HDD question. Very quick

lynchy6789

lynchy6789

lynchy6789

Associate
Joined
6 Feb 2008
Posts
1,246
Right i have 2 IDE HDD.

Heres my proposed idea just need help on how to do it.

1x 160GB HDD - install Windows xp (reformat)

1 x 320GB HDD- Used for all documents i.e. Music, photos, word documents etc.

How would i set this up?

Thanks
 
assuming you have two blank HD's

i would just plug in the first one, and install windows on it

then i would plug in the second one and it should appear as another drive in your mycomputer


or do you have data on these drives?
 
well, if the data is on your 160 (and you have it backed up) just format during the windows install

if the data is on the 320, just format it after you plug it in
 
Paul11 said:
when you see it appear in "my computer" right click on it, then choose "format"
Click to expand...

I have tried. Installing both but when i use the spair IDE it seems only read of one of them checked in Bios called master 0 and also one called slave 0, then master 1 which is the DVD drive. When i remove the spare ide cable out the 320GB one so there only one IDE connection which is too the 160GB HDD it will then load windows.

There is a spare IDE space on mobo shall i get an ide cable and attatch the 320GB HDD to that?
 
if you attach both drives to the same IDE cable, you will need to set the second drive as a slave drive (by moving jumpers on the drive)

much easier is to use the second IDE port on the motherboard, and leave it also set as a mater

so you will have the first HD and DVD connected to one IDE cable and the second drive connected to another IDE cable.
 
Seems that the 320GB HDD is faulty.

When i put the IDE cables in no HDD appears as the slave could this be because its faulty as i am getting an error from it.
 
when you say no hard disk appears, where do you mean ? in windows or in the bios ?

and what error are you getting from it ?

edit:

try going to control panel, administrative tools, computer management, disk management.

can you see the drive there?
 
Last edited:
IDE cable has 3 plugs ATM 1 is connected to the mobo and the other 160gb hdd that has the op installed. When it's just those 2 it's fine I load into windows.

However, when I connect the spare 320gb hdd it will nothing happens. On this set up in the bios it says master 0 maxtor 320gb and the other hdd is not there. I have also tried switching the IDE plugs in both hdd around but still get the same result.

After, just having 320gb plugged in got a blue screen with some error can't remember what it was as I'm on I pod touch ATM but can check tomorrow.

I tried connecting the 320gb hdd when in windows xp but it froze and restarted and back to same paragraph 2.
 
So the bios will recognise either drive, but not both at once. This implies neither drive is faulty.
Don't worry about the blue screen when trying to boot from the 320gb drive that you haven't just installed XP onto. It either has no OS on it, or has XP installed relative to different hardware so is not going to boot from it.

If you have two IDE headers on the motherboard, connect one drive to each. Using two IDE cables. If you only have one, then you need the 'master' to be the 160gb drive with XP on. This features moving the jumpers on the hard drives appropriately, and plugging the drives into the right ports on the cable. I think the end is slave, and the middle master, but I'm not certain. Theres also a good chance you need the correct end plugged into the motherboard.

I've tried hard to work out what you're describing, but I am struggling a little bit.

Cheers
 
lynchy6789 said:
IDE cable has 3 plugs ATM 1 is connected to the mobo and the other 160gb hdd that has the op installed. When it's just those 2 it's fine I load into windows.

However, when I connect the spare 320gb hdd it will nothing happens. On this set up in the bios it says master 0 maxtor 320gb and the other hdd is not there. I have also tried switching the IDE plugs in both hdd around but still get the same result.

After, just having 320gb plugged in got a blue screen with some error can't remember what it was as I'm on I pod touch ATM but can check tomorrow.

I tried connecting the 320gb hdd when in windows xp but it froze and restarted and back to same paragraph 2.
Click to expand...


you dont mention if you are using one IDE cable or two ?

as jonj says..

if you are using one, you need to move the jumpers, which are small little plastic things on the drive to slave position.
look here http://pcservices4all.com/benson/images/jumpers.jpg

or, get another IDE calbe and plug it in to the second IDE port on the motherboard
 
Paul 11. Thanks for the help i changed the jumper around and it's now working.

Now what i want to do. Is just have the Slave HDD with only document, music etc on. And the master HDD for OS.

How would i go about that?
 
just install windows on your 160 (to make sure i would unplug the 320 whilst you install it)

then plug your 320 back in.

you will then have a C: which will be your OS drive (i would also put all your applications on that drive)

and a D: which you can use to save your data too..

and youre welcome.
 
Yep, that how i installed the OS

Yea i have a C: That has all windows on. Then have a E: which has all my previous stuff on. So am i best to copy all the document and setting on that onto a External then format the E: it so its blank then put that data back on it? Then after put it also on the C:
 
lynchy6789 said:
Yep, that how i installed the OS

Yea i have a C: That has all windows on. Then have a E: which has all my previous stuff on. So am i best to copy all the document and setting on that onto a External then format the E: it so its blank then put that data back on it? Then after put it also on the C:
Click to expand...


you are saying that is have you have it now... so why do you need to re-install windows ?

if you have your data on the E: already, then there is no need to format it, just leave it as it is.

unless you have a reason to wish to format both drives again ?
 
Your choice this. Id probably move the documents onto the c: drive, then reformat the e: drive. If it doesn't fit then youre going to be going down the external drive route.

If you want 'my documents' etc actually on the second drive, you need to tell windows to do this. Otherwise everything will by default save to the c: drive. You can do this in regedit or with http://windowsxp.mvps.org/tweakui.htm if using XP. It's really useful for having a common documents folder shared between different operating systems, and means if/when windows dies it doesn't take your documents with it.

if you want to change drive letters, you can do this in disk management :)

edit: Paul was quicker :)
I assumed windows had died on you, if its still working fine then he's right in that reformating is not needed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom