Symantec Ghost disk clone to another computer?

[2001jgy]

Can I use Symantec Ghost to clone from Dell Computer Dimension 4100 hard
drive to the HP Vectra 515 hard drive?

Well, I tried but it was not working? It did not boot in the HP computer.

Anyway I can make this work? Thank you.

 

[Rod Speed]

Can I use Symantec Ghost to clone from Dell Computer
Dimension 4100 hard drive to the HP Vectra 515 hard drive?
Yep.

Well, I tried but it was not working?
It did not boot in the HP computer.

You mean you cant get Ghost to install on the HP at all ?

Exactly what happens ?

Anyway I can make this work?

Yep, get ghost to run on the HP. Must be doable.

 

[2001jgy]

Rod, I am able to clone my Dell Computer's hard drive A to hard drive B and
this drive B will boot and work well in this Dell Computer.
But, when I put this drive B into the HP computer as master, it will not
boot. The message is "NTLDR Missing"
When I reboot the HP with floppy, I cannot even see any file showing in the
drive B.
This Dell and HP computer is similar, 800MHz Pentium 3 with 128MB memory.
What did I do not correctly? Thanks.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod, I am able to clone my Dell Computer's hard drive A to
hard drive B and this drive B will boot and work well in this
Dell Computer. But, when I put this drive B into the HP computer
as master, it will not boot. The message is "NTLDR Missing"

OK, I assumed you meant you were cloning between
the PCs using Ghost's capability to clone over a laplink
or TCP/IP, not actually moving a drive between the PCs.

You'll find that the problem with what you are attempting
to do has nothing to do with Ghost at all and you can
prove that by getting the same result if you move the
original hard drive A to the HP. You will get the same
result with that and Ghost hasnt even been involved at all.

The problem is that you cant move a boot drive
between different PCs with that family of MS OSs
and be confident that it will boot in the new PC.

When I reboot the HP with floppy, I cannot
even see any file showing in the drive B.

Thats likely just because its a DOS boot
floppy and that cant see NTFS drives.

You'll likely get the same result
with that boot floppy in the Dell too.

This Dell and HP computer is similar,
800MHz Pentium 3 with 128MB memory.
What did I do not correctly?

You dont say which OS you are using, but since it complains
about the lack of NTLDR its one of NT, 2000 or XP.

If its XP its relatively easy to fix. Just put that B drive
in the HP and boot off the XP distribution CD and
use the repair option that shows up once thats booted.
That will essentially do a full reinstall of XP on that
drive, but will keep all your settings etc. Basically it will
load the correct drivers for the hardware thats in the HP.

Its done similarly with NT and 2000 if you are running those.

 

[Jim]

If he has the disk, its better to just bite the bullet and reinstall
properly. It avoids a lot of problems down the road.

 

[Rod Speed]

If he has the disk, its better to just bite the bullet and
reinstall properly. It avoids a lot of problems down the road.

Not with XP it doesnt. The correct repair option is the same
as a clean install as far as the hardware is concerned.

 

[Jack Mac]

Not with XP it doesnt. The correct repair option is the same
as a clean install as far as the hardware is concerned.

Seems to me his HP's BIOS doesn't even have a B drive in the
booting sequence. In fact I'm surprised that his Dell does.
I haven't seen a computer with a B drive since the days of the
old XT's, ATs, 286s ,etc. when some had two floppy drives.
Guess someone could rename drives to utilize a B drive.
Even that don't automatically put it in the boot sequence in
the BIOS. But then, I don't know much about these things.
They continue to amaze me!
Jack Mac

 

[Jim]

I'll give that a try next time I get one screwed up. Its probably a lot
faster than digging in the registry.
What about product registration when the hardware is different ? Have they
laxxed the rules on that ?

 

[Rod Speed]

Seems to me his HP's BIOS doesn't even have a B drive in
the booting sequence. In fact I'm surprised that his Dell does.
I haven't seen a computer with a B drive since the days of the
old XT's, ATs, 286s ,etc. when some had two floppy drives.

He's not talking about A and B in the sense of the
letter it gets in the OS after booting. Its just the
names he used to explain what he is actually doing.

Guess someone could rename drives to
utilize a B drive. Even that don't automatically
put it in the boot sequence in the BIOS.

Many modern bios actually list the drive model numbers
where you specify the drive to boot from nowdays.

But then, I don't know much about these
things. They continue to amaze me!

Dont say that, it only encourages them.
They're badly enough behaved as it is.

 

[Rod Speed]

I'll give that a try next time I get one screwed up.
Its probably a lot faster than digging in the registry.

Yeah, its always worked fine whenever I have used it.

What about product registration when the hardware
is different ? Have they laxxed the rules on that ?

Cant remember. I normally use Pro, not Home.
Pretty sure it does require reactivation if the
change to the hardware is what it considers to
be serious enough and it likely would in that case.

 

[2001jgy]

Thank you Rod for this discussion.
Actually I clone Drive name Apple (as C and Drive name Baker (as D using
Ghost. Just plain old drive to drive duplication. I also make sure all the
BIOS have the drives info updated at setup everytime I move the drives
around.

Thats likely just because its a DOS boot
floppy and that cant see NTFS drives.

I Purposely format all the drives in FAT32.

You dont say which OS you are using, but since it complains
about the lack of NTLDR its one of NT, 2000 or XP.

Windows XP Professional, Version 2002

If its XP its relatively easy to fix. Just put that B drive
in the HP and boot off the XP distribution CD and
use the repair option that shows up once thats booted.
That will essentially do a full reinstall of XP on that
drive, but will keep all your settings etc. Basically it will
load the correct drivers for the hardware thats in the HP.

This HP does not boot from CD. That's why I no longer buy any HP computer
any longer. We will to replace entire 5 floors of HP with Dell in a year or
so.

So now, I have the Dell drive in the HP. In HP, I can run FDISK and CHKDSK
and see the drive in tact. No files shown. But see space left over like in
Dell. What gives?

 

[Rod Speed]

Thank you Rod for this discussion.

No problem, thats what these groups are for.

Actually I clone Drive name Apple (as C and Drive name Baker
(as D using Ghost. Just plain old drive to drive duplication.

Fine. The main thing thats crucial when doing this with that
family of OSs is to never let it boot with both the original and
the clone visible at the same time. If you do that, it will get
seriously confused and the clone wont be bootable by itself.

Best to do the clone when booted from the rescue
floppy or the distribution CD so it doesnt boot XP auto
after the clone has completed. Then physically disconnect
the original and it should boot off the clone fine. Worth
trying that in the Dell to chop the possibiltys in half, and
when the clone boots fine in the Dell, move it to the HP
and plug the original drive into the Dell again.

I also make sure all the BIOS have the drives info
updated at setup everytime I move the drives around.

That might well be the problem with drive not being
visible properly from a dos boot floppy after its in
the HP. You should use the AUTO drive type today.

I Purposely format all the drives in FAT32.

OK, see above.

Windows XP Professional, Version 2002

This HP does not boot from CD. That's why
I no longer buy any HP computer any longer.

Yeah, thats a damned nuisance.

We will to replace entire 5 floors of HP with Dell in a year or so.

So now, I have the Dell drive in the HP. In HP, I can run
FDISK and CHKDSK and see the drive in tact. No files
shown. But see space left over like in Dell. What gives?

Almost certainly the fact that you arent using an AUTO drive type.

Put it back in the Dell, with an AUTO drive type for that drive.
Clone it again carefully and make sure XP doesnt boot with
both the original and the clone visible on the first boot after
the clone. I'd try booting off the clone drive in the Dell with
the original drive physically unplugged myself, basically to
check that the clone has worked properly. When that boots
fine in the Dell, I'd move it to the HP, again with an AUTO
drive type, and it will likely boot fine in the HP.

Gets a bit more tricky repairing an XP install in a PC that
cant boot off the XP distribution CD, but it can still be done.

 

[David H. Lipman]

If you are just talking about the hard disk -- yes.

If you are talking about making an image of a Dell PC and then restore the image to a HP
PC -- then absolutely No.

To CLONE a PC the hardware has to be ~95% the same. For example Dell GX240 to a Dell GX240
but NOT a Dell GX240 to a Dell GX400.

Dave



| Can I use Symantec Ghost to clone from Dell Computer Dimension 4100 hard
| drive to the HP Vectra 515 hard drive?
|
| Well, I tried but it was not working? It did not boot in the HP computer.
|
| Anyway I can make this work? Thank you.
|
|
|
|