How can I use the same Ghost image on several partitions?

[john]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Hi,
I have the following question:
I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when booting
my PC, let's say:

C:\ --> Internet and Office
D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, Coldfusion,
etc.)
E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)

All of these partitions should have a minimum on software, for example
everywhere should be

- Norton System Works & Norton Firewall
- Office XP
- Winzip
- Acrobat Reader
and so on...

Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.

Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on my D:\
drive.
For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the following line
in the boot.ini file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Software Development"
/fastdetect

When the system starts, it shows me the 2 choices. However when I
choose the new added partition (Software Development), the system gets
an error.
My question is:

In case I have some fatal errors, or another problem on a partition, I
want to to be able to use always the same Ghost image (with the
minimum software), and then just add some specific software for the
partition.
How can I use the same Ghost image and put it on several partitions so
that I can use a menu when my PC starts?
Which files should I modify or how should I configure Norton Ghost?

Thank you very much for your answerz
John

 

[kawipoo]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I would recommend boot magic which comes with partition magic. If you are
using NTFS the boot magic would have to be installed on a FAT32 partition.
The only problem is you are only allowed 4 primary partitions with boot
magic taking up one of them.
"John" <zaku@freesurf.ch> wrote in message
news:9d8da62.0406011128.20189fee@posting.google.com...
> Hi,
> I have the following question:
> I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when booting
> my PC, let's say:
>
> C:\ --> Internet and Office
> D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, Coldfusion,
> etc.)
> E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
> F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)
>
> All of these partitions should have a minimum on software, for example
> everywhere should be
>
> - Norton System Works & Norton Firewall
> - Office XP
> - Winzip
> - Acrobat Reader
> and so on...
>
> Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.
>
> Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on my D:\
> drive.
> For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the following line
> in the boot.ini file:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /fastdetect
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Software Development"
> /fastdetect
>
> When the system starts, it shows me the 2 choices. However when I
> choose the new added partition (Software Development), the system gets
> an error.
> My question is:
>
> In case I have some fatal errors, or another problem on a partition, I
> want to to be able to use always the same Ghost image (with the
> minimum software), and then just add some specific software for the
> partition.
> How can I use the same Ghost image and put it on several partitions so
> that I can use a menu when my PC starts?
> Which files should I modify or how should I configure Norton Ghost?
>
> Thank you very much for your answerz
> John

 

[peter]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

That is a wrong approach. Since all partitions will be visible when
operating in any of 4 modes, it is very likely that they will get polluted
from other environments. Plus you don't want to run Ghost image load during
boot times.
There is one elegant solution to this: VMware.

"John" <zaku@freesurf.ch> wrote in message
news:9d8da62.0406011128.20189fee@posting.google.com...
> Hi,
> I have the following question:
> I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when booting
> my PC, let's say:
>
> C:\ --> Internet and Office
> D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, Coldfusion,
> etc.)
> E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
> F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)
>
> All of these partitions should have a minimum on software, for example
> everywhere should be
>
> - Norton System Works & Norton Firewall
> - Office XP
> - Winzip
> - Acrobat Reader
> and so on...
>
> Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.
>
> Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on my D:\
> drive.
> For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the following line
> in the boot.ini file:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /fastdetect
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Software Development"
> /fastdetect
>
> When the system starts, it shows me the 2 choices. However when I
> choose the new added partition (Software Development), the system gets
> an error.
> My question is:
>
> In case I have some fatal errors, or another problem on a partition, I
> want to to be able to use always the same Ghost image (with the
> minimum software), and then just add some specific software for the
> partition.
> How can I use the same Ghost image and put it on several partitions so
> that I can use a menu when my PC starts?
> Which files should I modify or how should I configure Norton Ghost?
>
> Thank you very much for your answerz
> John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Greetings --

You can't do this by using a disk image, as all of the registry
entries would be pointing to the original partition from which the
image was created.

Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH


"John" <zaku@freesurf.ch> wrote in message
news:9d8da62.0406011128.20189fee@posting.google.com...
> Hi,
> I have the following question:
> I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when
booting
> my PC, let's say:
>
> C:\ --> Internet and Office
> D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, Coldfusion,
> etc.)
> E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
> F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)
>
> All of these partitions should have a minimum on software, for
example
> everywhere should be
>
> - Norton System Works & Norton Firewall
> - Office XP
> - Winzip
> - Acrobat Reader
> and so on...
>
> Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.
>
> Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on my D:\
> drive.
> For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the following line
> in the boot.ini file:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /fastdetect
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Software Development"
> /fastdetect
>
> When the system starts, it shows me the 2 choices. However when I
> choose the new added partition (Software Development), the system
gets
> an error.
> My question is:
>
> In case I have some fatal errors, or another problem on a partition,
I
> want to to be able to use always the same Ghost image (with the
> minimum software), and then just add some specific software for the
> partition.
> How can I use the same Ghost image and put it on several partitions
so
> that I can use a menu when my PC starts?
> Which files should I modify or how should I configure Norton Ghost?
>
> Thank you very much for your answerz
> John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"John" <zaku@freesurf.ch> wrote:
> I have the following question:
> I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when
> booting my PC, let's say:
>
> C:\ --> Internet and Office
> D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, ...)
> E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
> F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)
>
> Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.
>
> Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on
> my D:\ drive.
> For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the
> following line in the boot.ini file:
> ...(snipped)...
(No need to quote the rest, as boot.ini is the wrong approach.)

