copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

Doug McGarrett

14 Sep 2005 14 Sep '05

22:36

I have 2 hard drives and the XP drive is getting flakey, altho it booted today. Is there any way to copy the _complete_ xp drive, registry, files, and all to the Linux drive, and then, having replaced the flakey drive, copy all of that back, and have a bootable, usable xp system? If so, please give me detailed directions. I'm an RF guy, not a computer maven. BTW, the flakey drive contains the dual-boot system, and I could not get into that last night. Can I get into the Linux drive directly somehow, from a floppy or a CD or something? TIA!--doug -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.10.25/102 - Release Date: 9/14/2005

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Carl Hartung

15 Sep 15 Sep

01:21

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wednesday 14 September 2005 16:36, Doug McGarrett wrote:

...

I have 2 hard drives and the XP drive is getting flakey... <snippage>

Hi Doug, The short answer is that your inquiry is Off Topic and your request is not very realistic. Long Answer: This is an XP question, not a SUSE/Linux question. Yes, you've framed it in Linux terms, but the core topic is what can or cannot be done with Linux tools to preserve your *XP installation.* There is no way anyone here can tell you, with certainty, what XP will think of waking up on a new hard drive. Due to the built-in antipiracy protections, it could work but secretly start "phoning home" or it could refuse to boot entirely or it could boot but demand reactivation... these are XP questions and they belong on an XP forum. From a technical standpoint: If you just leave your Linux hard drive out of the system until your XP data is transferred, the new drive is permanently installed and XP is happy, you can put it back and reinstall the missing boot menu (i.e. the boot loader, presumably grub) by booting the SUSE CD and reinstalling it. This procedure will protect your existing Linux installation. regards, - Carl

Greg Wallace

02:17

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wednesday, September 14, 2005 @ 12:37 PM, Doug McGarrett wrote:

...

I have 2 hard drives and the XP drive is getting flakey, altho it booted today. Is there any way to copy the _complete_ xp drive, registry, files, and all to the Linux drive, and then, having replaced the flakey drive, copy all of that back, and have a bootable, usable xp system? If so, please give me detailed directions. I'm an RF guy, not a computer maven.

...

BTW, the flakey drive contains the dual-boot system, and I could not get into that last night. Can I get into the Linux drive directly somehow, from a floppy or a CD or something?

...

TIA!--doug

Why not just cut an ASR backup and recover that to your new drive? Greg Wallace

Carl Hartung

03:05

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wednesday 14 September 2005 20:17, Greg Wallace wrote: <snippage>

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Why not just cut an ASR backup and recover that to your new drive?

As I stated previously, Greg, this is really OT. When you search this list for answers to SUSE or Linux problems, you don't want to pull up a bunch of XP related stuff, do you? I don't. And that's what happens to list quality when off-topic subjects are encouraged. In any event, XP binds itself to a system hardware profile, which is calculated during installation, encrypted and stored in the registry. Each time the system boots, it checks to see that the stored profile matches the hardware that it is currently booting on. The signature will be different after the new drive is installed and, when it finds that kind of discrepancy, it /may/ no longer boot, etc., as I described in my previous post... the point of which was that the OP can easily Google and find tons of existing posts and articles addressing this non-SUSE, non-Linux subject. just 2 cents more, - Carl

Greg Wallace

03:25

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wednesday, September 14, 2005 @ 5:05 PM, Carl Hartung wrote:

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On Wednesday 14 September 2005 20:17, Greg Wallace wrote: <snippage>

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Why not just cut an ASR backup and recover that to your new drive?

...

As I stated previously, Greg, this is really OT. When you search this list for answers to SUSE or Linux problems, you don't want to pull up a bunch of XP related stuff, do you? I don't. And that's what happens to list quality when off-topic subjects are encouraged.

...

In any event, XP binds itself to a system hardware profile, which is calculated during installation, encrypted and stored in the registry. Each time the system boots, it checks to see that the stored profile matches the

...

hardware that it is currently booting on. The signature will be different after the new drive is installed and, when it finds that kind of discrepancy, it /may/ no longer boot, etc., as I described in my previous post... the point of which was that the OP can easily Google and find tons of existing posts and articles addressing this non-SUSE, non-Linux subject.

...

just 2 cents more,

...

- Carl

Carl: Well, he does have a Linux MBR on that disk, and the fact he has a Linux system and is just trying to make a hardware correction with a system about to fail made me feel like it was ok to give him a high-level suggestion, even though it technically wasn't a Linux question. But your point is also well taken. While I'm on the line, regarding the XP security issue, I wouldn't think a new hard drive on the same computer would give him a problem. Worst case, he could just switch the drives back and be where he was before he started. Greg W

Carl Hartung

04:17

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wednesday 14 September 2005 21:25, Greg Wallace wrote:

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Well, he does have a Linux MBR on that disk, and the fact he has a Linux system and is just trying to make a hardware correction with a system about to fail made me feel like it was ok to give him a high-level suggestion, even though it technically wasn't a Linux question.

