Windows could not start

[skrface]

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. This is a after a fresh install on a new hard drive 60 gigs old hard drive was 30 gigs. A dell laptop. This is what is in the log.

+ Retrospect Express version 6.0.222

Launched at 8/19/2004 6:27 PM

+ Retrospect Driver Update, version 3.6.104

 

+ Executing Immediate Backup at 8/19/2004 6:30 PM

To Backup Set Backup Set A...

 

- 8/19/2004 6:30:13 PM: Copying Drive C (C:)

File "C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\EventCache\{C7D3E10A-6252-419A-8D04-A6A77EAF596C}.bin": can't read, error -1020 (sharing violation)

8/19/2004 6:35:08 PM: Snapshot stored, 37.1 MB

8/19/2004 6:35:12 PM: Comparing Drive C (C:)

File "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\RTHLPSVC.EXE-20806002.pf": different modify date/time (set: 8/18/2004 5:31:13 PM, vol: 8/19/2004 6:32:33 PM)

8/19/2004 6:36:38 PM: 2 execution errors

Completed: 83 files, 539.8 MB, with 0% compression

Performance: 308.4 MB/minute (257.0 copy, 390.1 compare)

Duration: 00:06:24 (00:02:53 idle/loading/preparing)

 

Quit at 8/19/2004 7:28 PM

 

+ Retrospect Express version 6.0.222

Launched at 8/19/2004 9:33 PM

+ Retrospect Driver Update, version 3.6.104

Quit at 8/19/2004 9:53 PM

 

+ Retrospect Express version 6.0.222

Launched at 8/19/2004 10:00 PM

+ Retrospect Driver Update, version 3.6.104

 

 

Any help would be appreciated Rodney.

[skrface]

Hi Nate,

 

Found the problem:

 

 

Retrospect 6.0 and Earlier

After replacing or reformatting the hard disk in a Dell computer, users may experience trouble booting the computer (invalid boot.ini file error) following a complete system restore or Disaster Recovery (DR).

 

In a default system install (out of the box), the Dell hard drives have a 31MB FAT partition (EISA Configuaration). This partition does not have a drive letter and does not get backed up by Retrospect. As a result, if the C: drive is re-formatted during a Disaster Recovery, this 31MB partition is lost. The boot.ini file contained on the backup (and later restored) references two partitions rather then just one.

 

To work around this problem:

 

1. Install Windows 2000 or XP

 

2. Install Retrospect

 

3. Find or recreate the Backup Set catalog file

 

4. Within Windows Explorer show hidden files ? Tools> Folder Options> View>

 

Check: Show Hidden files and folders

 

Unckeck: Hide extensions for known file types and Hide protected operating system files

 

5. Locate the boot.ini file on the hard disk. Make a copy of the boot.ini file to floppy disk

 

6. Launch Retrospect

 

7. Run Restore Entire Volume

 

8. Before Reboot, replace the restored the boot.ini file on C: with the one from the floppy disk.

 

9. Reboot.

 

 

Retrospect 6.5 and Later

Retrospect 6.5 will automatically update the boot.ini file when doing a disaster recovery. The above steps are not needed with Retrospect 6.5 in most environments.

 

 

Have done everything up to step 5 I cannot backup boot ini as I do not know how. Have been the computer management> disk management, and I can see the drive but I cannot backup it up a little bit of guidance on this would help. Have also been in Explorer and cannot see it. Once I have backed it up I believe I can restore it is it would be in the opposite direction.

 

Hope you guys know that once someone has this problem you cannot repair the installation of Windows the only thing you can do is reinstall and then you have two installations of Windows 1 that works and one that is corrupt and you have to choose every time you boot your computer. Or You physically have to take a drive out and make it a slave or put it into media bay in in a Dell and reformat it to get rid of the corrupt XP file. At least that's what I had to do. I'm not trying to be mean but I wonder how many people have Dell Computer's that think their computers are backed up.

 

I know I have been very kind and I'm sorry I don't blame you i blame the company for not is giving enough support.

 

 

And has always thanks for your time and your help Rodney Nate walk me through this and get it to work I promise I will upgrade to 6.5

[skrface]

Nate,

 

Posted this to another site figured a little more information wouldn't hurt

 

I'm doing some experimentation here I have the original hard drive which I have copied over to the maxtor using dantz. Have another hard drive, I take the old one out and put the new in[it's a laptop it's very easy to do] and transfer the information from the maxtor to the new drive.

