Help - Hard Drive Problems!

[Tenatious]

Hello,
I got a SAT-A hard drive and it works fine. All my music and needed documents are on an older IDE drive. When I attach the IDE drive windows wont load. It gets as far as the windows loader then just stays black.

I have checked the bios to make sure the SAT-A is first to load. There is no installation of windows on the drive I dont think although when I try and add an installation to it using the windows cd, the computer restarts on the section where it says checking hard drive. Please help

 

[BillytheImpaler]

Might it be an issue related to master/slave settings on the IDE drive?

 

[Tenatious]

I currently have the IDE set to Primary Master, should it be primary slave?

 

[BillytheImpaler]

For the time being, unplug all other disks except for the one with Windows on it (SATA) and the drive in question (IDE). If it works in this setting we'll know that it was having issues regarding the other drives.

 

[Tenatious]

There are no other drives except the CD Drives. Could they be causing the issue?

 

[BillytheImpaler]

Hmm, probably not. You mentioned it's set as Primary Master. Is there a setting for Secondary Master?

 

[Tenatious]

Yes there is. Should I set it to that?

 

[BillytheImpaler]

It's worth a shot.

 

[Cupra]

have a look in boot options and make sure you have chose the hdd with windows on as first boot device as bios will automaticly make an ide drive the one to boot from

 

[Tenatious]

It gets as far as the loader and then gets a BSOD before rebooting :'(
I really need the files that are on it.

 

[Tenatious]

Also, If I add the power after Ive loaded windows and then go find hardware. It adds it but then freezes and reboots.

Is there not a way for the drive to be connected without the pc trying to load from it so i can just copy files across? Or a way of doing it without booting up?

 

[t31os]

Dont unplug or plug power cables while the PC is on, or you're looking to break the PC.

Try another IDE cable.

 

[Tenatious]

Just did. Same effect.
Pc just keeps rebooting.

 

[Tenatious]

I get the feeling the hard drives had it as it wont even let me install windows on it.

 

[Tenatious]

My brother has recommended sticking the drive in the freezer. Will this work?

 

[BillytheImpaler]

My brother has recommended sticking the drive in the freezer. Will this work?

It has been known to temporarily revive dead drives. It might be worth a try before you give up on the drive. Leave it as a last resort.