Re: Laptop HD upgrade, NTLDR is Missing!!
"Stephen" <srmoll@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:5919d84e-5c54-4816-8ec8-0d0e84b47ffc@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> On 11 Dec, 20:36, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@fly.com> wrote:
>> "Stephen" <srm...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news:5b80086c-ed4b-4faa-9057-3045a73eb835@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> > On 11 Dec, 17:23, "Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I....@fly.com> wrote:
>> >> "Stephen" <srm...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> >>news:ae64686c-a990-4c50-bd78-06be1ee73746@i12g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> >> >I have a Compaq Evo N600c laptop, with Windows 2000 Pro.
>>
>> >> > The existing 30GB HD gave me a scare the other day when the machine
>> >> > started and wanted to scan the drive for errors. It had previously
>> >> > shutdown normally. The scan showed 32K of bad sectors, so I thought
>> >> > it
>> >> > time to replace it. The original drive was a Hitachi Travelstar, but
>> >> > I
>> >> > could get an identical new one, so I got a Hitachi Travelstar 60GB
>> >> > drive instead.
>>
>> >> > A sector-by-sector copy was taken using Ghost 8.5, and this was put
>> >> > onto the new drive. When mounted in a USB casing the new drive
>> >> > functions fine, and all the files in the new drive are accessible.
>> >> > However the laptop will not boot from it.
>>
>> >> > I have tried running the Windows Console, and repairing the W2K
>> >> > installation, I have tried copying NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files from
>> >> > the original drive. I have checked the BOOT.INI file, and can't spot
>> >> > anything untoward there.
>>
>> >> > I have found various techniques on the net, that require the use of
>> >> > a
>> >> > laptop drive which I don't have. So those techniques are not
>> >> > available
>> >> > to me. As far as I can tell the Ghost copying process has copied the
>> >> > NTLDR and NDETECT.COM files and yet it still says the file is
>> >> > missing.
>> >> > I can only assume at this stage that the MBR and/or the BOOT.INI
>> >> > file
>> >> > are pointing to the wrong place, but I am unsure how to verify
>> >> > whether
>> >> > or not this is the case and how to correct them is they are wrong.
>>
>> >> > I have access to:
>>
>> >> > USB drive case, for 2.5" ATA drives.
>> >> > The laptop, which has a DVD-ROM drive, but no floppy drive.
>> >> > A PC, also with a DVD+/-RW drive, but no floppy drive.
>>
>> >> > What am I likely doing wrong?
>> >> > How can I more fully diagnose what is actually happening?
>>
>> >> > Cheers
>>
>> >> The boot sequence goes roughly like this:
>>
>> >> 1. The BIOS launches the code located in the MBR (Master Boot Record).
>> >> 2. The MBR code invokes ntldr.
>> >> 3. NTLDR processes boot.ini.
>>
>> >> Since the error message reports "Missing ntldr", there is no point in
>> >> examining boot.ini.
>>
>> >> I can think of two reasons why you might get this error message:
>> >> a) The MBR is incorrect. An easy way to fix it is to boot the
>> >> machine with a Win98 boot disk (www.bootdisk.com),
>> >> then to run this command: fdisk /mbr.
>> >> b) The disk geometry (Cylinder/Head/Sector) is incorrect.
>> >> To fix this you would need to compare the old and the
>> >> new setting on a desktop PC because few laptop BIOSs
>> >> have a facility to adjust these parameters. You would
>> >> also need an adapter to connect your 2.5" disk to a
>> >> standard ribbon cable.
>>
>> >> Until you get this problem resolved, you could probably boot
>> >> the machine with a Win2000 boot diskette or CD. Post again
>> >> if you need instructions on how to make one.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> >> - Show quoted text -
>>
>> > I have managed to get a hold of a floppy drive module for the laptop,
>> > so that's a new option open to me if needs be.
>>
>> > Reading your reply makes sense. I have just run an "Ultimate Boot CD 4
>> > Win", which has various drive tools on it. One of which stated that
>> > there was a problem with the drive geometry, and went on further to
>> > say that it was probably an incorrect figure for the number of heads.
>>
>> > How do I ascertain the correct geometry for the new drive? And what do
>> > I need to change to make this work? The laptop BIOS has precious
>> > little helpful options in it, and certainly nothing that looks useful
>> > with regards to the hard drive.
>>
>> I know of two ways to obtain the correct drive geometry:
>> - Read it off the disk label
>> - Get a desktop BIOS to report it to you.
>> The only way I have ever been able to change a drive geometry
>> is by using a desktop PC with a halfway intelligent BIOS. After
>> changing it, you would need to re-image the disk.
>
> So let me try and get this straight...
>
> The MBR contains some code, a bootstrap code if you will. Just enough
> code to read some specific sectors off the disk.
> These sectors will contain the NTLDR file. This again is some code,
> but more complex and will read the BOOT.INI file.
>
> The MBR code will have within it some drive geometry information
> contained within it, to ensure it reads the sectors containing NTLDR.
> I presume it reads the sectors, and the NTLDR file is fingerprinted
> somehow so that the MBR code knows it has found it. If it doesn't it
> displays the message I have been seeing.
>
> Mounting the drive through UBCD4Win, I am able to read the new drive
> and all the contents perfectly, because the incorrect MBR drive
> geometry values are not a factor?
>
You're close but not entirely correct. On the other hand my own
knowledge is not complete either.
You write "The MBR contains some code, a bootstrap code if you
will. Just enough code to read some specific sectors off the disk."
Yes, the MBR contains some code which is sufficient to read ntldr.
No, this file does not have to be in a specific place like to old DOS
boot files. The MBR code will find it regardless.
You write "The MBR code will have within it some drive geometry
information contained within it, to ensure it reads the sectors containing
NTLDR. I presume it reads the sectors, and the NTLDR file is
fingerprinted somehow so that the MBR code knows it has found it."
This is the part I know least about. Here are the two things I do know:
- If the information on your disk is recorded with an incorrect
geometry setting then the machine won't boot.
- In such a case my trusty old copy of PQMagic (a fierce competitor
to Ghost) would warn me about the discrepancy and tell me not to
store any information on the disk, to avoid serious corruption.
In other words, PQMagic tells me that a disk with a drive geometry
that does not match the BIOS settings is bad news.
I note that Acronis, which I use these days to manipulate partitions,
does not issue any warnings.
I have had several laptops with problems similar to yours. I was
able to fix all of them by performing the imaging process on a desktop
PC where I could control the disk geometry.
I suspect that other Ghost users must have had the same problem.
If so then the Ghost FAQs would mention it.