There is a CC command TOGGLE ACTIVE/BOOTABLE
> and if you leave a drive not active or bootable, it warns you but when
> I exit, i dont get any message telling me that no drive is active or
> bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as being bootable
> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
dd_rescue can.
> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
> obviously, simply isnt bootable. I have also tried copying the whole
> of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that
> one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler program
in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive. The BIOS
then loads this assembler program and it takes control. Simply
copying files to a target filesystem is entirely unsuitable for
making something bootable.
> but still the
> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS, presumably
> on the flash drive.
You should find out.
> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running out
> of ideas here!
Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
dd <source> <target>
or
cat <source> > <destination>
or numerous other ways.
With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
dd_rescue <source> <target>
On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
memory-stick.
Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
images are also available on the web.
Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you
to make that sector image now, before the drive is completely
dead.
Arno wrote:
> DManzaluni <dmanzaluni@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
>> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
>> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
>> DEFINITELY.
>
> The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
>
>> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
>> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
>
> DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the drive is
> not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will likely
> be dead soon. It also does not care about what data is on
> that disk and it is not its job to care.
>
>> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before, Copy
>> Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
>> Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
>
>> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
>> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
>> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees the
>> drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top and a
>> report of damaged partition. Needless to say nothing i can do can
>> revive it or repair it. There is a CC command TOGGLE
>> ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and if you leave a drive not active or bootable, it
>> warns you but when I exit, i dont get any message telling me that no
>> drive is active or bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as
>> being bootable
>
>> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
>
> Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
> drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
> possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
> disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
> dd_rescue can.
>
>> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
>> obviously, simply isnt bootable. I have also tried copying the whole
>> of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that
>> one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
>
> Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
> That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler
> program in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive.
Nope, just some code.
> The BIOS then loads this assembler program
Nope, just some code.
> and it takes control. Simply
> copying files to a target filesystem is entirely unsuitable for
> making something bootable.
>> but still the
>> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS,
>> presumably on the flash drive.
>
> You should find out.
>
>> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
>> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
>> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running
>> out of ideas here!
>
> Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
>
> dd <source> <target>
>
> or
>
> cat <source> > <destination>
>
> or numerous other ways.
>
> With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
>
> dd_rescue <source> <target>
>
> On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
> made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
> Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
> memory-stick.
>
> Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
> images are also available on the web.
>
> Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
> that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
> can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you
> to make that sector image now, before the drive is completely
> dead.
>
> Arno
DManzaluni wrote:
> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
> DEFINITELY. Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
Does the Transnote have a USB 2.0 connector, at least? You can get put a
second drive into a USB enclosure and copy between the internal and
external.
You mentioned that when you take the Transnote's drive out and put it
into another computer, that it can't see it, yet it works in the
Transnote. Depending on how old the BIOS is between the Transnote and
the other computer, they may not be compatible.
> So I am trying a trick I haveused numerous times before, Copy
> Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
> Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
Don't know Copy Commander, there are alternatives. In the free and
shareware category there is BootIt NextGen (BING), and XXClone.
Of course, you might try installing your own Copy Commander onto the
Transnote and see if it can work directly from there.
> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
> obviously, simply isnt bootable. I have also tried copying the whole
> of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that
> one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot) but still the
> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS, presumably
> on the flash drive.
XXClone fits into this category. It works through the operating system
rather than outside it to copy the partition. It does normal
filesystem-based copies of the data between the source and destination
drives, and then in the end it makes the destination drive bootable by
setting all partition flags properly and especially by fixing up the
registry. One advantage of working through the OS is that you can mix
and match the source and destination filesystem types, such as FAT and
NTFS. Secondly, sizes don't have to match, the destination can even be
smaller than the source, as long as the destination is large enough to
fit all of the files. You can even continue to work on the machine while
it's copying. The disadvantage is that it can be a bit slower than
non-OS tools, but it can also be faster sometimes.
> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running out
> of ideas here!
Linux can do raw device copies of drives, using the "dd" utility. But
I'm not sure Linux can fix up the Windows registry as required to make
it bootable into Windows. Unlike in the old days of DOS, Windows is not
directly copyable because its registry is involved in the boot process
and it is very hardware-dependent.
On Oct 22, 4:41*pm, "holarchy" <holar...@nospam.com> wrote:
> Arno wrote:
> > DManzaluni <dmanzal...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> >> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
> >> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
> >> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
> >> DEFINITELY.
>
> > The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
>
> >> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
> >> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
>
> > DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the drive is
> > not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will likely
> > be dead soon. It also does not care about what data is on
> > that disk and it is not its job to care.
>
> >> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before, Copy
> >> Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
> >> Bootsectors etc etc. *This always works
>
> >> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
> >> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
> >> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees the
> >> drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top and a
> >> report of damaged partition. *Needless to say nothing i can do can
> >> revive it or repair it. * There is a CC command TOGGLE
> >> ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and if you leave a drive not active or bootable, it
> >> warns you but when I exit, i dont get any message telling me that no
> >> drive is active or bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as
> >> being bootable
>
> >> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
>
> > Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
> > drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
> > possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
> > disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
> > dd_rescue can.
>
> >> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
> >> obviously, simply isnt bootable. *I have also tried copying the whole
> >> of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that
> >> one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
>
> > Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
> > That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler
> > program in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive.
>
> Nope, just some code.
>
> > The BIOS then loads this assembler program
>
> Nope, just some code.
>
>
>
> > and it takes control. Simply
> > copying files to a target filesystem is entirely unsuitable for
> > making something bootable.
> >> but still the
> >> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS,
> >> presumably on the flash drive.
>
> > You should find out.
>
> >> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
> >> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
> >> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running
> >> out of ideas here!
>
> > Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
>
> > *dd <source> <target>
>
> > or
>
> > *cat <source> > <destination>
>
> > or numerous other ways.
>
> > With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
>
> > *dd_rescue <source> <target>
>
> > On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
> > *made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
> > *Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
> > *memory-stick.
>
> > *Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
> > *images are also available on the web.
>
> > Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
> > that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
> > can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you
> > to make that sector image now, before the drive is completely
> > dead.
>
> > Arno- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thanks for your help guys and a lot of what you say is very helpful,
especially about the linux utility. I didnt actually understand the
bit where you say that when I got to BOOT FROM and select USB MEDIA,
the report that I have no OS is actually coming from the hard drive:
Are you assuming this from a failure to boot from the designated
media, - that it goes on to try to boot from the next available
media, the HDD?
But I think a lot of it misses the point completely: Look at the
subject matter. Obviously I know that you cant make a disk image by
just copying files to a new drive and hoping against all logic that
you have copied the boot sector / MBR! Similarly obviously I have
copied everything on the drive to a new drive, - I said so. And as
the old drive does still boot into Windoews, I dont think that what I
am copying from is corrupted
What I am trying to do is to make that drive or the USB flas drive
containing Windows 2000 bootable. I thought that by going through the
Windows 2000 install process and getting into the Restore Console and
running fixboot or fixMBR, I could do that. I said so in the OP.
Certain people her do not seem to have noticed this?
And obviously I know that this drive which I describe carefully as
"DYING" could die at any moment????? Personally i am amazed that it
has lasted this long but I am now trying to concentrate on getting the
new drive bootable where I dont have a CD to install from.
Does anyone have any suggestions on this please or is there no way of
doing this?
DManzaluni wrote
> holarchy <holar...@nospam.com> wrote
>> Arno wrote
>>> DManzaluni <dmanzal...@googlemail.com> wrote
>>>> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
>>>> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
>>>> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out DEFINITELY.
>>> The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
>>>> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
>>>> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
>>> DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the
>>> drive is not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will
>>> likely be dead soon. It also does not care about what
>>> data is on that disk and it is not its job to care.
