Need help copying a dying boot drive

[Silverdagger]

My (WinXP) system drive is dying and I need to replace it. I'd like to copy everything over from the C drive to a spare. I've tried using Norton's Ghost "clone" option to copy the drive (C->E), but after the copy and the new HD moved to master, Windows hangs at the blue startup screen. I can do a fresh install of XP, but would rather avoid that route.

Questions:
1. Can anyone explain a better way of doing this, list a web site(s) with instructions or recommend a better utility than Ghost?

2. Any ideas of why Windows is hanging? When it hangs, pressing ESC or Enter produces a beep, the rest of the keys are silent.

 

[TheCh0s3n1]

<i>Answer #1</i>
Stick with Norton Ghost 2003. It's an excellent utility. Now, instead of using the Clone option, it would be better to use the <b>Backup</b> option. This will create a Ghost image of the drive that you can restore to new the HDD. You can even use Ghost Explorer to extract specific files if need be. Using the Backup option should be very similiar to using the Clone option.

<i>Answer #2</i>
Set up the cloned drive as the ONLY drive. Set the jumper to CS, not Master. Depending on the drive, you may not even have to use a jumper at all, if set up as a single drive. If the problem persists, then try my suggestion in Answer #1.

One thing to observe... If restoring from the Ghost image (as suggested in Answer #1), and you successfully boot into Windows, see if the computer continues to hang. If so, then the source of the problems may not be the original hard drive. If it is indeed a hardware issue, then it could possibly be an overheated CPU. Check all fans to ensure they are all working properly. If they are, then consider Windows to be the source of the problems.

Consider the following:
1. Too many programs starting while Windows boots up
2. Virus activity
3. Adware/Spyware activity


_____________
<i>There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary
and those who don't</i><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by thech0s3n1 on 06/19/05 02:29 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[peartree]

You don't mention how far along towards death this drive is. I suspect that when you make the drive image, it's got errors in it that prevent Windows from starting normally. If I were you, I'd try a plain copy of any important information on the drive and then reinstall Windows on the new one.

If you get brave, you COULD try installing the ghosted image and then booting your XP CD and doing a 'repair' install, but I'd have a good backup made before I'd ditch the old drive.

<font color=green>****</font color=green> Never Assume <font color=red>ANYTHING</font color=red> <font color=green>****</font color=green>

 

[Silverdagger]

Thank you for the replies. At the momment I'm not sure what is failing in the pc - aside from the HD. The problems started about a week ago after we had a couple days of very hot weather. The first indication was a BSoD that mentioned bad HD sectors as a cause. Reading tech forums also suggested the PS to be at fault. After a lot of work, I finally got a surface scan to run, but the manufacturer's utility reported bad sectors and "defective device". I don't think it was even able to recover any data from the bad sectors. The drive still works, but it's making an awful high-pitched whine. Atleast I think it's the HD making the noise... it's really hard to tell with so many fans running (HSF, chipset, Vid, PS, ect..). I've disconnected non-essential fans, cleaned the dust out of the fans and hopefully this will help.

I know this isn't the HD forum, but does anyone know of a good HD cooling solution? My WD 200GB drive runs as hot or hotter than my CPU (47-50C - idle). While I know the drive can withstand higher temps, I'd rather it run down in the 30C range..or less. The drive has a cheap HD fan under it, but it doesn't help much.

Thanks again for the info.. especially with regards to Ghost. I'll go give it a try.

 

[peartree]

If it's gone as far as to be audible, no cooling solution is going to save it. To check it out, turn off everything else in the room and disconnect any fans you can. The case will be open, so you should be able to disconnect all fans except the CPU. Turn system power off and leave it off for about 5 minutes. Take one of those small splastic disposable cups and put the base against the case of the hard drive. You could even take the drive out of the drive rack to make it easier to get at. Then put your head near the plastic cup and power up the system. If the drive is making noise, this method should make it VERY clear.

Now, if the drive is that bad, get everything of value off that drive and (being a good guy) send it out for recycling, because it could die at any moment. Literally. What you hear is the sound of dying bearings. AT 7200 RPM, it doesn't take all that long with bad bearings to make a drive totally unusable.

<font color=green>****</font color=green> Never Assume <font color=red>ANYTHING</font color=red> <font color=green>****</font color=green>

 

[riser]

Everyone is giving you good advice..

so here's my odd way of fixing the problem - if all else fails that is.

Pull the hard drive, put it in a ziplock sandwhich baggie, get the air out.. seal it up good and put it in your freeze over night. Take it out tomorrow, pop it in your computer, start a ghost image copy right away.

Freezing the hard drive causes everything to 'shrink' a little I guess you could say, which helps get any lodged particles out or knock things freeze that might cause a problem. The biggest concern is keeping out all the humidity in the ziplock bag, but you shouldn't have a problem.

I've fixed a lot of drives doing that.. best of luck to you.

 

[riser]

I've had it fix work so well a few times on drives that weren't that bad off.. it's made them run for months without a problem.

I have a 2nd hard drive in my main computer that I copied my information off because it was going out. WD 20GB drive. It's been running as a slave for around 3 years now after I froze it. I don't trust it, but it's quiet and works still.