Nero Burn Harddrive Backup error

[sethfp]

Tried to use Nero Harddrive Backup and got the error:
"Some harddisk partitions do not end on cylinder borders. This harddrive cannot be backed up with Nero."
My harddrive has a 2nd partition which might be a problem.

[NooNoo]

So what are you asking? This is the second time you put up this topic.

The work around would be to disconnect the 2nd hard drive and see if Nero can burn a backup of the primary.

[confus-ed]

Originally posted by NooNoo
So what are you asking? This is the second time you put up this topic.

The work around would be to disconnect the 2nd hard drive and see if Nero can burn a backup of the primary.

I think sethfp is asking how he/she fixes the partition boundaries so that Nero will just 'work'...

Now I could have typed this answer.....& don't get me wrong it might well be the answer... but thinking about it, it might not be ....

I can get this error with one hard disk, by using partition magic to re-size a partition, in fact trying on a few machines you can get this error anyways- with no partition magic....

You can choose to make an image of a partition can't you with Nero?? I'd try that first... but you may well get the same thing....

What o/s is this, all I can find is that Nero doesn't seem to understand 'dynamic' volumes (like in xp/2000), but there isn't any help entry about this or any documentation I can find....

But I don't even know if this is a dynamic volume or not. So I think its just that this 'feature' of Nero is not quite as good as it appears to be & if you want to make a disk image you want some dedicated back-up utility not some CD burning s/w with it as an extra feature....

My preferred whole disk image utility is 'ghost'... perhaps you might give that a shot!

[sethfp]

Originally posted by confus-ed
I think sethfp is asking how he/she fixes the partition boundaries so that Nero will just 'work'...

Now I could have typed this answer.....& don't get me wrong it might well be the answer... but thinking about it, it might not be ....

I can get this error with one hard disk, by using partition magic to re-size a partition, in fact trying on a few machines you can get this error anyways- with no partition magic....

You can choose to make an image of a partition can't you with Nero?? I'd try that first... but you may well get the same thing....

What o/s is this, all I can find is that Nero doesn't seem to understand 'dynamic' volumes (like in xp/2000), but there isn't any help entry about this or any documentation I can find....

But I don't even know if this is a dynamic volume or not. So I think its just that this 'feature' of Nero is not quite as good as it appears to be & if you want to make a disk image you want some dedicated back-up utility not some CD burning s/w with it as an extra feature....

My preferred whole disk image utility is 'ghost'... perhaps you might give that a shot!

Am using Win 98SE. I only have one hard drive--but it is partitioned into C and D drive letters. C is only 2GB, so D is the main partition. Have been wanting to reformat and get rid of the 2nd partition. Have been unable to backup the info off the drive, and even if I did all the files would be looking for D drive.(Which if the partition is removed would no longer be there.)

[Garak]

OK, firstly, has this drive been in another system at anytime? if so, was it setup on this machine. As looking at the error, it maybe possible that the drive parameters and the partiton table information don't agree with each other (I have seen it where the drive will boot and operate correctly, but won't scandisk / defrag and such).

Secondly, this is a feature of Nero I personally have never got round to using, if you can get hold of Partition Magic (anything about version 3 should be good enough). That has a drive re-mapping program and should take care of all your problems in this case.

Worst case scenario is that you have to back up everything and start from scatch.

Just out of curiousity, what size Hard drive is it?

Also, just readthe error again...

"Some harddisk partitions do not end on cylinder borders. This harddrive cannot be backed up with Nero."

This may relate to the 1024 cylinder boot limitation possibly (I'm still studying HDD's so someone correct me if I have the cylinder number wrong.)

Good Luck Seth!

[confus-ed]

Originally posted by Garak
.....This may relate to the 1024 cylinder boot limitation possibly (I'm still studying HDD's so someone correct me if I have the cylinder number wrong.)

Ummmm cylinder boundaries not matching partition boundaries is more common than I thought, well I hadn't thought 'cos this has never happened to me!

Here's an explanation of what the hell I'm talking about!

Now I know its a linux link, but it explains why...

Since "disk geometry" is something without objective existence, different operating systems will invent different geometries for the same disk

The link also talks about 'old' FDISK versions not bothering to align cyclinder boundaries & partitition boundaries, I'm sure that's what's happened whether I can follow the logic of the link or not!

So that's the problem... what's the answer!

Sethfp is there a reason why you can't copy just your data to CD & then FDISK (and align!) and start with one partition and re-install all the programs.....?

