How do I make the second partition, which includes all files from another hard drive, pretend that it is the main partition? I want to simulate the second partition being my main one for a while.
OR
How do I resize system partitions?
Background:
I am in deep trouble...
A while ago I made a hard drive image with Drive Snapshot (http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/). A few days ago my hard drive crashed and I certainly want to restore it. Although, I can't afford waiting for a new hard drive, so I need to restore it to another computer instead. My goal is to be able to boot into the old system with all programs and settings intact!
Setup:
- A stationary computer where the hard-drive snapshot resides (300 gb)
- A crashed laptop computer (38,7 gb)
- A target stationary computer with two partitions: (system c: 38,8 gb, d: 38,6 gb)
The problem is I cannot restore the 38,7 gb image file to the d: partition as it is 0,1 gb too small!!
I cannot use the 300 gb computer, and I cannot afford to delete the system partition of the target computer! I see only two options:
1. Resizing the partitions on target computer
2. Mounting the snapshot-image as a virtual drive (done), and copy all files but the movie-files etc to D:
Problems encountered:
1. This is impossible as the C: is the system partition and they cannot be made smaller with programs like Acronis PartitionExpert and i guess the other partition prorgams as well...
2. Although all files but the movies are copyed, I cannot make it boot!
(method: I use a virtual pc that mounts only the D: partition as only hard-drive. It says "Missing OS" when trying to boot. Trying to install XP in this mode just comes to choosing a suitable partition between "Unknown" and "C:" (In reality "C:" and "D:" resp.), but then it cannot continue without having a windows-installation on "Unknown", the primary partition... Info: As I want the settings to be intact, the virtual bootup should recognize the D: drive as C:!
I also tried doing a fixmbr through the recovery console, but I dared not continue! Check http://attachments.techguy.org/attachment....achmentid=62068 for a screenshot!)
Please help!
Any tips appreciated!
Full Version: How to make second partition bootable? Alt: How to
Suggest A Fix PC Support Forums > General Computing > Fdisk, Dual-Boot, File System and Partition Problems
Well, this is a bit complicated all right.
From what I can understand, the problem is that you have an image that is too big for any available partitions that you have.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that your overall goal is to save your movies and other data, am I correct? IF that is the case, have you considered using a data retrieval option, as opposed to attempting to remount your image (which may or may not work and you lose everything anyway in so doing)? In other words, if you could pull your valuable data off the corrupted operating system and save it to another machine, then you could reformat/reinstall your operating system. Now, of course, I am assuming that you also have the installation disks for all the programs that you want.
From what I can understand, the problem is that you have an image that is too big for any available partitions that you have.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that your overall goal is to save your movies and other data, am I correct? IF that is the case, have you considered using a data retrieval option, as opposed to attempting to remount your image (which may or may not work and you lose everything anyway in so doing)? In other words, if you could pull your valuable data off the corrupted operating system and save it to another machine, then you could reformat/reinstall your operating system. Now, of course, I am assuming that you also have the installation disks for all the programs that you want.
I agree. What you are trying to do is very risky. If you have another pc available, slave the crashed harddrive and try to transfer the data. If using XP, check HERE..
There are many inexpensive backup options if you need more space than is available on the other pc.
There are many inexpensive backup options if you need more space than is available on the other pc.
Hi motin, welcome to SAF 
To give you a good answer I need the following information about the "crashed" hard drive:
1. The size of the partition that you have an image for.
2. The size of the image (not compressed) - ie, how much of the above partition was used when you made the image.
3. File Format (FAT32 or NTFS).
4. Which Partition Manager software do you have available that you're familiar with.
To give you a good answer I need the following information about the "crashed" hard drive:
1. The size of the partition that you have an image for.
2. The size of the image (not compressed) - ie, how much of the above partition was used when you made the image.
3. File Format (FAT32 or NTFS).
4. Which Partition Manager software do you have available that you're familiar with.
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