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

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
  • Start date Start date
J

John

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
 
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 said:
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
Click to expand...
 
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.
 
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.
 
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:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH
 
John said:
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
Click to expand...

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.
 
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