 

On the old drive I can find boot.ini but after installing XP and Dantz on the new drive I cannot find it. This is the error message I get

 

Windows could not start because of the computer disk hardware configuration problem.Could not read from selected boot disk check boot path and disk hardware.

 

Now here's the weird part if I put the new drive in the media and the old drive as c: they are exactly the same as it doesn't do much good if you can't boot from it.

 

Thanks for all your help Rodney

[natew]

Rodney

 

I'm not sure what you mean about backing up the boot.ini file. The boot.ini file is a hidden file located at the root of the C: drive. All you need to do is drag a copy of it to your floppy drive. You don't need to back it up with Retrospect. Retrospect will never display your floppy drive anyway.

 

After the restore the boot.ini file will contain information about your new system and your old one. Simply edit the file with notepad and remove the line that refers to your old system. They you won't have to choose every time you boot.

 

BTW - You don't need to upgrade to get responses from me. Its just hard getting the time to keep up with all the posts here.

 

Nate

 

Nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

 

 

When it in the duel boot mode I could not access Windows! Ever since trying this part of your software I have never been able to get to my desktop not once

 

 

 

I changed this

 

 

 

[boot loader]

 

timeout=30

 

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

 

[operating systems]

 

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

 

 

 

 

To this after retrospect was done transferring from the maxtor and before rebooting.

 

 

 

 

 

[boot loader]

 

timeout=30

 

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

 

[operating systems]

 

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

 

 

Now I get as far as the Windows is starting screen only it doesn't say that because it doesn't start I cannot get into Windows. Nate I haven't spent hours on this program I've spent days. I'm about to bring up another product you'll see why. I down loaded Acronis true image trial just to see how that works. It runs from Lenox it loads into memory[RAM] so you need to make a boot disk. The first time I tried it it did not recognize the maxtor one touch from within this boot disk. So to be fair and went back to dantz and made a disaster recovery disk. Burned it with Roxie it would not boot after pushing a F12 and selecting boot from DVD-ROM it would not boot going into the bios and selecting DVD-ROM it would not boot. So I decided to make another one, disaster recovery disk and burn it with Nero. After burning with Nero and checking the image I tried again it would not boot! Now out of curiosity I tried the true image CD and it works the FireWire was hooked up to the computer with the maxtor on and I had access to the maxtor this time although I could not transfer the information to the new drive because this was a trial version.

 

 

 

The bottom line is no matter what I tried I could not get dantz to do what it advertises. You ask why would I go through all of this because the one touch feature works great and I don't want to use two different backup programs.

 

 

 

Rodney.

[natew]

Hi

 

Your fist boot.ini file says Windows is on partition 2

 

The boot.ini file you restored says Windows is on partition 1

 

If I had to guess I would say the first boot.ini (partition 2) is correct. That is why the boot is failing. Regardless, the boot.ini info needs to match your disk setup.

 

When you burned the DR image to cd did you use the "create CD from CD image option" in Roxio? If you just drag the image to a CD it won't be bootable.

 

Thanks

Nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

Please read the whole thing please, I have a Dell latitude with the fat partition.

 

Retrospect 6.0 and Earlier

After replacing or reformatting the hard disk in a Dell computer, users may experience trouble booting the computer (invalid boot.ini file error) following a complete system restore or Disaster Recovery (DR).

 

In a default system install (out of the box), the Dell hard drives have a 31MB FAT partition (EISA Configuaration). This partition does not have a drive letter and does not get backed up by Retrospect. As a result, if the C: drive is re-formatted during a Disaster Recovery, this 31MB partition is lost. The boot.ini file contained on the backup (and later restored) references two partitions rather then just one.

 

Now this is what happens

 

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information

 

It states on your web site that 6.5 dozen suffer from this problem so I decided to try the free trial this is where I got

 

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information

 

So headed for Google and cut and pasted the above statement this was the third hit on Google. Note is the company name at the bottom?

 

Topic

 

When you try to start Windows XP after a restore, you receive: Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

 

 

 

 

Discussion

 

 

This can be caused by a missing or invalid default= entry in C:\Boot.ini, or if Windows XP is not installed in the location specified in C:\Boot.ini.