>>>> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before,
>>>> Copy Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one,
>>>> including MBRs Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
>>>> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
>>>> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
>>>> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees
>>>> the drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top
>>>> and a report of damaged partition. Needless to say nothing i can
>>>> do can revive it or repair it. There is a CC command TOGGLE
>>>> ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and if you leave a drive not active or bootable,
>>>> it warns you but when I exit, i dont get any message telling me that
>>>> no drive is active or bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as
>>>> being bootable
>>>> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
>>> Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
>>> drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
>>> possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
>>> disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
>>> dd_rescue can.
>>>> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
>>>> obviously, simply isnt bootable. I have also tried copying the
>>>> whole of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive
>>>> and making that one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
>>> Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
>>> That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler
>>> program in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive.
>> Nope, just some code.
>>> The BIOS then loads this assembler program
>> Nope, just some code.
>>> and it takes control. Simply copying files to a target filesystem
>>> is entirely unsuitable for making something bootable. but still the
>>>> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS,
>>>> presumably on the flash drive.
>>> You should find out.
>>>> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
>>>> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
>>>> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running
>>>> out of ideas here!
>>> Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
>>> dd <source> <target>
>>> or
>>> cat <source> > <destination>
>>> or numerous other ways.
>>> With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
>>> dd_rescue <source> <target>
>>> On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
>>> made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
>>> Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
>>> memory-stick.
>>> Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
>>> images are also available on the web.
>>> Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
>>> that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
>>> can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you to
>>> make that sector image now, before the drive is completely dead.
> Thanks for your help guys and a lot of what you say is very helpful,
> especially about the linux utility. I didnt actually understand the
> bit where you say that when I got to BOOT FROM and select
> USB MEDIA, the report that I have no OS is actually coming
> from the hard drive: Are you assuming this from a failure to
> boot from the designated media, - that it goes on to try to
> boot from the next available media, the HDD?
Most likely what you put on the USB media is code that
boots from the hard drive, so its complaining about what
it finds isnt on the hard drive, not the USB media.
In other words you cant just copy stuff from a hard
drive to USB media and boot from that USB media.
> But I think a lot of it misses the point completely: Look at the
> subject matter. Obviously I know that you cant make a disk
> image by just copying files to a new drive and hoping against
> all logic that you have copied the boot sector / MBR!
That will work of you copy all the sectors from the old to the
new drive and the new drive is physically identical to the old drive.
> Similarly obviously I have copied everything on the drive to a new drive, - I said so.
Yes, but you dont know that the drive isnt corrupted before the copy.
> And as the old drive does still boot into Windoews,
> I dont think that what I am copying from is corrupted
> What I am trying to do is to make that drive or the
> USB flas drive containing Windows 2000 bootable.
> I thought that by going through the Windows 2000
> install process and getting into the Restore Console
> and running fixboot or fixMBR, I could do that.
Its more complicated than that.
> I said so in the OP. Certain people her do not seem to have noticed this?
Your english leaves a bit to be desired.
Its not always completely clear exactly what you are saying.
> And obviously I know that this drive which I describe carefully as
> "DYING" could die at any moment????? Personally i am amazed
> that it has lasted this long but I am now trying to concentrate on
> getting the new drive bootable where I dont have a CD to install from.
> Does anyone have any suggestions on this please or is there no way of doing this?
I'd try something different to copy the drive to a new drive and see if that will boot.
I dont know enough about Copy Commander to know if its a got a problem
or why the sort of copy you have done in the past isnt working for you now.
Its very likely that it isnt an exact copy of the drive, due to the bad sectors,
and its that difference that is stopping the new drive from being bootable.
DManzaluni <dmanzaluni@googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Oct 22, 4:41?pm, "holarchy" <holar...@nospam.com> wrote:
>> Arno wrote:
>> > DManzaluni <dmanzal...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> >> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
>> >> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
>> >> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out
>> >> DEFINITELY.
