Momentus XT, Momentus, Momentus Thin, MobileMax, and other notebook drives

[Marixius]

I cloned the harddrive (Momentus 7200.3 320GB ST9320421AS) on my laptop (Acer Aspire 8930G with Mobile Intel PM45 Express Chipset) to a new harddrive (Momentus7200.5 750GB ST9750420AS) using the Seagate DiscWizard version 11.0 (build 8.329) powered by Acronis.

The drive to clone is a Windows Vista Ultimate drive containing 4 partitions (C: Acer Windows, E: Data + 2 EISA partitions)

The partition size was set manually because of the two hidden recovery partitions.

The DiscWizard completed the clone process successfully in 6 steps.

After replacing the old drive by the new one, Windows Vista boots correctly and everything seems to be okay, however:

Problem 1.
Windows Mail cannot start,  cannot find message databases.

Problem 2.
Windows Live Mail has problems, damaged data.

Problem 3.
Windows Update does not work anylonger.

"Windows Cannot Currently Check For Updates, Because The Service Is Not Running".

][/

Problem 4.

Normaly when I use i.e. run REGEDIT Windows Vista asks permission to continue, now I get a message saying that the publisher of this program (Regedit) is unknown and I should only continue. So there seems to be a problem with signatures as well.

Are these problems in anyway related to the Advanced Format with Smart Align technology of the new drive?

The drive's sector size is 521 bytes and the new ones have a sector size of 4,096 bytes.

My problems look a lot like the problems I have seen with Western Digital Advanced Format drives in HP computers.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02219204&cc=nl&lc=en&dlc=en&product

Is there a solution for my problems?

[Klok]

Hey,

I have not see this error before but I assumed that you did upgrade intel RST like suggested in the link you provided?

Klok

[WiseDrive]

Concur that it is likely a driver issue.

You did not tell us what the old drive is....  often a new drive means new drivers.

That is why I never liked / recommend / do cloning unless it is absolutely necessary (e.g. a lab situation where you got a room of identical machines...)

[Marixius]

As mentioned the old drive is a Seagate Momentus 7200.3 320 GB (with vista ultimate), type ST9320421AS

The new one as mentioned is a Seagate Momentus 7200.5 750 GB type ST9750420AS

Cloning should be easy according to the Seagate site: see http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/laptop-hard-drives/ and view the tutorial. I chose for cloning and not a clean install as my Windows Vista came pre-installed and I don't have Windows Vista install CD's further I have a lot of downloaded (payed) software and I don't want to reinstall everything. In some cases I lost the key for installation. So the easy way is apparently the hardest.

[Marixius]

@Klok

The Intel RST update is only valid for the HP computers mentioned and applies to Windows 7.

In my case I have Windows Vista Ultimate.

The notebook is a Aspire 8930G, Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9400, Mobile Intel PM45 Chipset (according to the Intel tool).

Furthermore I don't know when to install an RST upgrade.

Prior to cloning, or after cloning to the new drive?

I don't want to mess up my current Windows Vista on the old drive to end with two malfunctioning Windows Vista drives.

I have seen that there is a RST for my chipset, but I dont understand the consequences as I seem to modify the BIOS for RAID or AHCI as well and the operating system should not be installed either ending up with blu screens etc.

See http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-015988.htm

And how can I determine that my Acer notebook supports RAID? http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029980.htm

It's not very comprehensive for me. Isn't there some hotfix or whatever to solve the problems I encounter.

I don't mind to re-clone the old harddrive if there is a fix that needs to be installed prior to the cloning process.

But I need a step by step approach/guidance to solve the problems I have.

Or do I need another cloning programme?

I used  Seagate DiscWizard version 11.0 (build 8.329) powered by Acronis and downloaded it from the Seagate site.

If there is a new version for my machine/operating system please let me know.

[WiseDrive]

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Marixius wrote: So the easy way is apparently the hardest.

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Yup.

Far too many variables to allow cloning to be a straightforward process when it is "one off" rather than a standard process where everything is tightly controlled (e.g. machine, hardware, variability, software installed, history).

The only instances I see it as more or less straightforward is where labs / corporate environemnts do it on brand new machines, or in once case I saw, where they clone the machine after every night (to erase everything done on the machines during the day --- also wiping out viruses etc.

[Klok]

Hey,

Well, I would go to Acer website and find the current driver for your Laptop model. The first one is the ahci driver that you require.

The AHCI option in your Bios should already be set fine. In doubt, you can confirm by searching inside  the bios what is the current setting.

I would do the procedure after cloning since this is the current state of the hard drive.

Sorry, i cant do a step by step as i dont have the hardware to give much more information. Since your old hard drive is still working and can always be cloned again, i don't think you should be scare of "playing" whit the new Hard drive.

Be sure to keep us updated.

Klok

[WiseDrive]

The latest drivers are rarely on the manufacturer of the laptop  / PC site.

They are found on the actual maker of the component --- providing that it will work.

Not always, but most often.

Check the drivers on the Intel, etc. site.

[Marixius]

@Klok, unfortunately Acer's website does not provide me with the latest AHCI driver for my Acer Aspire 8930G Vista Ultimate 32bits

(Intel ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI controller version 8.5.0.1032)

I had to download/install the new Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver from Intel's site.

(Intel ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI controller version 10.8.0.1003)

Furthermore Seagate has to refresh the download site concerning the Seagate DiscWizard.

The current version 11.0.0.8329 is not appropriate for cloning an "old" 512 byte sector disc to the new Advanced Format discs (4.096 byte  sectorsize).

After cloning Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail were able to rebuild their databases.

Windows Update still was not working after cloning, MicrosoftFixit50202.msi could not solve the problem either.

Finally MicrosoftFixit.wu.Run.exe did the trick.

Seagate needs to improve their instructions for installing Windows Vista or even Windows7 on Advanced Format discs as during installation new drivers may be needed.

I was lucky to solve my clone problems with help and patience of a few Dutch guys in another forum.

Cloning a system disc to a new disc is not as easy as Seagate likes me to believe.

https://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/laptop-hard-drives/

http://support.seagate.com/kbimg/flash/laptop/laptop.html

Even the above tutorial directs me to the wrong Seagate DiscWizard download.

[Marixius]

@WiseDrive, you were right. Acer did not provide me with the latest drivers.

I had to put al lot of energy in it to find out that Intel IRST was needed for my laptop and on top of that I had to find out that the current version of Seagate DiscWizard (version 11.0.8329)  on the download site is no longer appropriate for the Advanced Format or SmartAlign drives.

For cloning to these new drives version 13 of Seagate DiscWizard is needed.

see: http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=218619&NewLang=en&Hilite=discwiza...

[WiseDrive]

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Marixius wrote:

After cloning Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail were able to rebuild their databases.

Windows Update still was not working after cloning, MicrosoftFixit50202.msi could not solve the problem either.

Finally MicrosoftFixit.wu.Run.exe did the trick.

Seagate needs to improve their instructions for installing Windows Vista or even Windows7 on Advanced Format discs as during installation new drivers may be needed.

I was lucky to solve my clone problems with help and patience of a few Dutch guys in another forum.

Cloning a system disc to a new disc is not as easy as Seagate likes me to believe.

https://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/laptop-hard-drives/

http://support.seagate.com/kbimg/flash/laptop/laptop.html

Even the above tutorial directs me to the wrong Seagate DiscWizard download.

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In my professional judgment, Seagate should cease to recommend or assist or offer tools for users who clone drives.