How to stop Windows writing to 2nd hard drive

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Platypus replied

14 November 2009, 17:27
Originally posted by worzelGummidge View Post

I do this also but do not seem to get a problem.
I am using Windows XP and clone C: to D: using Acronis True Copy.
I do however unplug the internal disk cable after the copy and checking that the system boots off the new image. Then plug back in C: drive.

You got it in one! Exactly my strategy. Also using Acronis. But I wasn't unplugging the cable, so the D: drive was still visible when Windows reboots. Windows informs me that "your configuration has changed" and asks for another reboot. Then it's happy. I think it's at that point it's written its "signature" to the disk thereby buggering the whole thing up.

New strategy (subject to test) is to use Acronis Backup to drive D: and to periodically clone C: to a drive connected by USB which I can easily unplug.

Originally posted by VectraMan

Can you disable the drive in Windows?

Just looking at Device Manager (in Windows 7 - so YMMV), and I can right click on the different ATA channels and disable them.

(a) Nice idea - I've been looking for a way to tell Windows to ignore the drive
(b) But I don't see that facility
(c) I think it'd be too late, Windows seems pretty eager to write a signature to the drive.

Thanks anyway.
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VectraMan replied

14 November 2009, 11:08
Can you disable the drive in Windows?

Just looking at Device Manager (in Windows 7 - so YMMV), and I can right click on the different ATA channels and disable them.
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worzelGummidge replied

14 November 2009, 10:57
Originally posted by Platypus View Post

I regularly clone my C: drive to an identical D: drive.

But when I reboot after the clone procedure, Windows seems to think that the D: drive is now "new" and proceeds to do something to it (write an identifier??) which renders the drive unbootable if I physically switch it to C:

Any idea what Windows is doing, and how I can stop it ?

I do this also but do not seem to get a problem.
I am using Windows XP and clone C: to D: using Acronis True Copy.
I do however unplug the internal disk cable after the copy and checking that the system boots off the new image. Then plug back in C: drive.
Leave a comment:
Platypus replied

13 November 2009, 21:36
Originally posted by Churchill View Post

FTFY

Well I've been seriously evaluating whether I can switch to a Mac or Linux. And the answer is "no" unless I'm prepared to run certain apps in a virtual Windows machine. IME these don't perform anything like as fast as native.
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Platypus replied

13 November 2009, 21:33
Originally posted by Sysman View Post

That'll be the "harmless signature" which is anything but.

The way to recover from it is to write a new boot block. I used to know how to do that in DOS and NT4 days but I don't know what you do with more modern versions of Windies.

Thanks, Sysman. That certainly explains a few things. A few bad things!

I also noticed, when re-installing MSO, that it decided to use the D: drive for its install cache. Without my permission
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Sysman replied

13 November 2009, 16:14
Originally posted by Platypus View Post

I regularly clone my C: drive to an identical D: drive.

But when I reboot after the clone procedure, Windows seems to think that the D: drive is now "new" and proceeds to do something to it (write an identifier??) which renders the drive unbootable if I physically switch it to C:

Any idea what Windows is doing, and how I can stop it ?

That'll be the "harmless signature" which is anything but.

The way to recover from it is to write a new boot block. I used to know how to do that in DOS and NT4 days but I don't know what you do with more modern versions of Windies.

Last edited by Sysman; 13 November 2009, 16:16.
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Clippy replied

13 November 2009, 15:38
Originally posted by Platypus View Post

No, entirely separate drive. For convenience, it's in the tower on the IDE bus, but I'm starting to think that an external caddy is the only way to go

Sounds like or, I know it will be a pain but you get to keep the drive where it is, when you re-boot after you have imaged you could go immediately into the BIOS and disable that IDE channel so Windows won't see it when you subsequently boot.

A pain, I know, particularly if you image from within Windows itself.
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Churchill replied

13 November 2009, 15:27
Originally posted by Platypus View Post

No, entirely separate drive. For convenience, it's in the tower on the IDE bus, but I'm starting to think that Linux is the only way to go

FTFY
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Platypus replied

13 November 2009, 15:14
Originally posted by Clippy View Post

Is D: a partition of the C: drive?

If not, and it is a separate drive altogether, why not install it into an external USB caddy.

No, entirely separate drive. For convenience, it's in the tower on the IDE bus, but I'm starting to think that an external caddy is the only way to go
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Clippy replied

13 November 2009, 15:11
Is D: a partition of the C: drive?

If not, and it is a separate drive altogether, why not install it into an external USB caddy.
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Platypus started a topic How to stop Windows writing to 2nd hard drive

13 November 2009, 15:04
How to stop Windows writing to 2nd hard drive

I regularly clone my C: drive to an identical D: drive.

But when I reboot after the clone procedure, Windows seems to think that the D: drive is now "new" and proceeds to do something to it (write an identifier??) which renders the drive unbootable if I physically switch it to C:

Any idea what Windows is doing, and how I can stop it ?
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