>>
>> > The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
>>
>> >> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
>> >> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
>>
>> > DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the drive is
>> > not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will likely
>> > be dead soon. It also does not care about what data is on
>> > that disk and it is not its job to care.
>>
>> >> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before, Copy
>> >> Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
>> >> Bootsectors etc etc. ?This always works
>>
>> >> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
>> >> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
>> >> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees the
>> >> drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top and a
>> >> report of damaged partition. ?Needless to say nothing i can do can
>> >> revive it or repair it. ? There is a CC command TOGGLE
>> >> ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and if you leave a drive not active or bootable, it
>> >> warns you but when I exit, i dont get any message telling me that no
>> >> drive is active or bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as
>> >> being bootable
>>
>> >> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
>>
>> > Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
>> > drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
>> > possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
>> > disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
>> > dd_rescue can.
>>
>> >> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
>> >> obviously, simply isnt bootable. ?I have also tried copying the whole
>> >> of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and making that
>> >> one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
>>
>> > Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
>> > That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler
>> > program in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive.
>>
>> Nope, just some code.
>>
>> > The BIOS then loads this assembler program
>>
>> Nope, just some code.
Original meaning of "code": Short form of "assembler code". You fail.
>>
>>
>> > and it takes control. Simply
>> > copying files to a target filesystem is entirely unsuitable for
>> > making something bootable.
>> >> but still the
>> >> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS,
>> >> presumably on the flash drive.
>>
>> > You should find out.
>>
>> >> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
>> >> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
>> >> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running
>> >> out of ideas here!
>>
>> > Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
>>
>> > ?dd <source> <target>
>>
>> > or
>>
>> > ?cat <source> > <destination>
>>
>> > or numerous other ways.
>>
>> > With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
>>
>> > ?dd_rescue <source> <target>
>>
>> > On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
>> > ?made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
>> > ?Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
>> > ?memory-stick.
>>
>> > ?Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
>> > ?images are also available on the web.
>>
>> > Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
>> > that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
>> > can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you
>> > to make that sector image now, before the drive is completely
>> > dead.
>>
>> > Arno- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
> Thanks for your help guys and a lot of what you say is very helpful,
> especially about the linux utility. I didnt actually understand the
> bit where you say that when I got to BOOT FROM and select USB MEDIA,
> the report that I have no OS is actually coming from the hard drive:
> Are you assuming this from a failure to boot from the designated
> media, - that it goes on to try to boot from the next available
> media, the HDD?
That is the usual process. It tries to boot from a sequence
of sources. If you have disabled booting from HDD or have not
connected the HDD then it really is the USB stick.
> But I think a lot of it misses the point completely: Look at the
> subject matter. Obviously I know that you cant make a disk image by
> just copying files to a new drive and hoping against all logic that
> you have copied the boot sector / MBR!
Have a look at the group history. The assumption that you did
just copy the files is not so far fetched. No insult to you
was intended by me.
> Similarly obviously I have
> copied everything on the drive to a new drive, - I said so. And as
> the old drive does still boot into Windoews, I dont think that what I
> am copying from is corrupted
I don't think that is enough of a test.
> What I am trying to do is to make that drive or the USB flas drive
> containing Windows 2000 bootable. I thought that by going through the
> Windows 2000 install process and getting into the Restore Console and
> running fixboot or fixMBR, I could do that. I said so in the OP.
> Certain people her do not seem to have noticed this?
Noticed, but doubtful that this is the issue.
> And obviously I know that this drive which I describe carefully as
> "DYING" could die at any moment?????
Again, have a look at the group history. Do you _have_ a sector
level backup of the dying drive? If not, that should be your
first priority.
> Personally i am amazed that it
> has lasted this long but I am now trying to concentrate on getting the
> new drive bootable where I dont have a CD to install from.
> Does anyone have any suggestions on this please or is there no way of
> doing this?
