BSOD when booting from USB HD

[avoelp]

Unfortunately my computer's hard disk has failed on me. Fortunately I did create an image (using Acronis TrueImage Home) shortly before disk failure. The OS is Windows 7 (32-bit), and the image includes the system partition, Windows 7's system reserved partition and the master boot record.

Since my HD is still covered by warranty I want to send it in for replacement. Menwhile I had the idea of restoring the image to an external HD connected via USB and to use it as a substitute while I'm waiting for the replacement.

After restoring the entire image to the USB disk the system starts to boot normally from the USB device, up to the point where the animated Windows pictogram appears. Then I get a bluescreen that flashes so briefly that I cannot read the error messages, and then the system reboots. The same happens when I boot in secure mode (the last driver loaded before bluescreen is classpnp.sys).

I have verified that the image works. The proble appears to be related to restoring it to an USB device.

What have I done wrong? How can I get the system to boot from the USB device?

Andreas

 

[usasma]

The image contains a "picture" of the old hard drive. The new hard drive adds that to the equation, and now you've also added the USB boot to the equation. I suspect that Windows is confused over how it's to boot, and what hardware it's to use.

Please perform a repair install of Windows according to these directions - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html . I've never done this, and haven't done it for a USB boot - so there's no guarantees here (I dunno if a USB boot is possible without many different settings being changed.

Info on running it from USB here: Boot Windows 7 off of USB - Neowin Forums
The majority opinion is that it just won't work