 

To resolve this issue:

 

1. Start your computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM.

2. When Press R to repair Windows by using the Recovery Console appears, press R.

3. Select the Windows installation and enter the administrator password at the prompt.

4. Type "bootcfg /add" and press Enter.

5. When a missing Windows Installation is located, respond Y to add the installation to the boot list.

6. At Enter Load Identifier, type Windows XP Professional (or Home Edition).

7. At Enter Operating System Load Options:, press Enter.

8. Exit the Recovery Console and select the first item on the boot menu.

9. After you log on, edit C:\Boot.ini to remove the improper entry.

 

NOTE: A typical C:\Boot.ini file contains:

 

[boot loader]

timeout=7

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

 

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Nate have tried just about everything I believe I am done stick a fork in me will check on your response in the morning in the way out the door to I guess by another program

 

Thanks Rodney

[skrface]

Nate,

 

Couldn't find the backup program of choice and it also may not do what I want. So are you going to leave it like this

 

Dantz =Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information

 

There is no one else having this problem? Guess I got to say if I look at that bright side I learned some stuff about dual boot systems learned a little bit about system repair learned what the differences of drag-and-drop is an and making an image. I'm kinda like a dog with a bone once I sink my teeth in the something I don't let go so if I buy another program I probably still would want to get this one to work also.

 

Please don't take it personal I just can get a backup program to work and I have to implement one soon.

 

Don't stay up too late have a good one Rodney

[natew]

Rodney,

 

I have re-read this thread as requested but I am still having a hard time following the procedures you used to do this restore.

 

You mention dual boot.

Is this a dual boot machine with two operating systems?

How many partitions are on the original disk including the hidded partition?

 

Did you use a Retrospect Disaster Recovery to boot and perform your restore? Or did you do a live restore over the top of an OS that you manually installed?

 

Did you use the Dell CDs to restore your system? It is possible/ Likely that the Dell CDs also restored the hidden fat partition.

 

I realise this is frustrating but I get the feeling we are not on the same page yet.

 

Thanks

Nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

OK I have figured out how not to have a dual boot system so let's forget that. What I have is a Dell laptop computer with the fat partition its hidden on Drive C. but nonetheless it's still there. This is what I do

 

I do a backup of C. Drive to the maxtor.

 

Takeout fixed hard drive in the laptop and replace it with a blank 1.

 

I install Windows and dantz and then repaired catalog. Then restore entire volume.

 

After the restore I look at the boot.ini which in retrospect 6.0 looks like this .But retrospect 6.0 does not backup that hidden fat partition.

 

 

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

Which it should not because dantz did not backup that small fat partition. So I changed to this because now there is only one partition on the whole Drive because dantz did not backup that small fat partition. Let me explain I have tried changing it and not changing it and the results are the same

 

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

 

Have also tried it with retrospect 6.5 trial version which is supposed to take care of this fat partition and it does not. Not out of all the things I've tried this is the response I get every time I try to do a restore. After I reboot this is what I get.

 

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

 

Rodney

[natew]

Hi Rodney,

 

Thank you for the clarification.

 

What CDs did you use to reinstall Windows? Are they they the recovery CDs that came with the Dell or are they generic Windows CDs?

 

When you ran the restore with Retrospect did you have the latest Retrospect driver update installed? (3.9 for Retro 6.0 and 5.2 for Retro 6.5)

 

If you haven't already you may want to try creating a Retrospect disaster recovery CD and running the restore that way.

 

Thanks

nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

The CDs I use came with the Dell machine. Don't know if I have the latest retrospect drivers how does one check that? I did try running retrospect disaster recovery CD and it did not work either. Kinda cool how it takes the information from the Windows disk. That also resulted in.

 

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

 

Rodney

[natew]

Hi

 

The driver update version is listed in the Retrospect operations log.

 

As a precaution you migh just want to download and install the latest driver anyway. The latest driver update for Retrospect 6.0 is version 3.9. You can get it from the Dantz updates page.

 

If you ran the install with the Dell CDs I suspect it automatically created the hidden partition. The disaster recovery CD does not create this partition so you have to manually edit the boot.ini file as you know.

 

Its been a while since I tried this but can you boot from Windows CD and go into recovery console? There is a fixboot option that I think will recreate a boot.ini for you.

 

Thanks

Nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

 

 

I tried a full restore using Retrospect 6.0, left the boot.ini as is. Also used Retrospect 6.0 and changed the boot.ini. Tried more than once each time. Same results. Windows could not start. This is the particulars on 6.0, 6.0.222 driver 3.6104. We'll try driver 3.9 tomorrow morning.