There likely is a way, but at this time there is not enough
knowledge about the actual problem to identify it.
On Oct 23, 3:03*pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:
> DManzaluni wrote
>
>
>
>
>
> > holarchy <holar...@nospam.com> wrote
> >> Arno wrote
> >>> DManzaluni <dmanzal...@googlemail.com> wrote
> >>>> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive (and
> >>>> needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and Maxtor's
> >>>> quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way out DEFINITELY.
> >>> The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
> >>>> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
> >>>> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
> >>> DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the
> >>> drive is not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will
> >>> likely be dead soon. It also does not care about what
> >>> data is on that disk and it is not its job to care.
> >>>> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before,
> >>>> Copy Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one,
> >>>> including MBRs Bootsectors etc etc. This always works
> >>>> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
> >>>> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
> >>>> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees
> >>>> the drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very top
> >>>> and a report of damaged partition. Needless to say nothing i can
> >>>> do can revive it or repair it. There is a CC command TOGGLE
> >>>> ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and if you leave a drive not active or bootable,
> >>>> it warns you but when I exit, i dont get any message telling me that
> >>>> no drive is active or bootable so Iassume the new drive is seen as
> >>>> being bootable
> >>>> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
> >>> Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
> >>> drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
> >>> possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
> >>> disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
> >>> dd_rescue can.
> >>>> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
> >>>> obviously, simply isnt bootable. I have also tried copying the
> >>>> whole of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive
> >>>> and making that one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
> >>> Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
> >>> That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler
> >>> program in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive.
> >> Nope, just some code.
> >>> The BIOS then loads this assembler program
> >> Nope, just some code.
> >>> and it takes control. Simply copying files to a target filesystem
> >>> is entirely unsuitable for making something bootable. but still the
> >>>> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS,
> >>>> presumably on the flash drive.
> >>> You should find out.
> >>>> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a drive
> >>>> bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros which would
> >>>> let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does? I am running
> >>>> out of ideas here!
> >>> Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
> >>> dd <source> <target>
> >>> or
> >>> cat <source> > <destination>
> >>> or numerous other ways.
> >>> With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
> >>> dd_rescue <source> <target>
> >>> On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
> >>> made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
> >>> Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
> >>> memory-stick.
> >>> Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
> >>> images are also available on the web.
> >>> Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
> >>> that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
> >>> can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you to
> >>> make that sector image now, before the drive is completely dead.
> > Thanks for your help guys and a lot of what you say is very helpful,
> > especially about the linux utility. *I didnt actually understand the
> > bit where you say that when I got to BOOT FROM and select
> > USB MEDIA, the report that I have no OS is actually coming
> > from the hard drive: Are you assuming this from a failure to
> > boot from the designated media, - *that it goes on to try to
> > boot from the next available media, the HDD?
>
> Most likely what you put on the USB media is code that
> boots from the hard drive, so its complaining about what
> it finds isnt on the hard drive, not the USB media.
>
> In other words you cant just copy stuff from a hard
> drive to USB media and boot from that USB media.
>
> > But I think a lot of it misses the point completely: Look at the
> > subject matter. *Obviously I know that you cant make a disk
> > image by just copying files to a new drive and hoping against
> > all logic that you have copied the boot sector / MBR!
>
> That will work of you copy all the sectors from the old to the
> new drive and the new drive is physically identical to the old drive.
>
> > Similarly obviously I have copied everything on the drive to a new drive, - * I said so.
>
> Yes, but you dont know that the drive isnt corrupted before the copy.
>
> > And as the old drive does still boot into Windoews,
> > I dont think that what I am copying from is corrupted
> > What I am trying to do is to make that drive or the
> > USB flas drive containing Windows 2000 bootable.
> > I thought that by going through the Windows 2000
> > install process and getting into the Restore Console
> > and running fixboot or fixMBR, I could do that.
