XP Pro SP2 stalls after loading

[T_Les_H]

I've just installed a new HDD & Ghosted all data from my original C drive, and all seemed to go well. BIOS and jumpers were set with new 120Gb as Master and original 40Gb as Slave with the intention of then formatting the old disk. Windows however hasn't seen the change, and still shows the 40 Gb as C and the 120Gb as D.

Before formatting the original, I tried a boot up with the old disk disconected and whilst XP apears to load as normal it then goes into a blue screen with a small XP logo - and there it stays.

Is there something I've omitted to do or has the Ghost failed?  My friendly IT engineer assured me that was all there was to it, but telephone calls are not now being returned !! With the original disk reconnected it's all working, but obviously the data is duplicated on both (except for that which is necessary to open the OS)

Should I format the new disk and start again? I really would welcome some advice please.

Les

[Gizmo73]

On the blue screen was there any messages on there or was it just the XP logo?

Gizmo73

[GX1_Man]

I use Acronis, not Ghost, and it has no issues with this. Did you verify the image when it was created? Any error messages would be helpful as well.

[T_Les_H]

Gizmo - No messages, it goes through the loading sequence as normal, but then just hangs with a dark blue band top and bottom and a small XP logo in the middle.

GX1 - I'm afraid I didn't see an option to verify and when I came back to the screen after a bite of lunch it was showing complete, with no messages.

Thanks both for the response, I have Paragon Drive Copy available if I go through the process  again, it was just that I was persuaded to use a copy of Ghost because it is reliable !!!

Les

[GX1_Man]

Acronis True Image < $35 from www.newegg.com

It will do all of that and a lot more and no surprises.  

[patio]

When you prepped the new HDD did you remember to set it as active ? ?

I would only hook up the new HDD until you're fixed up to prevent the BIOS from getting confused...

patio.  8-)

[T_Les_H]

Just to close this thread and to thank you guys who responded to my problem, I am finally up and running again, although what actually caused it in the first instant I still don't know.

Despite stripping eveything out and reseating, checking all wiring connections and trying to start on the bare necessities it just got worse and worse, finally shutting down within seconds. I couldn't even get into BIOS. My son (based the other side of the world in OZ) suggested that it was likely to be CPU overheating, and after cleaning the face and reseating with thermal paste - which I had not used originally - it fired up as if there had never been a problem, and has ran non stop for a couple of days now.

So thanks again to Gizmo and GX1 for their input, and I can put my 10 year old dinasoar back into hibernation again.

Les H.  

[GX1_Man]

Glad you are all fixed up and thanks for posting back.