partimage and Windows XP - mildy OT

[Giles Orr]

On 1/8/07, Giles wrote:
> I recently purchased a 120Gb HD to replace the 40 Gb HD in my laptop.
> I have a multi-boot system on the 40Gb including XP, and I'm somewhat
> stumped as to how to clone a Windows partition from one drive to the
> other.  Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to put both drives
> into a computer together, but I can boot with Knoppix or the Ultimate
> Boot CD and save partition images to an external USB HD.
>
> I booted the 40Gb HD with Ubuntu and used "partimage" to create
> gzipped partition images for both Fedora Core 5 and Windows XP on the
> USB HD.  I put the 120Gb into the laptop, booted Knoppix, and used
> partimage to unpack both images - Windows onto hda1, the first primary
> partition (it's on hda2 on the old HD).  FC5 went onto a logical
> partition.  Both partitions were slightly larger than the original
> partitions.  With a GRUB install and a bit of tweaking, FC5 booted
> fine.  But attempting to boot XP got me the GRUB parameters on screen
> and a screeching halt.  The partition is mountable and appears to have
> the expected files, but won't boot.

Sorry for quoting myself, but I thought the context was appropriate.

Amos Weatherhill suggested fixing the partition numbers in \boot.ini
... unfortunately this didn't fix the problem.  Len Sorensen suggested
re-installing, but I would really prefer not to for several reasons.
The main one is that I don't have physical media: I have only a
recovery partition and no good way to make that work on a new hard
drive (although I'll be working on that in the near future).  Also,
contrary to the accepted knowledge that Windows installs go sour in
six months to a year, this one is running beautifully and it would
take me weeks of tweaking to get a new install working as well.  So
I'd like to get this one working as a transplant if at all possible.
I suppose I'm also stuck a bit on the principle of the thing: I
"ought" to be able to do this.

I have since replicated the partitions (hda1, 2, and 3) on the new HD:
same physical sizes and even locations.  Now Windows boots, but when
you enter a username and password at the login screen, it says
"logging out" and brings you back to the login screen.  This applies
to both the Administrator and a normal user, and also happens in Safe
mode.  A Google search mostly turns up discussions of trojans and
viruses that cause this, but accessing the partition from Linux it's
clear that I don't have the infection referred to (I don't have the
executable that causes the problem).  Has anybody seen this?  Any
ideas on fixing it?  (I know this is kind of a Windows problem, but
it's one that's more likely to happen to a Linux geek ...)

Thanks for any help offered!

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
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