>
> Its more complicated than that.
>
> > I said so in the OP. Certain people her do not seem to have noticed this?
>
> Your english leaves a bit to be desired.
>
> Its not always completely clear exactly what you are saying.
>
> > And obviously I know that this drive which I describe carefully as
> > "DYING" could die at any moment????? Personally i am amazed
> > that it has lasted this long but I am now trying to concentrate on
> > getting the new drive bootable where I dont have a CD to install from.
> > Does anyone have any suggestions on this please or is there no way of doing this?
>
> I'd try something different to copy the drive to a new drive and see if that will boot.
>
> I dont know enough about Copy Commander to know if its a got a problem
> or why the sort of copy you have done in the past isnt working for you now.
>
> Its very likely that it isnt an exact copy of the drive, due to the bad sectors,
> and its that difference that is stopping the new drive from being bootable.
>
> Try doing the copy using say xxclone or linux dd.
What I did was to use the HP flash drive utility to format the USB
drive and then use the utility which makes the drive bootable to make
that drive bootable, Then copy the Windows 2000 CD onto it
I now note that xxclone can indeed make this drive bootable and wonder
if this might do the trick? otherwise I will just try to use xxclone
to copy the whole drive and then make that version bootable
Arno wrote:
> DManzaluni <dmanzaluni@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> On Oct 22, 4:41?pm, "holarchy" <holar...@nospam.com> wrote:
>>> Arno wrote:
>>>> DManzaluni <dmanzal...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>>> I have a dying drive on an IBM Transnote which has no CD drive
>>>>> (and needless to say I have no restore discs). It still works and
>>>>> Maxtor's quick check tells me that it is OK but it is on the way
>>>>> out DEFINITELY.
>>>
>>>> The quick check does not do a surface scan and can miss things.
>>>
>>>>> Hitachi DFT reports excessive disk shock and doesnt seem
>>>>> to care that the drive still boots into WIndows 2000 and works.
>>>
>>>> DFT is a risk management tool. It does not care that the drive is
>>>> not yet completely dead. It tells you that it will likely
>>>> be dead soon. It also does not care about what data is on
>>>> that disk and it is not its job to care.
>>>
>>>>> So I am trying a trick I have used numerous times before, Copy
>>>>> Commander to copy the whole drive to a new one, including MBRs
>>>>> Bootsectors etc etc. ?This always works
>>>
>>>>> This time it isnt workinng. Even though the drive works and the
>>>>> computer boots, when I take the drive out and put it in another
>>>>> computer and boot off the Partition Commander boot disc, it sees
>>>>> the drive as empty space with a tiny red partition at the very
>>>>> top and a report of damaged partition. ?Needless to say nothing i
>>>>> can do can revive it or repair it. ? There is a CC command TOGGLE
>>>>> ACTIVE/BOOTABLE and if you leave a drive not active or bootable,
>>>>> it warns you but when I exit, i dont get any message telling me
>>>>> that no drive is active or bootable so Iassume the new drive is
>>>>> seen as being bootable
>>>
>>>>> Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do please?
>>>
>>>> Try a real disk imager and try to make a sector image of the
>>>> drive. This will show unreadable areas as well. It is just
>>>> possible that too mauch is damaged. Tools than can copy
>>>> disks with read errors are rare, but for example Linux
>>>> dd_rescue can.
>>>
>>>>> I have tried copying all the files on it to a new drive but it,
>>>>> obviously, simply isnt bootable. ?I have also tried copying the
>>>>> whole of a Windows 2000 CD to a reformatted flash mem drive and
>>>>> making that one bootable (so that i can run fixmbr or fixboot)
>>>
>>>> Sorry, you seem to be missing fundamental understanding here.
>>>> That is not how a boot process works. It needs an assembler
>>>> program in the first sector or the boot sector of the drive.
>>>
>>> Nope, just some code.
>>>
>>>> The BIOS then loads this assembler program
>>>
>>> Nope, just some code.
