Hello:
I'm trying to use Norton Ghost 2003 to backup my winxp partition, but when
finally I click on the "Proceed to dump partition" I get:
"Unable to find a free MBR slot in the Virtual Partition DLL. This is
usually due to there being no free primary partition slotsleft on the boot
disk."
what's the problem and can it be fixed??
(The laptop comes originally with a single partition c: containing vista, at
that time I created two new partitions d: and e:, then I installed win xp
sp3 on d: and I'm using it, c: still containing vista but it's not bootable,
the system boots on d:, does this matter?)
Thank you
WIN XP SP3
gvnl,
Running Ghost 2003 from Windows isn't that wise in my opinion. If you get stuck in the Ghost virtual partition you are in trouble. Ghost 2003 needs a free MBR slot to create a virtual partition and you don't have a free slot. You have 4 primary partitions.
Simple, safe answer. Run Ghost 2003 from a boot disk.
When you use Ghost in windows, it has to reboot to image the partition with the operating system.
What it does then is create a temporary virtual partition to boot to and then proceeds to create the image.
A hard drive can only have 4 primary partitions, and although you only list 3 partitions I would be willing to bet that you have another hidden one in there.
You can make the image from a boot disk or bootable CD, if it's run from there Ghost doesn't need the extra partition space. That would be the easy way out.
Or you'll have to remove a partition or convert a couple primarys into an extended partition that only counts as one primary. (be very carefull doing that).
Dave
Edit- Sorry Brian, your reply wasn't there when I started mine.
DaveH wrote:Edit- Sorry Brian, your reply wasn't there when I started mine.
It happens to me too. Numerous times.
Anyway, we both said the same thing. To my relief.
To MY relief, your the guru.
I should also mention to the original poster that if the laptop can boot to a usb flash drive, that is an option too.
Not many laptops have floppies these days LOL.