I agree with you completely, Greg. The approach is to help fellow SUSE users out whenever possible. At the same time, this isn't a "general purpose" PC tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature that is embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better off using XP tools to transfer the activated installation to a new drive. He /might/ still be required to activate the product again, but at least he won't lose access to his data. To my knowledge, there's nothing in the SUSE or Linux arsenal that allows him to circumvent this process. - Carl

Sunny

16:52

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On 9/14/05, Carl Hartung wrote:

...

tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature that is embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better

XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive. -- -- Svetoslav Milenov (Sunny)

Sunny

16:58

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On 9/15/05, Sunny wrote:

...

XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Ops, forgot about the solution :) Short answer - I used partimage from a Knoppix disk to make an image of the ntfs partition, and then restored on the new drive. Long answer: look in the list archives for thread with subject "partition copy" started by me. After a few suggestions, I have posted [Solved] reply with full description what I did. Cheers Sunny -- Svetoslav Milenov (Sunny)

James Knott

18:02

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

Sunny wrote:

...

On 9/14/05, Carl Hartung wrote:

...
tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature that is embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better

XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

Carl Hartung

18:13

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Thursday 15 September 2005 12:02, James Knott wrote:

...

Sunny wrote:

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XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

Exactly. No one here can predict this, especially when you're changing out the system drive. <snip> More later. :-( We're having a lightening storm... time to shut down! bye! - Carl

Randall R Schulz

18:27

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

Carl, On Thursday 15 September 2005 09:13, Carl Hartung wrote:

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On Thursday 15 September 2005 12:02, James Knott wrote:

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Sunny wrote:

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XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

Exactly. No one here can predict this, especially when you're changing out the system drive. <snip>

If you search the Net, you can find a lot of material by people who've attempted to reverse engineer the functionality in Windows XP as well as some information (certainly nothing definitive) from Microsoft. You can find some information about the "formula" that captures the hardware change threshold for requiring reactivation.

...

...

bye!

- Carl

Randall Schulz

Sunny

18:16

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On 9/15/05, James Knott wrote:

...

Sunny wrote:

...
On 9/14/05, Carl Hartung wrote:

...
tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature that is embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better

XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

Strange, as seen in my other thread I mentioned, I replaced HDD, and added memory, and I did not needed reactivation. But ... maybe because it was with the original XP installed by the manufacturer of the laptop. As far as I know, branded OEM installs does not require activation. I may be wrong. But for sure I have added memory in the past for my home comp and it was working. Most probably your friend have done some more changes before that, like new HDD, etc., so they end up with 3 mods. -- Svetoslav Milenov (Sunny)

James Knott

19:05

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

Sunny wrote:

...

On 9/15/05, James Knott wrote:

...
Sunny wrote:

...
On 9/14/05, Carl Hartung wrote:

...
tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature that is embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

Strange, as seen in my other thread I mentioned, I replaced HDD, and added memory, and I did not needed reactivation. But ... maybe because it was with the original XP installed by the manufacturer of the laptop. As far as I know, branded OEM installs does not require activation. I may be wrong.

But for sure I have added memory in the past for my home comp and it was working.

Most probably your friend have done some more changes before that, like new HDD, etc., so they end up with 3 mods.

No. I'm the only one who's worked on that computer. There are no other changes, unless they're counting PCMCIA or USB devices. If they are counting those, then there'll be a lot of people reactivating. Outside of that memory, the computer is 100% original.

Greg Wallace

16 Sep 16 Sep

08:08

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

...

On 9/15/05, James Knott wrote:

...
Sunny wrote:

...
On 9/14/05, Carl Hartung wrote:

...
tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature

On Thursday, September 15, 2005 @ 8:17 AM, Sunny wrote: that is

...

...
...
...
embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better

XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

...

Strange, as seen in my other thread I mentioned, I replaced HDD, and added memory, and I did not needed reactivation. But ... maybe because it was with the original XP installed by the manufacturer of the laptop. As far as I know, branded OEM installs does not require activation. I may be wrong.

...

But for sure I have added memory in the past for my home comp and it was working.

...

Most probably your friend have done some more changes before that, like new HDD, etc., so they end up with 3 mods.

...

-- Svetoslav Milenov (Sunny)

I had just had the same thought. I added memory with no problem either but, like you, my Windows software was on this Dell machine when I bought it. I actually had to fully restore it once from an ASR backup. During the first phase, when you would normally be prompted for a registration number, I didn't have to do that. Not sure how that works. At the time, I had two Dell machines with Windows and two installation CDs. I re-installed the other Windows op system from one of the CD's also. Either I got lucky and happened to use the correct CD each time (they're just in a stack of CDs I have) for each machine or there's something built into the CDs themselves (or in the computer firmware) that knows I'm legit. If either CD works for either machine, it's probably something built into the firmware on the machine(?). Greg Wallace

Kevanf1

10:36

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On 16/09/05, Greg Wallace wrote:

...