> Original meaning of "code":
Wrong, as always.
> Short form of "assembler code".
Wrong, as always. Before that there was no assembler at all.
> You fail.
Nope, you do, as always.
>>>> and it takes control. Simply
>>>> copying files to a target filesystem is entirely unsuitable for
>>>> making something bootable.
>>>>> but still the
>>>>> computer (which CAN boot from a flash drive) reports no OS,
>>>>> presumably on the flash drive.
>>>
>>>> You should find out.
>>>
>>>>> I dont think there is any utlity on UBCD4WIN which can make a
>>>>> drive bootable, nor can I imagine there are any Linux distros
>>>>> which would let me copy the whole drive like Copy Commander does?
>>>>> I am running out of ideas here!
>>>
>>>> Linux full disk 1:1 copy:
>>>
>>>> ?dd <source> <target>
>>>
>>>> or
>>>
>>>> ?cat <source> > <destination>
>>>
>>>> or numerous other ways.
>>>
>>>> With progress indicator and read errors on the source:
>>>
>>>> ?dd_rescue <source> <target>
>>>
>>>> On partition level (likely not what you need, target has to be
>>>> ?made bootable manually) with graphical user interface:
>>>> ?Use gparted, which also comes in a mini distro as bootable CD or
>>>> ?memory-stick.
>>>
>>>> ?Raw parted (commandline) boot floppies/CD images/USB stick
>>>> ?images are also available on the web.
>>>
>>>> Also, I hope you have backup of any files on the damaged drive
>>>> that you want to keep. A drive damaged by mechanical shock
>>>> can die any minute without warning. I also would advise you
>>>> to make that sector image now, before the drive is completely
>>>> dead.
>>>
>>>> Arno- Hide quoted text -
>>>
>>> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>>>
>>> - Show quoted text -
>
>> Thanks for your help guys and a lot of what you say is very helpful,
>> especially about the linux utility. I didnt actually understand the
>> bit where you say that when I got to BOOT FROM and select USB MEDIA,
>> the report that I have no OS is actually coming from the hard drive:
>> Are you assuming this from a failure to boot from the designated
>> media, - that it goes on to try to boot from the next available
>> media, the HDD?
> That is the usual process. It tries to boot from a sequence
> of sources. If you have disabled booting from HDD or have not
> connected the HDD then it really is the USB stick.
>
>> But I think a lot of it misses the point completely: Look at the
>> subject matter. Obviously I know that you cant make a disk image by
>> just copying files to a new drive and hoping against all logic that
>> you have copied the boot sector / MBR!
>
> Have a look at the group history. The assumption that you did
> just copy the files is not so far fetched. No insult to you
> was intended by me.
>
>> Similarly obviously I have
>> copied everything on the drive to a new drive, - I said so. And as
>> the old drive does still boot into Windoews, I dont think that what I
>> am copying from is corrupted
>
> I don't think that is enough of a test.
>
>> What I am trying to do is to make that drive or the USB flas drive
>> containing Windows 2000 bootable. I thought that by going through the
>> Windows 2000 install process and getting into the Restore Console and
>> running fixboot or fixMBR, I could do that. I said so in the OP.
>> Certain people her do not seem to have noticed this?
>
> Noticed, but doubtful that this is the issue.
>
>> And obviously I know that this drive which I describe carefully as
>> "DYING" could die at any moment?????
>
> Again, have a look at the group history. Do you _have_ a sector
> level backup of the dying drive? If not, that should be your
> first priority.
>
>> Personally i am amazed that it
>> has lasted this long but I am now trying to concentrate on getting
>> the new drive bootable where I dont have a CD to install from.
>
>> Does anyone have any suggestions on this please or is there no way of
>> doing this?
>
> There likely is a way, but at this time there is not enough
> knowledge about the actual problem to identify it.
>
> Arno
Problem getting drive bootable 
Linear Mode
