Since this seems to be a common problem, I decided to post the way we (at
workplace) did, hope it will help.

At workplace, we use win2k workstation, and built an image from a standard
machine (all workstations have very similar hardware/software config). The
standard machine has one partition only, when we made the image, we boot
from a boot disk, run DriveImage from the CD (it's not on the book, but you
can do it), then clone the C: drive (make the image) to a harddrive we took
from another machine (fully working with enough space). Once we have the
image, we copy the image to a blank CD.

I have to say that we had failed to make the image work at first few try
too, the above is as far as I know how the service guy did it. and I do know
it works, since the image file solved a bad workstation crash last week.

However, I don't know if this way works with stand alone win2k machine,
since all our workstations are networked, and login to our server, so please
let me know how are your guys going.

Jun Qian

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Billiodeaux" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 10:08 PM
Subject: [PCBUILD] How to clone and restore a W2k, NTFS partition? Restored
part. prevents login.


> I cloned my W2k system partition F:(2.25Gb)NTFS using Drive Image 4.0.
> and Norton Ghost 6.5 each failing to allow login.
> I restored the cloned image to an existing partition D: (DI first deletes
> and then recreates and formats to the same as the image file source, NG
> reformats without resizing and restores).
> After the successful restore using either, I can boot up into W2k, but
> cannot login.  None of the 3 W2k users can login.  W2k accepts the
password,
> but immediately brings you back to the login menu.
>
> I have performed this successfully with FAT32 formatting after performing
> Fdisk /mbr to compensate for partition sizing). Initially I could login to
> the existing F: W2k, as it was not effected.  But after several reboots, I
> now the same is occuring with the source partition.????
> Which is suggesting that I need to reinstall, even though I have a
complete
> clone that boots up.
> Powerquest says that it is a Microsoft issue.  Microsoft will not give
> Powerquest enough information to correct the problem because it is a
> security issue with W2k, NTFS.  MS says this is a know issue and it is
with
> the Swap file, but offers no solution.
> I deleted the swap file and rebooted, but no change. W2k only recreates
the
> same Swap file.
>
> Any suggestions?
> At this point, I don't know how to clone a W2K o/s partition and restore
it
> (NTFS).  FAT32 I have no problem.  My only know solution is to install
FAT32
> and convert to NTFS.

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