Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (
More info?)
Gary,
Looks like you got some good help here.
No, I haven't seen the error messages you ask about, no am I knowledgeable
enough to be of much help here.
I recently bought a new Dell system at work that came with a 160GB drive.
Most of it consumed by a basic (active) partition for drive C.
Dell would not partition the drive as I wanted so I purchased Partition
Magic 8.
The booklet said I could boot from the CD and use the DOS utility to change
the partition structure so I felt this to be a safe approach.
But before I used the CD, I used the installed XP-Pro OS to defrag the drive
to help scoot everything in drive C: towards the front of the drive.
The OS and applications installed by Dell used ~8GB of drive space and I
wanted to reduce drive C: and it's partition to 30GB.
Then I inserted the PM CD and did a cold boot. Using the PM DOS utility I
reduced the partition containing drive C: from ~160GB to 30GB.
The PM DOS utility is not a real pretty thing to look at but nothing to
sneeze at either. From looking through the menus, it seems to be feature
rich.
I left the unused space I just created alone for now. Then I removed the CD
and powered down and did another cold boot. A normal boot into the Win-XP
OS. Everything ran fine. The "Found New Hardware" wizard lit up and did
whatever it did and went away. I guess the change in size of drive C: caused
that. After alittle time and comfortable with things, I used Win-XP
"Computer Management" to create an extended partition with several logical
drives with the remaining space. (with the OS running).
I have not installed the Partition Magic program on my computer, I've just
booted from it.
Now if you wind up purchasing a new hard drive with it in mind to carry over
to a new machine when that day comes. Try to make a personal evaluation. The
newer computers these days come with Serial (SATA) hard drives. They have
faster transfer rates and are quickly becoming the norm. If your current
system does not have a SATA controller. You might consider finding an
economical SATA controller that will install into a PCI slot on your main
board. More money I know, but when you move your new drive (with your
important data files) to the new future computer, you should also be able to
use the SATA controller as well. I don't want to talk you out of all your
money. The point is that the new drive wont become a dinosaur on day one
with your new computer. ( I assume everybody will one day buy a new
computer).
My Dell system at work is a Dimension 9100 and I found it on the "Outrageous
Deals" web page at Dell.com. On the motherboard it has (4) SATA interfaces
and (1) IDE interface. The IDE (40/80 pin flat ribbon) is used by the CD
drives.
I personally love having multiple physical hard drives. I have (4) in my
system at home. (1) for OS and applications, (1) for my personal data files,
(1) for backup and (1) for media stuff (photos and music). These (3)
additional drives will move into a new system when that day comes, and that
day is getting nearer.
Anyway, I wish you luck with your delima!
Richard in Va.
PS: is there a full user manual in pdf format on the PM CD that might
provide some ideas?
+++++++++++++++++++++
"Gary" <Gary@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3ED8FC6D-06EF-426E-BE2F-E55080312982@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for advice so far. I've already thought about the other HDD angle.
> I'm communicating through my kids' computer now, so I have to wait to
> check
> in here until they take a break from AIM and games -- it gives me some
> time
> to think, but I'm still very anxious.
>
> I haven't heard from Symantec yet, so before I start with a new OS install
> I'll see what they have to say. Maybe they will know what that line was
> about sys.com getting bumped off and needing to be put back was all about
> in
> PM. Maybe that is all I need to do? Richard, if you are still following
> this saga have you ever seen that dialogue in PM?
>
> My WinXP CD came with a computer (my kids') I bought a few years back at a
> local computer show. I loaded ME on it though and the XP CD sat until I
> used
> it to "upgrade" my computer along with some newer parts just recently. I
> could only get it to work within ME. In fact, I just tried to load XP set
> up
> (thought there might be something in there that would help me fix the
> problem) with the six boot disks routine and that failed for me too on
> disk
> three (sdd.dll or something like that wouldn't load), so I don't know how
> to
> get to the Recovery Console or even what it is for that matter.
>
> I saw in some other posts about some partition table doctor software that
> fixes the boot sector in partitions. Is my problem a boot sector problem
> and
> would this help instead of a trying the setting up a different HDD
> routine?
>
> Cripes! I can't stand not doing something about this. I wish someone
> could
> just say they've seen this before and I need to do steps 1, 2 and 3 to fix
> it
> -- without having to reinstall my OS, swap data around and so on.
