I am using Acronis True Image 2009 - and get "error loading operating system" message when booting from new drive.

Hummm...  I'll give it a try.  The current c drive check out w/ no bad sectors.  Also The backuped up image Validates as good.  The restore process (and also the the Disk Clone process) all reported successful.  So I'm suspect.  It's a few hours for each thing I try.  Still, I'll give it a try.
Has anybody ever experenced this?  Could there be something running in the background that messes up the Image.  Or the phase of the moon ;-)
My current primary goal is to replace the functional but small C drive with a larger hard drive.  
However, for the future, I do want to find out if I will be able to restore from a 'validated' image in case of disk failure.  I am fairly faithful about backing up disk images, but this is the 1st time I have tried to restore one.  If my hard drive goes to la-la land, I'd sure like to be able to load up another with the most recient image...  That's want I do all the backup for...
Thanks again all
dannyhop

I would check the partition that was just restored. Boot from Acronis CD or any other boot media and see if you partition is:
1)set active
2)Not hidden
3)has correct drive letter
I use Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 and sometimes recommend it to fix issues caused by Symantec or Acronis.
After you reload image with Acronis boot the PC from this media: http://www.paragon-software.com/home/rk-express/
Select Boot Corrector - find Windows installations to correct - when found update MBR and partition boot record. See if your system volume is active and restart to Windows. Does it help?

I've been analyzing why this is happening, there is one detail you might want to take a look at, that is if they are both the same type of hard drive?

Are they both IDE or both SATA. If they differ, that might be the problem right there: Acronis reports that the image/cloning has been successful, and it has been successful but when it tries to load it cannot because it's missing the drivers (assuming you have the original in IDE and the clone in SATA).....

I has to be something in that order..... I have never seem Acronis actually fail ..... it is one of those "...old/new always faithful".....

Also... take a look at the BIOS settings.... make sure you have your ducks in a row.... is the new drive SATA? Have you configured it as AHCI and the orignal was not?

My thoughts on this.... the details is where the problem is..... give me the details so I can have more to work on...model of old drive, model of new drive.

25763230
I tried the Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 solution.  After following your instructions, it stated the Boot Corrector was successful but still same error on reboot. 'Error loading operating system'  The only thing I didn't understand was the statement you made 'See if your system volume is active '  How do I do this?
------------------------------------------
 BitsBytsand...
The original drive is a WesternDigital 740GD 74 Gig 10,000RPM drive
then new drive is a Seagate ST37506 750Gig
Both drives are SATA

Thanks for your help...  I hope I can get to the bottom of this.

When you find the Windows installation to correct in Boot Corrector you can see the properties of the partition. There it shows if it has ACTIVE flag.
Also, as mentioned above in BIOS settings the SATA drive can be set as RAID, SATA or enhanced IDE or AHCI. Have you looked those settings?

Yes, It is Active
Bios settings -  I set the drive to 1st SATA-M: WDE WD740GD on boot and this is 1st priority for boot from hard drive.
When I switch the drives out, I do the same thing for the Segate 750Gig drive.  set it to 1st SATA-M and make it 1st drive to boot from.
The settings look identical to me...

Both drives have the following settings - External IDE Drive [Auto],  Access Mode [Auto]

Thanks again for trying to find an answer to this issue

dannyhop,

For the sake of eliminating variables it was a good idea to test with Paragon. Now that this is done.... tested... and failed.... it would be better if we stick with Acronis. It is the easiest and most known to be fail-proof because of its simplicity......

Have you gone through the steps I advised above.... doing it manually....one step at the time, slowly to make sure you are not missing any option? I doubt that this will help but it is part of the troubleshooting to eliminate variables.

If you will.....can you run a test to make sure that the NEW hard drive would work? Just install....a very basic install.....from your Win-XP Pro, the system directly onto the NEW drive......I want to make sure that it is not a hard drive issue between the new hard drive and some setting on your bios..... if you are able to install XP Pro (I am assuming that you have a CD with SP3,otherwise you will need to partition the drive to a size smaller than 137GB for the system drive. I am also assuming that you have the SATA drivers either on the XP Pro CD or are able to provide them through your Drive A if needed)...

Now .... before you install directly.... can you boot (with the new hard drive installed) into the WinXP Pro SP3 CD and go into the Repair Console.

From there, type:

fixboot  (repairs the boot sector if damaged)
fixmbr ( repairs the master boot record if damaged)

(I am assuming that you have a CD with SP3,...
My original CD has XP SP2 - I then upgraded to SP3...  Is this a problem?

BTW - I took a series of photos of my BIOS screens
you can see them at:
http://dannyhop.smugmug.com/Other/Disk-Boot-Issues/10234986_cetUx#705750639_MaE68
use the password: boot

XP Pro without service packs had a problem with drives larger than 137GB.... Not a problem if you have SP2......