[Garak]

Originally posted by confus-ed
Sethfp is there a reason why you can't copy just your data to CD & then FDISK (and align!) and start with one partition and re-install all the programs.....?

This is a good point..

[sethfp]

Originally posted by Garak
OK, firstly, has this drive been in another system at anytime? if so, was it setup on this machine. As looking at the error, it maybe possible that the drive parameters and the partiton table information don't agree with each other (I have seen it where the drive will boot and operate correctly, but won't scandisk / defrag and such).

Secondly, this is a feature of Nero I personally have never got round to using, if you can get hold of Partition Magic (anything about version 3 should be good enough). That has a drive re-mapping program and should take care of all your problems in this case.

Worst case scenario is that you have to back up everything and start from scatch.

Just out of curiousity, what size Hard drive is it?

Also, just readthe error again...



This may relate to the 1024 cylinder boot limitation possibly (I'm still studying HDD's so someone correct me if I have the cylinder number wrong.)

Good Luck Seth!

The partition was created using Fdisk. The harddrive is 18GB. The only reason the second partition was created was to get it to work on a 200Mhz computer(the harddrive was larger than what it could work with). The harddrive was later transfered into the 800Mhz system I have now. Am trying to backup everything(see my other posts on this).

[Garak]

I think that's where your problem may have started then, when I wake up properly I will try and figure a way round it, unless someone else wants to first.

[confus-ed]

Mmmmm ok then....

I take it 'everything' includes 'stuff' you don't have CDs for.... so your reasoning is to copy the whole drive .... I don't have issue with this but it might be tricky, well you know it is !....

Partition magic or similar would seem to be the answer, using this to 're-align' the partition boundaries with the cyclinder values. Using a 98 'compatibale' version of said 're-alignment' s/w ought to do the trick....as far as I understand all this where there is overlap, the overlapping cyclinders are unused so you ought to be able to change the size of the original from 1.99 Gig (there ought to be a little un-allocated space but will PM even see it?) or whatever to a value that matches exactly...

The 'best' way out of this would of course be to back up 'information' (your stuff) as opposed to 'data' (system/program stuff) & start all over again...

When you wake up Gary, you are welcome to try & figure a better way... I'm not convinced any of this will work at all....

I'd be using ghost ... this doesn't seem to care about cylinder boundaries, mind you I've got other hard disks about to just copy to ... & of course forgetting that the point was to get it onto cd.....

[Garak]

morning all,

PQ Magic Version 3 and up over should do the trick really, Anything over version 6 I beleive has a merge partition option (I will install 7 or 8 and check this out) I think merging the partitions should solve the problem as the drive will be configured to its full capacity. Sorry still not awake yet...

[confus-ed]

Originally posted by Garak
morning all,

PQ Magic Version 3 and up over should do the trick really, Anything over version 6 I beleive has a merge partition option (I will install 7 or 8 and check this out) I think merging the partitions should solve the problem as the drive will be configured to its full capacity. Sorry still not awake yet...

Just a quibble ... wasn't the whole point that he had installed proggies on D that he didn't have CDs for... so merging the partitions might do it, if its as simple as swapping a few shortcuts fom d: to c: , BUT what's he gonna do about 'absolute' apps -those that require installation at a fiixed sector... generally you can't just 'pick stuff up' from d to c...

There are utilities that let you move stuff (with or without the original cds) however you have to have enough space to put them in to, what about doing it back to front, moving everthing from c to d: as opposed to from d: to c: and then re-sizing...?

I've lost track of what he actually wants to do why, I think he wanted the backup before he did any of this just so he could at least get back to where he was....

[Garak]

Originally posted by confus-ed
Just a quibble ... wasn't the whole point that he had installed proggies on D that he didn't have CDs for... so merging the partitions might do it, if its as simple as swapping a few shortcuts fom d: to c: , BUT what's he gonna do about 'absolute' apps -those that require installation at a fiixed sector... generally you can't just 'pick stuff up' from d to c...

There are utilities that let you move stuff (with or without the original cds) however you have to have enough space to put them in to, what about doing it back to front, moving everthing from c to d: as opposed to from d: to c: and then re-sizing...?

I've lost track of what he actually wants to do why, I think he wanted the backup before he did any of this just so he could at least get back to where he was....

yep im now lost too, seth can you explain what it is you want to do please.. my head is smashed in