[<<]Message[>>]    [<<]Author[>>]        Subject            Thread    

Number   :  5184
Date     :  2003-07-30
Author   :  des4212001
Subject  :  A Solution to Booting a Copy of XP
Size(KB) :  2


See HKLM\System\Mounted Devices, DOS Device values.

The drive letters are coded to the physical drive via the first 4 
bytes there. Swapping drive letters between the Installed and Backup 
disks renders the backup bootable. Note, boot the Copy connected 
singly the first time to avoid cross linking the 2 copies.

Something I haven't tried but am sure would work, is to simply 
delete the copy's DOS Values (after all, Windows created it 
originally), then boot the Backup Copy connected singly. Finally, 
connecting the original as the second disk and booting again would 
complete the drive letter swapping between original & copy. (My 2 
drives are assigned C:-H: and I:-N:) Since my backup is primarily 
intended for restoring the operating copy, it's maintained as an 
image. This bootability business is my protection against the very 
remote possibility of drive failure (and is handy in checking if the 
problem that just showed up was from that latest update). And 
discovery of course!

I edit the unloaded copy's System file via Regedit's Load Hive, 
storing it under a 'Loaded Dat' key. The function swap is enhanced 
by keeping 2 small .reg files containing only the DOS Values, 1 for 
Image, 1 for Bootable. I also keep a copy of the entire registry in 
an intermediate location along with 2 System files, 1 as Image, and 
1 as Bootable, as a way to modify the function of the backup copy 
from DOS should the original not boot. (I'd 'pay' for a DOS Registry 
Editor!)

The only way I have to copy the Open files while Win32 is running is 
via the Paragon (Windows version) Partition Explorer. And it won't 
Copy them, but will Export them, and only to an intermediate 
location, not the correct location on the backup! You figure it out! 
But once they're out of their resident locations on the operating OS 
they'll Copy & Paste normally. The Export is removing the Hidden 
Attribute on the associated .log files, so I'd guess it's also 
removing the System Attribute as part of the transfer?

DES



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