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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
 Posted - Dec 29 2004 : 1:28:36 PM
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I have a C111Ti and I DID NOT purchase the optional CD-ROM Drive. Naturally, I found that I couldn't use the recovery CD's to restore my drive to the factory default installation, like I need to do.
After searching these forums, I stumbled across the information on how to do a D2D recovery. I did this and I received an error that states the drive is NTFS and cannot continue (Yes, I did convert to NTFS for work purposes).
Now, I can only boot to this error. Nothing else I try works!!!! I'd like to be able to make a boot disk as otherwise suggested with the i386 and CMPNTS directories copied, but now I can't get to them.
Any ideas????
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Jim Artis
Tablet PC Guru
USA
1741 Posts
My Tablet PCs: A challenge is but an opportunity to succeed ~ patient tenacity provides for success |
Posted - Dec 29 2004 : 1:44:54 PM
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Hi gbradberry,
Welcome to the Buzz.
quote:
Originally posted by gbradberry
... I stumbled across the information on how to do a D2D recovery. I did this and I received an error that states the drive is NTFS and cannot continue (Yes, I did convert to NTFS for work purposes).
Now, I can only boot to this error. Nothing else I try works!!!! I'd like to be able to make a boot disk as otherwise suggested with the i386 and CMPNTS directories copied, but now I can't get to them.
Any ideas????
I am not clear on what you have done and then need to do to get your C111Ti working.
So, first a few questions and then one of us will help you.
How did you do your D2D [disk-to-disk] recovery? Did you copy an image file of your computer from one hard drive to another? After that transfer, you now cannot boot from the destination drive? Is the destination drive the primary boot device? Please give us the exact text of the boot error.
I may well not have the correct questions. If not, correct them and tell us more. |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Dec 29 2004 : 3:36:38 PM
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From an earlier post by RIVERSEOW:
"...The changing point was when I entered the BIOS(CMOS)
to see whether I can change some I/O(USB) settings
to make the Plextor CD-ROM work. I found under the
"Advance" menu, there is an option of "Boot from
HARD Disk recovery" ( I can not remember exactly
the words since I have sent back the machine).
I immediately realize that it is related to the
D:/Image files. I enabled it and when the mechine
boots, I hit F12 and there is one more option
now (D2D recovery). I chose it and it did use
the hard disk images to back the machine up
to the initial factory installation..."
This is the process that I went through exactly. The computer now says "starting Windows 98," and gives me the error which says (bad grammar and all):
"The HardDisk DATA Partition has converted to NTFS or Missing./n The Recovery Process can not be continued./n Please contact with the service center./nC:\Tools"
I have access to a C:\ drive that has a volume label of ACER_SERVIC
It has various Win98 boot up files and a TOOLS dir. The TOOLS dir contains CHECKHDD.EXE, QUIT.BAT, AMPP.EXE, REBOOT.EXE, SVGA256.BGI, TRIP.CHR, MODEL.DAT and 2 directories: UI and PQ.
I also access to a D:\ drive with the volume label MS-RAMDRIVE with various boot up files and utilities and a PQ dir.
Thanks for your help.
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daveshih
Tablet PC Thinker
USA
116 Posts
My Tablet PCs: Acer TMC110ci |
Posted - Dec 29 2004 : 3:37:37 PM
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Oops, just saw gbradberry's reply, so ignore what I said.
Jim,
Most likely he copied the contents of the restore cd's unto the d: partition (Acer partitioned its 40 GB HD into 2 partitions) and initiated the restore process, which by the way, is the way the restore cd's do it as well. The only thing that prevents it is the fact the C: partition is now NTFS.
gbradberry,
I think what you've done in your D: partition is still ok. The only viable way in my mind is to build a bootable cd (using another computer) that contains formatting and partitioning tools such as fdisk. The use that bootable cd to boot into your tablet, format your c: partition to be FAT32, then goto you D: drive and initiate your D2D restore process again.
