Invalid NTFS Partition Signature?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chuck
  • Start date Start date
C

Chuck

The 40gb boot drive on my Dell Dimension (upgraded OS
from ME to XP via XP upgrade install) is running tight on
space. I picked up an 80 gig WD800BBRTL and used Data
Life Guard Tools 10 to copy the original drive to the new
drive. Right around 95% complete, it gives me the
following error:

"An NTFS partition has been detected that has an invalid
signature. This usually indicates an unformatted drive."

WD's website knowledge base says it may be due to running
Partition Magic, etc. I've never run anything except the
utility on XP to convert from FAT32 to NTFS (I wanted the
more robust file system).

Thinking it may be a bad drive, I picked up a Maxtor
80gb. Using MaxBlast 3, it again encountered the error.

Thinking something may have eaten a critical file, I did
the "upgrade reinstall". No joy whatsoever.

Before the "upgrade reinstall" I tried "System Restore"
to several earlier points and still get the error.

The question to WD has gone unaswered for several days,
so much for their customer support.

Anyone know how I can get one of the new 80 gigs as the
boot drive while saving everything?
..
 
Hi, Chuck.

Have you checked with Dell? Their Tech Support people might use the excuse
that you've changed the hardware and software they delivered to you. But
check with other Dell users in the peer-to-peer Usenet newsgroup
alt.sys.pc-clone.dell. Many of them have replaced Dell components and can
give you better information.

My guess (I've never had a Dell) is that the partition with the "invalid
signature" is a hidden one that Dell put on that drive at the factory to
hold some of their proprietary files.

RC
 
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