"ross m. greenberg" <greenber@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:108B0033-0D45-4242-85A3-079019BB8668@microsoft.com...
>
>> Ross, when you dual boot XP and Vista, assuming you allowed Vista to
>> create
>> the dual boot during its setup, the boot files are placed on XP
>> partition.
>>
>> You probably could bring your clone back to your F drive and it might see
>> the boot files on your XP partition. If it doesn't, you would boot from
>> the
>> Vista DVD and run the repair option which should replace the boot files
>> on
>> the XP Partition and make your formerly cloned Vista, dual boot aware.
>>
>> I haven't done this quite this way but I did make images of Vista in a
>> dual
>> boot scenario and had to do the above to restore my dual boot setup.
>
> Michael: the system was originally an XP Pro system. I use Partition
> Magic to split the XP partition into two partitions. Using the MSDN Vista
> disc, I installed Vista Ultimate. I was merrily
> backing off on a regular basis to my external USB drive.
>
> What files are actually required by Vista for booting any way?
>
> I was considering copying every file I could see from my backup USB
> drive -- with a control A/control C -- the control V'ing on to the
> bootable drive, including the registry of course. Will this work?
>
> This Dell machine only provides for booting off the hard disk or CDs/DVDs.
> Booting off the Vista DVD and then going to repair does not see the USB,
> it only sees the hard disc.
>
> Now what?
>
> Ross
>
>
First, everything I'm saying assumes you are using Vista's boot manager and
not Partition Magic's Boot Magic.
That said, I assume your clone software you used has the ability to place
the cloned copy back on the partition in which you originally installed
Vista and I would assume that software would work from XP and see your USB
drive...Okay, lot's of assumptions; you tell me where I'm wrong!<VBG>
After the clone is back on the partition own which Vista was originally
installed, boot from the Vista DVD, run the repair option which should see
the partition on which XP exists and the one on which Vista exists and
recreate the necessary boot files which are stored on the XP partition.
That said, once you've restored the clone, I'd test boot the system and see
if you get the menu because the old boot files should still be on the XP
drive. If for some reason you don't get the Vista boot menu, then run the
repair as noted and you should be back in business.
--
Michael Solomon
Backup is a PC user's best friend
DTS-L.Org:
http://www.dts-l.org/