How to stop Windows writing to 2nd hard drive

[Platypus]

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 ?

[Clippy]

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.

[Platypus]

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

[Churchill]

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

[Clippy]

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.

[Sysman]

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.

[Platypus]

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

[Platypus]

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.

[worzelGummidge]

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.

[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.