Robert in CA wrote:
I put the Rescue CD in and selected fix boot problems and then restarted it
but no change. I then went to the CMD prompt and typed

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu True

and the Windows Boot Manager (WBM) screen is back!

In passing, I believe I do have Win 7 CD's ,,,(4) CD's - Dell Data Safe) set that
you had me create at the time.

The only problem is there is no other hd besides #3 we can we can use at the
present because the 8500 will not recognize an external hd to clone. Otherwise
we could clone #4 and save #3. We were so close to finishing when I got the
\ Invalid Windows OS. That totally screwed us and de-Activated the 1TB.

So right now we need to get it Activated again so I can put the 1TB back in and
start cloning. That's the ultimate goal. If I could clone over #4 now I would. That's
the problem; the external hd's aren't connecting ever since we got the Invalid Win
OS message. The only external hd that connects has the Mrimgs on it.

So should I try to connect a external hd with#4 to the 8500 to see if it will accept it?
If it does then we should be able to put 1TB back in the 8500 and clone#4. Although
I doubt it will recognize it. That's the problem.

Thoughts/Suggestions?
Robert

Have you tried disk #4 in the enclosure, and plugged into
a front USB3 port ?

Or, for that matter, plugged into a USB2 port ?

Also, you have some options when it comes to booting.

1) You can boot the XPS8500 1TB drive and attempt
to clone the 1TB drive to the 2TB enclosure.

or

2) You can boot from the Macrium CD, while the 1TB drive
is internal and 2TB drive is in the external enclosure.
Do the USB ports work from within Macrium ? Remember that
WinPE 3.1 was your choice when building the CD.

*******

"PE Version

Description

4.0 Created using the Windows ADK, this is a Windows 8 based
PE environment with support for later hardware, UEFI boot
and Secure Boot systems.

3.1 Created using the Windows AIK, this is a Windows 7 based === no USB3 driver
PE environment which may work better on some legacy systems,
or may be useful if drivers are not available for your
Windows 8 hardware."

The WinPE 3.1 likely doesn't have USB3 drivers but has USB2 drivers.
This means, if the Macrium CD isn't working so well with the USB3
enclosure, the USB3 enclosure can be plugged into a black USB2
port on the XPS 8500. The USB mass storage driver should then work
but at USB2 rates (approximately 30MB/sec).

Paul