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[OM] Re: SyncBack, was Re: **SPAM** Re: Back up your data.

Subject: [OM] Re: SyncBack, was Re: **SPAM** Re: Back up your data.
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 15:47:50 -0700
Chuck Norcutt wrote:

> <snip>
>
>In my case I still don't have a complete mirror becuase I'm trying to 
>back up the boot drive.  It was a true mirror when first created but 
>SyncBack is unable to copy system files that are in use.  The 
>non-freebie version puports to be able to copy locked files in some way 
>so I'll have to look into that some more as I like to maintain the 
>target drive as bootable as it was when first created.  Anybody know if 
>this is possible?  Tom?
>  
>
I've just been wrestling with this one. The quick answer is that it 
depends on the operating system. Prior to XP, the answer is yes. 
Unfortunately, XP keeps a secret database somewhere that records the 
disk serial number and as what drive letter(s) it has been mounted.

So, if you get a new drive and create an exact copy of the existing boot 
drive WITHOUT EVER LETTING THE NEW DRIVE BE ASSIGNED A DRIVE LETTER, 
remove the boot drive, switch the new drive to the primary master 
position in hardware and start XP, the new drive will be recognized as 
bootable and become drive C:. The secret table will record it as anothe 
possible C:. You may then swap boot drives back and forth.

If however, as in my case, you want to take a drive already with a drive 
letter and copy the existing boot drive image, when you try to boot, XP 
will read the table, "know" that this drive is something other than C: 
and refuse to boot. I have a 120gb boot disk and later added a 200gb 
second HDD. Now I've added a 300gb SATA drive. Looking at them all with 
HD Tune, I saw that the 200gb drive had the same seek time and 
significantly faster throughput than the boot drive. So I tried to swap 
them. No dice so far.

Does anyone here know what the XP secret database of HDD serial numbers 
and drive assignments is called? Know of a utility to modify it? Even if 
I can just find it, I might be able to use a bit editor to change the 
one crucial character. I've done that kind of thing before.

Moose


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