Shot myself in the foot (Ghost imaging problem)

kirkaf · **Joined:** February 25th, 2007, 3:30 **Posts:** 2

I recently ghosted an internal 40GB drive (laptop) to a 100GB drive and as a result wound up with the target sized to 40GB, and non-bootable. How do I recover this larger drive to a usable state? And can I get Ghost not to do this? Wiping this new drive is not an issue. I've tried various low-level formatters but they leave this drive at 40GB.

It's an Hitachi Travelstar. I've tried their tool, and the HDD Wipe Tool. And I'm in the middle of using the HDD Low Level Format Tool but I'm not sure it recovered this lost space either.

I'm not new to hardware or software but I am new to imaging PC drives with Ghost. I back up my Mac nightly this way, making a bootable image between two differently sized drives, so I know it should be possible on a PC. BTW, this is a SATA drive if that makes any difference.

Help! I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

pepe

Hi,

I don't know Norton Ghost pretty much, but I know it can create compressed images which -obviously- are not bootable. But surely there is a way to create bootable images with ghost.
the destination drive's size is not important as far as it is larger than the source.
I cannot imagine any reasonable reason why the size of the dest. drive changed, check it in MHDD, it should report max LBA ~200.000.000
it might be that HPA is set - see MHDD

regards,
pepe

bsnyder

As pepe also said, I'm not familar with Ghost, but it does sound like the drive is clipped (HPA) to 40GB. Try using a software (or hardware) tool to unclip the drive. After the HPA is removed, it should show up in Windows as a 40GB partition and 60GB unallocated. You can then use another software tool (I've done it with Partition Magic) to extend the 40GB partition to the drive's full capacity.

Jeet · **Joined:** March 1st, 2007, 0:43 **Posts:** 4

I just ran to this same problem yesterday.
Same exact issue
Except I used Acronis
It was also a laptop a dell e1550 laptop

I tried to image a 40 gig sata to a 100 gig sata.
It didn't work properly and now the drives reads 40 gigs.
Tried another drive same issue.
I also dban,wiped low level etc.

Bsnyder when you say unclip the drive with software or hardware what do you mean? With the mhdd software?

bsnyder

Yes, it looks like MHDD can do it:

Quote:

Cutting the drive (size change)
Use HPA command to limit size of a drive. You will be asked about new MaxLBA number, just enter how many sectors you want to use. To uncut the drive, use NHPA command. Please repower the drive before using NHPA command. According to ATA/ATAPI standard, you can use HPA functions only once per drive's power cycle.

kirkaf · **Joined:** February 25th, 2007, 3:30 **Posts:** 2

This may be a duplicate, but I didn't see my previous reply post...

I've already tried MHDD, tried being the operative word here. I burned a boot CD, and was able to boot it in. But at that point all I can get it to do is show me a list of commands. Anything I try, including the NHPA command, results in a 'wait forever for nothing to return' state. Maybe it's just me but I can't seem get it to do anything useful.

Does anyone have any successful experience using MHDD? Help?

Thanks,
-Kirk

Jeet · **Joined:** March 1st, 2007, 0:43 **Posts:** 4

I tried that program. When I enter the command NHPA,it failed an do anything.
I've tried also ibm/hitachi feature tool,that tool fails to even load correctly.

Here another thread relating to the same problem
http://forum.hddguru.com/disk-resized-f ... t6774.html

It appears he may have a resoultion too our problem

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Shot myself in the foot (Ghost imaging problem)

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