In your BIOS disable the QUICKBOOT... it may allow us to see any error messages.

Did you follow the procedures above the Fixboot and Fixmbr?

Yes, I just finished Booting to the XP Pro disk and ran Fixboot and Fixmbr.  
Still get the same  'Error Loading Operating System'
I will disable Quickboot on next restart.  

BitsBytesandMore - there was NO TEST with Paragon yet. There was just an attempts to use FIX MBR and FIX BOOT that dannyhop did apply from Boot Corrector tool of Rescue CD. So in fact you did suggest the same things that were tested by dannyhop already.

dannyhop: when you select in Boot Corrector - Find Windows Installations to correct - does it find any Windows on your HDDs?

I was looking at your BIOS... you seem to have a newer motherboard. Older motherboards had a problem with bigger drives so I don't think that this is your case.

I was also analyzing your hard drive. It could be bad but then how would I explain why Acronis is not reporting the error.

This is why I would like you to test just with a basic install directly to the drive.... so we can see if something comes up.

Please download this trial version: http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-professional/
Install and run it. In tools find Recovery Media Builder.
Create a CD or DVD with it.
Then boot the PC from this CD. When you get first scree with Normal Mode, Safe Mode and Low Graphics mode please select the last option - Find OS on drive or similar. Does it find any? If found please select - boot from it. Does your system boot?
I have seen similar problem with Acronis before and this way we were able to bring the server to boot mode.

Noxcho: did I misunderstand? "......I tried the Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 solution.  After following your instructions, it stated the Boot Corrector was successful but still same error on reboot. 'Error loading operating system' ......"

Yes exactly. He tried to Update MBR (aka FIX MBR) and update Partition Boot Record (aka FIX BOOT). Nothing else. I am curious now if with Boot Manager of the boot CD the system is able to boot. That would give us more light over this problem.

Hi dannyhop,

Try using Acronis Migrate Easy 7. If you goal is to take all of your data and information...OS ect. Acronis Migrate Easy 7 will "migrate" your information, everything onto another hard drive.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/migrateeasy/

One more =))) He has Acronis. The image was done and he restored from it. System won't boot now. And we are trying to find out why.

This is exactly the function that the Acronis clone function does..... it actually lets you proportionally adjust the size of the partitions (in the case the new drive is bigger) or to manually set them in whatever size you want or lastly.... to clone them as is.

noxcho & BitsBytesandMore,

Sorry about that...

No problem. Just read carefully the original problem description by dannyhop.

dannyhop:

Please check the link below.... this person was having more or less the same problem and he went ahead and deleted the partitions and reformatted the drive and tried to install XP directly and the system continues to give him the same error. The consensus in the forum seems to be that it is either a problem with the BIOS or the drive... at some point a technical support rep from Acronis intervenes and offers some advice...

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/archive/index.php/t-58944.html

No problem JeremySBrown.... it's happened to all of us...

dannyhop: I'm still inclined that the problem is with the drivers.....

Ok .... I've been trying to figure out how to provide the correct drivers. I think this may work.

1. you need to determine which are the correct drivers for your new drive. (you can do this by trying to do the basic install procedure of XP directly to the hard drive.... if it loads XP then you have the right drivers).

2. Once identified, re-image the drive, install it on the computer, but boot from the XP CD. Make sure you provide the drivers when given the option to press F6.

3. Do a repair install of XP.

This should work.

I think I will try to restore to another Drive. (I will have to copy some data from it) I have a 250 GB ASTA that should be large enough for my system drive.  It may take me a day or two since it's my daughters birthay party and it just isn't the same w/ dad's nose stuck in the computer.  Thanks and I'll repost when I finish this task,,,

Happy party then =)

OK - Party's over...  I have copied the files from my 250Gig SATA drive and am ready to try this as the new boot drive.  My understanding is that I don't have to erase anythi9ng from the drive as the Acronis restore will create a new partition.  Is that correct?  So, starting from the top.  Should I use 'Clone Disk'  or should I restore from a known good backup?  Which is more reliable?  
Thanks

No need to format or erase anything...I"m still wondering though if you would have been able to do a direct install on the bigger drive.

I would try both Clone and restore from known Good backup image. The image is worth of zero penny if it cannot be restored and system could not run after restore.

Question.  When restoring, should I also restor 'MBR and Track 0'  I have tried with and without it in the past.  

There is also a select box that states 'Restore disk signature'
Should this be checked?

I was able to restore to the 250GB Hard Drive using the standard restore process.  Crazy!  I must assume the 750 GB hard drive has an issue.  I wll try to do a Windows install to this drive - just to see if the drive is messed up.  Very Strange.  Thanks so much for all your help folks!