For starters, you should understand that drive letters are not permanently
affixed to specific partitions. You have four partitions, but they are not
always C, D, E, and F. Those are just the labels used by one specific OS
when it boots, they exist only when that OS (and no other) boots, and they
have relevance only in the context of that one OS. Thus, you're not
restoring an image on your 'D' drive, you're restoring it on partition 2.

Second, you need to know there are two basic but incompatible methods of
multibooting -- the Microsoft way and everyone else's way. The MS way
causes much of the confusion because it leads you to falsely think each
partition really does have a permanent drive letter. I also don't consider
that true multibooting because it requires all boot options start booting
through the same partition, so OS's are not kept independent from each
other.

OTOH, third-party boot managers let you setup multiple copies of the same
(or different) OS's and keep them completely independent from one another.
Each OS will see itself as 'C' when it boots, even though they're on
different partitions. IOW, what you really want to do is have one
installation that sees partition 1 as 'C' when it boots, another
installation that sees part.2 as 'C' when it boots, another that sees part.3
as 'C', etc.

Ghost cannot be used to setup multibooting the MS way because each copy
expects to see itself as 'C', which the MS way is incapable of achieving.
What you need is a third-party boot manager. There are many third-party
boot managers, but my favorites are either XOSL
(www.ranish.com/part/xosl.htm) or BootIt-NG (www.bootitng.com). If you want
to read more about multibooting principles, see my webpage at
www.goodells.net/multibooting. Pay particular attention to the problems I
discuss about boot.ini and the [MountedDevices] registry key. Understand
these issues and you should have no trouble getting exactly what you want.

 

[Kenny]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

the MVPs will start nagging that you cannot install Xp 4 times on the same
computer...
without having 4 licenses!

--
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
_____________
Kenny S
foksot2004 at hotmail.com
www.computerboom.net
"John" <zaku@freesurf.ch> wrote in message
news:9d8da62.0406011128.20189fee@posting.google.com...
> Hi,
> I have the following question:
> I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when booting
> my PC, let's say:
>
> C:\ --> Internet and Office
> D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, Coldfusion,
> etc.)
> E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
> F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)
>
> All of these partitions should have a minimum on software, for example
> everywhere should be
>
> - Norton System Works & Norton Firewall
> - Office XP
> - Winzip
> - Acrobat Reader
> and so on...
>
> Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.
>
> Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on my D:\
> drive.
> For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the following line
> in the boot.ini file:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /fastdetect
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Software Development"
> /fastdetect
>
> When the system starts, it shows me the 2 choices. However when I
> choose the new added partition (Software Development), the system gets
> an error.
> My question is:
>
> In case I have some fatal errors, or another problem on a partition, I
> want to to be able to use always the same Ghost image (with the
> minimum software), and then just add some specific software for the
> partition.
> How can I use the same Ghost image and put it on several partitions so
> that I can use a menu when my PC starts?
> Which files should I modify or how should I configure Norton Ghost?
>
> Thank you very much for your answerz
> John


---
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[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.hardware,microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

John wrote:

> Hi,
> I have the following question:
> I'm running Windows XP Pro, and I'd like to have 4 menus when booting
> my PC, let's say:
>
> C:\ --> Internet and Office
> D:\ --> Software Development (Java, Javascript, Flash, Coldfusion,
> etc.)
> E:\ --> Multimedia (Video cut (Pinnacle), etc.)
> F:\ --> Testing software (Shareware, Freeware)
>
> All of these partitions should have a minimum on software, for example
> everywhere should be
>
> - Norton System Works & Norton Firewall
> - Office XP
> - Winzip
> - Acrobat Reader
> and so on...
>
> Sensitive data like *.doc, *.xls, *.pst, etc. resides on another HD.
>
> Now I made an image of my C:\ drive, and I've restored it on my D:\
> drive.
> For the menu selection when booting, I've changed the following line
> in the boot.ini file:
>
> [boot loader]
> timeout=30
> default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
> [operating systems]
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /fastdetect
> multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Software Development"
> /fastdetect
>
> When the system starts, it shows me the 2 choices. However when I
> choose the new added partition (Software Development), the system gets
> an error.
> My question is:
>
> In case I have some fatal errors, or another problem on a partition, I
> want to to be able to use always the same Ghost image (with the
> minimum software), and then just add some specific software for the
> partition.
> How can I use the same Ghost image and put it on several partitions so
> that I can use a menu when my PC starts?
> Which files should I modify or how should I configure Norton Ghost?
>
> Thank you very much for your answerz
> John

That isn't going to work by simply ghosting the image to another drive and
changing the boot menu because the original 'C' drive is still there and
the registry on the 'D' drive will still be referencing the old 'C' as it's
system root drive.

Not only that, but Windows XP 'serializes' the drives when they're
identified so now that it's booted with both installed it won't boot on the
D drive by itself because that drive has been identified as 'D' and there
will be no system root drive (it's still pointing to the original 'C'
drive, by serial number, and it KNOWS that 'D' ain't it, because of the
serial number).

It might be possible to go into the registry and reverse the drive
assignments in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices on the second drive
but I haven't tried that with two bootable partitions so I'm not entirely
sure it would work.