Hope this helps,
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Image Insert:
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Edited by - daveshih on Dec 29 2004 3:39:32 PM |
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Jim Artis
Tablet PC Guru
USA
1741 Posts
My Tablet PCs: A challenge is but an opportunity to succeed ~ patient tenacity provides for success |
Posted - Dec 29 2004 : 3:59:17 PM
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gbradberry,
Thanks for explaining. Are you cool with daveshih explanation of what need to be done. If so, please follow his steps. David will you monitor please. THANKS!
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Dec 29 2004 : 7:57:00 PM
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David:
Thanks for the info. I will try this when I get home after the holidays and let you know how it turns out.
It seems viable. |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Dec 30 2004 : 7:31:45 PM
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OK, I did as you suggested, David. I was able to create a boot cd and use fdisk and format to reformat the partition that was C:
Now I receive and error that says there are no image files on HDD.
Using FDISK I see 3 partitions:
1) approx 28GB, ext DOS, Fat32, logical drive d: (the one I just formatted)
2) approx 10GB, NTFS, no drive letter
3) approx 8MB, Pri DOS, FAT16, logical drive C:
The image files, CMPNENTS and i386 were (and presumable are) on the NTFS partition(2) that was D: and now no longer has a drive letter.
When I boot, I am taken to a C: drive that exits as an 8MB partition (#3) on the harddrive with the volume label ACER_SERVIC. It is as I described in my earlier post. This is where I now receive the error "APP: No IMAGE files in the HDD"
It seems to me that the recovery program is looking for the image files on the C: drive (partition 3) and doesn't even recognize partition 2.
Now I don't have access to the i386 and CMPNENTS directories to even try KPABLES method (which seems like the best option).
Short of spending $$$$ on the Acer drive, do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks for your continued assistance.
Gordon. |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Jan 01 2005 : 3:53:21 PM
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OK, so I can boot using a Win98 boot CD and load USB drive drivers.
Then I can load the acer system disk and run RECOVERY.EXE.
It ejects the CD and asks for the Recovery Disk 1. Then it appears to load ACER's CD-ROM drivers and won't recognize the CD Drive any longer!!!!!
Are there other compatible drives out there? Can I get my hands on the i386 and CMPNENTS files and try that method? I am now at a complete loss.
Gordon. |
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daveshih
Tablet PC Thinker
USA
116 Posts
My Tablet PCs: Acer TMC110ci |
Posted - Jan 01 2005 : 8:53:43 PM
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Sorry it did't work out. Sometimes it's not what it appears to be.
I'm out of town at the moment, so I'll try to find out more details once I get home shortly.
In the meantime, I'd suggest this. Go online and find a tool that'll let you read NTFS partitions (I think Winternals.com has one). The free ones will only let you have read access, but that's fine. You'll just need to verify what's in that partition and see if they can be found on your recovery cd's.
If yes (the d:\images\*.* can be found on the recovery cd's), then you can format that partition into FAT32 and copy those files back into that partition. Then reboot using the D2D feature you've described. If all goes well, it should proceed.
If not, then I'll say the best bet at the moment may be to send it in, or if you live close to Chicagoland, you can come by and I'll lend you my acer cdrom. Or if you can find some kind souls who live close to you and are willing to lend you their acer cdrom.
Again, sorry for your failed attemp.
Jim, (BTW, congrats on your most valuable member award, truly deserved), any inputs on this one?
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Edited by - daveshih on Jan 01 2005 9:54:03 PM |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Jan 01 2005 : 9:57:55 PM
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Yes David, you would think so; but alas, such is not the case.
The ACER recovery CD tries to load a proprietary CD Device driver that will apparently (according to ACER) only work with the ACER drive.
I have a bootable CD that boots to a Win98 command prompt. From there, I really can't do much else. I can't get to the partition with the i386 and CMPNENTS directories; I can't run the ACER recovery program (see my last post); and I can't perform a D2D recovery.
Thanks for your help, but it looks like a dead end and I'll have to buy the ACER drive or send it to the service center. If you have another suggestion, I would like to try it first, however.