 

 

 

Also tried Retrospect trial version 6.5. Which is 6.5.350 driver 4.9.101. It states on your web site that 6.5 takes care of that fat partition and it does the boot. ini was correct after the restore but the results were the same. Windows could not start.

 

 

 

I did try using the Windows CD and fixing the boot.ini it just a little too much from a right now.

 

 

 

I hope I can explain this part where you understand I'm relatively new computers and a language really has to be baffled. Dell laptops have a media bay which you can put a another hard drive in if I take the drive that fails to boot after the restore process and put it into the media bay everything is there it is the spitting image of the original drive. The Original C:drive back in place

 

 

 

The bottom line is whether I change the boot.ini or leave as is I get the same thing Windows could not start

 

 

 

Rodney

[natew]

Hi

 

 

 

Since this is failing with both 6.0 and 6.5 I'm pretty sure there is something outside of Retrospect that is causing the problem.

 

 

 

After the restore is the restored disk in the same location as the original disk? Or is it in the additional media bay? Have you tried resotring from a different snapshot?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

 

 

"After the restore is the restored disk in the same location as the original disk"The Answer to That Is Yes

 

 

 

 

 

Did a another backup of C. drive this morning this time turning off McAfee Internet security which I probably should have been doing from the beginning.

 

 

 

 

 

+ Executing Immediate Backup at 9/8/2004 12:14 PM

 

To Backup Set Backup Set A Rods Old 3...

 

 

 

- 9/8/2004 12:14:14 PM: Copying Drive C (C:)

 

9/8/2004 1:30:39 PM: Snapshot stored, 35.7 MB

 

9/8/2004 1:30:44 PM: Comparing Drive C (C:)

 

9/8/2004 2:19:51 PM: Execution completed successfully

 

Completed: 34053 files, 20.8 GB, with 6% compression

 

Performance: 349.4 MB/minute (291.4 copy, 436.2 compare)

 

Duration: 02:05:37 (00:04:10 idle/loading/preparing)

 

 

 

Quit at 9/8/2004 2:26 PM

 

 

 

+ Retrospect Express version 6.0.222

 

Launched at 9/8/2004 10:06 PM

 

+ Retrospect Driver Update, version 3.9.106

 

 

 

As you can see I have the updated driver I also updated the driver on the new install. And fixed the boot.ini this time this is what I got ,This is in blue screen

 

 

 

stop: c0000139 {entry point not found } The procedure entry point ldrenumerateloadedmodules could not be located in the dynamic link libary ntdll.dll

 

 

 

 

 

Rodney.Remember now this is a Dell laptop no fancy SCSI's or raid arrays.

[natew]

Hi Rodney,

 

One time I pulled my hair out for two weeks trying to fix a Dell laptop. In desparation I ran a memory test utility and found that the machine had some bad RAM. Still waiting for the hair to come back...

 

What you are seeing sounds supiciously similar to the problems I had.

 

Dell has a diagnostic utility that will do a full system check including a thorough test of the RAM. Can you download it and give it a try please?

 

Thanks

Nate

[skrface]

Nate,

 

Tried Dell diagnostics twice everything checked out okay. You were right it is a piece of equipment it's the original hard drive that came with the Dell. Going to try to explain this the best I can.

 

I have three hard drives for this computer the original hard drive which is a 30 Gig gets all the garbage that's where I test programs to try before you buy and my video game hard drive for playing video games on the Internet. This one sounds like it is about to take a dump. It did test okay in the Dell diagnostics. This is the one that I've been trying to get dantz to backup and it kept failing. It is also in need of being the defrag and has that fat partition. Laptops make it very easy to swap out fixed hard drives.

 

Now I have to brand-new hard drives 1 is a 60 Gig 7200 RPM and No. 2 is a 60 G 5400 the thought here is I would use one in the fixed bay and the other in the media bay making backups a snap. Neither of these have the fat partition. So I tried backing up one of the new ones that is in a very pristine condition. Worked like a charm.The bottom line is always test your backup software. Again I apologize for being so surly but I've been having a lot of problems with other software used on our desktop which does not collect garbage.

 

Going to tried a defrag on the 30 garbage drive and maybe try once more, if it doesn't work would you be interested in buying a hard drive that dantz can't backup lol

 

Rodney

[natew]

Hi Rodney

 

I think I'll pass on the 30 GB drive. I'm neck deep in 10GB drives at the moment. They all work with Retrospect though...

 

Glad to hear the backup of the other drives worked.

 

Nate