On Thursday, September 15, 2005 @ 8:17 AM, Sunny wrote:

...

I had just had the same thought. I added memory with no problem either but, like you, my Windows software was on this Dell machine when I bought it. I actually had to fully restore it once from an ASR backup. During the first phase, when you would normally be prompted for a registration number, I didn't have to do that. Not sure how that works. At the time, I had two Dell machines with Windows and two installation CDs. I re-installed the other Windows op system from one of the CD's also. Either I got lucky and happened to use the correct CD each time (they're just in a stack of CDs I have) for each machine or there's something built into the CDs themselves (or in the computer firmware) that knows I'm legit. If either CD works for either machine, it's probably something built into the firmware on the machine(?).

Greg Wallace

I have the feeling that Dell may do the same as Compaq once did. That is, they added some sort of coding into the BIOS which denoted that the machine was as it was supposed to be. I found this out when I tried to install Win2k from an unused Compaq branded disk. It never would install as it kept asking for a Compaq PC and stating that it could go no further as this PC is not Compaq. DOH!!!! -- ============================================== I am only human, please forgive me if I make a mistake it is not deliberate. ============================================== Take care. Kevan Farmer 34 Hill Street Cheslyn Hay Staffordshire WS6 7HR

Greg Wallace

07:59

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Thursday, September 15, 2005 @ 8:03 AM, James Knott wrote:

...

Sunny wrote:

...
On 9/14/05, Carl Hartung wrote:

...
tech support forum, either. When I read his post I concluded that his was an XP problem: the hardware profile will no longer match the signature that is embedded in XP if he just backs everything up, replaces the *system* drive and restores from the backup. XP will think it's been pirated. He's better

XP allows 3 minor changes before it requires reactivation, and I had luck with replacing a hard drive.

...

Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

I added memory to my XP machine about 2 years ago. I didn't have any authorization issue. The only thing that happened is I got a pop-up when I booted the first time that said something like "Memory has changed!". Greg Wallace

James Knott

13:10

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

Greg Wallace wrote:

...

...
Apparently, adding memory is not considered a minor change. A while ago, I added some memory to a friend's notebook. That was enough to require reactivation.

I added memory to my XP machine about 2 years ago. I didn't have any authorization issue. The only thing that happened is I got a pop-up when I booted the first time that said something like "Memory has changed!".

Was yours an OEM install? My friend's computer was originally supplied with Windows 98, which I later updated to XP.

James Knott

15 Sep 15 Sep

03:31

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

Greg Wallace wrote:

...

Why not just cut an ASR backup and recover that to your new drive?

When I first read that, I immediately thought of the old ASR 33 and 35 Teletypes and backing it up to paper tape, like we used to do with mini computers. I wonder how much tape it would take, to back up an XP system and how long at 10 CPs? ;-)

Greg Wallace

03:37

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wednesday, September 14, 205 @ 5:31 PM, James Knott wrote:

...

Greg Wallace wrote:

...

...
Why not just cut an ASR backup and recover that to your new drive?

...

When I first read that, I immediately thought of the old ASR 33 and 35 Teletypes and backing it up to paper tape, like we used to do with mini computers. I wonder how much tape it would take, to back up an XP system and how long at 10 CPs? ;-)

And how much tape it would take? Greg Wallace

Mike McMullin

11:56

New subject: [SLE] copy all of xp, etc to a linux directory?

On Wed, 2005-09-14 at 16:36 -0400, Doug McGarrett wrote:

...

I have 2 hard drives and the XP drive is getting flakey, altho it booted today. Is there any way to copy the _complete_ xp drive, registry, files, and all to the Linux drive, and then, having replaced the flakey drive, copy all of that back, and have a bootable, usable xp system? If so, please give me detailed directions. I'm an RF guy, not a computer maven.

Three is an utility called Partition Image that may well work for you. I've used it a few times on VFAT and FAT32 drives but not on NTFS drives. It's an arcane interface, but it does the job. It will create an (compressed - optional) image of the used sections of the drive and you can recreate the drive from the image(s).

...

BTW, the flakey drive contains the dual-boot system, and I could not get into that last night. Can I get into the Linux drive directly somehow, from a floppy or a CD or something?

You can use your install CD\DVD and choose at one point to boot the installed system. HTH Mike

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participants (8)

Carl Hartung
Doug McGarrett
Greg Wallace
James Knott
Kevanf1
Mike McMullin
Randall R Schulz
Sunny