Gordon. |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Jan 01 2005 : 9:59:45 PM
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David:
I didn't see the whole of your message. I will try your last suggestion before I send it in.
Thanks!!!!
Gordon. |
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Jim Artis
Tablet PC Guru
USA
1741 Posts
My Tablet PCs: A challenge is but an opportunity to succeed ~ patient tenacity provides for success |
Posted - Jan 02 2005 : 08:36:50 AM
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Hi David and gbradberry,
Thanks for the congrats! I appreciate it.
You are doing the same, as do so many members as they try to help others.
I have been following the thread. I'm waiting for Gordon's post after implementing your last suggestion. I'll comment at that point, if needed.
Too many offering help can be confusing. |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Jan 02 2005 : 09:24:05 AM
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David:
So far, so good. I was able to read the NTFS partition and copy files to the FAT32 partition using READNTFS.
However, the FDISK program I am using will only allow for the creation of 1 primary and 1 extended DOS partition (both of which already exist). I know there are better programs out there than the FDISK that comes from Microsoft as part of DOS.
Any suggestions on a good one?
I would also like to either burn these files to a CD (from DOS) or copy them to a network drive (JUST IN CASE something goes wrong). Both of these appear possible from my searches online, yet they are very confusing subjects.
I believe I can use MS Network Client 3.0 for DOS, but I have to install all of the startup files onto a CD, not the hard drive to boot. I am trying to figure that out.
If you know of a good tutorial on one of these subjects, let me know, otherwise I'll keep plugging along.
Thanks for your help! That last suggestion looks like it is going to work eventually. |
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riverseow
Tablet PC Ponderer
USA
82 Posts
My Tablet PCs: Acer Travelmate C110Ti
Acer Travelmate C112Ti-SP2 |
Posted - Jan 02 2005 : 12:15:41 PM
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I have read all the posts in this thread. Gbradberry, can you re-partition the C: into two partitions, and put that /images to the second partition. You need to assign the second partition a logical drive letter D:. My guess the recovery program just need to find the D:/images/ files to recover. It may not work if the recover program is like Norton Ghost which will overwrite the whole partition as the image. If that is the case, you need to copy out all the stuff on the NTFS partitions and then reformat that partition into FAT32 then
copy back all the files.
I have burned a bootable CD with USB support. However, the CD-Rom
can boot me into DOS but the CD driver can not be recognized for my old C110. Have not tried the C112. So I will have the same problem as Gbradberry that the recovery CDs are useless for me. Fortunately, I did not convert my D drive into NTFS. Therefore, I could still recover. Recently, when I sent back my C112, I also did a D2D recovery. I failed for the first time when I have a USB external HD plugged in. The error is simliar that the recovery program can not find the image. After I un-plug the external USB disk, the recovery went through. The recovery program is really very picky.
On my bootable CD, I have several useful tools, PQ partition magic and Norton Ghost. Partition Magic is a powerful tool for partitioning the disk. Norton Ghost can make your own recovery image. However, none of them are free. |
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gbradberry
Tablet PC Trainee
10 Posts
My Tablet PCs: |
Posted - Jan 02 2005 : 5:12:15 PM
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Thanks riverseow.
I have successfully reformatted the NTFS volume as FAT and copied the IMAGES back to it. When I ran the D2D recovery, it started and then finally said D: not accessible.
I did not have the IMAGES partition label as D:, nor was it logical - it was primary. I will make that change and try again. I will also unplug my usb drive.
Thanks for the info. Every step, I'm getting closer......
Gordon. |
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Jim Artis
Tablet PC Guru
USA
1741 Posts
My Tablet PCs: A challenge is but an opportunity to succeed ~ patient tenacity provides for success |
Posted - Jan 02 2005 : 5:18:33 PM
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FYI, I'm reading, but not interfering.
Thanks to riverseow & David.  |
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Edited by - Jim Artis on Feb 01 2005 4:07:23 PM |
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Help with Recovery!! 