>
> "Maurice N ~ MVP" wrote:
>
>> Richard,
>>
>> Excellent advice. I'm trying to lead up to having Gary run a CHKDSK from
>> the Recovery Console.
>>
>> --
>> Maurice N
>> MVP Windows - Shell / User
>> -----
>>
>> Richard in Va. wrote:
>> > I agree... might need to sleep on it and chil alittle...
>> > I just purchased Partition Magic 8 and I've used it several times
>> > booting from the CD. (DOS mode)
>> > Always best so the OS isn't running during (C:\) partition changes.
>> > Really don't know much about the recovery disk's and how they work so
>> > I wont say anything here.
>> > Except that, you did mention you don't mind re-installing the OS.
>> > It's your personal files that you are stressed over.
>> > This might be a good opportunity to purchase a new hard drive,
>> > unplugging and saving your current one.
>> > Re-install the OS and your applications and get your machine up and
>> > running again.
>> > Then hook up your old messed up drive and copy your data files over
>> > to your new hard drive.
>> > Unplug the messed up drive when your not actively searching and
>> > copying. Give this concept a few weeks or months if you can.
>> > You'd be suppressed what you'll remember in a few weeks. (remember
>> > that Christmas card you worked on so hard 2 years ago) You know what
>> > I mean. After an adequate grace period, plug the old drive back up
>> > and remove (strip) the partition off it. Then apply a new partition
>> > in it's place. stripping the original partition will clean it up real
>> > good for you. Then format your new partition as you see fit.
>> > THEN... copy (move) all your data files onto this 2nd drive.
>> > The next time something like this happens. all your important stuff
>> > will be safe (away from the OS drive) and you'll sleep alittle better.
>> > And if you ever buy a new computer.... just move your 2nd "data"
>> > drive to the new system.
>> >
>> > I only mean to be helpful!
>> > I've been there... I'm with ya man!
>> >
>> > Richard in Va.
>> > +++++++++++++++++++++++++
>> >
>> > "Maurice N ~ MVP" <maurice@mvps.org> wrote in message
>> > news:%234vFT33pFHA.2072@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> > How many minutes did you leave it at "DMI Verifying Pool Data" before
>> > giving up on it?
>> >
>> >
>> > Chill a bit. The worst case is that you'll be able to view and
>> > salvage your critical files and data with a DOS boot diskette.
>> >
>> > What is PM's error message 91? From Symantec support page "This
>> > error is reported if Disk Manager is detected in the first head (head
>> > 0) of the hard disk but is not running."
>> >
>> > Does Seagate (your hard rive manufacturer) require the use of a disk
>> > manager? why?
>> >
>> > I wonder if you used the Windows mode of PM (versus the so-called
>> > dos-text mode of PM) to do your resizing operations. Dos-text mode
>> > is the safest to use, especially when resizing the o.s. partition.
>> >
>> > Have you seen this page at Symantec support?
>> >
http://tinyurl.com/7u4hg
>> >
>> > Post back sith your status. I've used PM for a number of years.
>> >
>> >
>> > Gary wrote:
>> >> I installed PM 8.05 and used it to resize C drive (WinXP OS is
>> >> there). I used the auto function to take a 1Gig amount each from
>> >> drives D, E and F (about 25+ plus Gig free on each of these on a
>> >> Seagate 120Gig HDD) to add to the 1Gig of free space on the C drive.
>> >> The PM process seemed to go OK (went into DOS(?) and went through 7
>> >> steps to resize, etc) as there were no error messages. It said at
>> >> the start it was going to do FAT 32 which is what I had the drives
>> >> set up as. At the end PM said it was going to reboot and then the
>> >> fan was hit. The boot up stopped at the "DMI Verifying Pool Data"
>> >> message and the little line cursor just sat there blinking. I tried
>> >> to get PM to load off the PM CD (booted from that) in hopes of
>> >> finding some solution, but I got error message #91 which I guess has
>> >> something to do with Disk Manager being on the drive (C ?) but not
>> >> running. Of course I have nothing backed up because I was just
>> >> stupid and now I'm in a major panic (can live with reinstalling Win
>> >> if I have to but all my important data is sitting in D and it would
>> >> be really difficult to try to recreate that if a total format is the
>> >> solution. Any and all help will be appreciated, because I'm less
>> >> than optimistic that Symantec is going to come through with an
>> >> answer.
>>
. Then try a repair session using 
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