E Machine HDD Problem

[SilverJock]

Hi Guys

Ive got a friends e-machine (horrible thing) Celeron 1.1 128mb
20Gb hdd Pheniox Bios, It needed a format and uninstall so i used the restore disk, it failed halfway(disk scratched), i can't copy disk but i did put hdd onto my pc and installed xp pro (NTFS Partition) but when i put back into e-machine it wont recognise drive, i have tried bios settings, even tried manual setting but wont let me change no. of heads. I wonder if i should have made it a FAT partition? I don't want to change board ...Please help i am out of ideas

Thanks

Steve

 

[mainegeek]

Silverjock,
When you moved the HDD to your PC did you jumper it as Slave and forget to put it back as Master? Is it cabled correctly?

Also, installing an OS on it from one machine and then putting the drive in another won't work as the hardware configurations don't match.

Also, I wouldn't put anything higher than win9x on a machine with those specs and I would double the RAM.

There should be a OS key code with the E-machine so boot with a floppy, remove the NTFS partition, re-partition and format FAT32 and re-install the original OS from a borrowed cd. You might be able to get the other device drivers needed from the scratched cd.

 

[SilverJock]

Yes its cabled right,
OS should pick up all new hardware (i've done this loads of times with no probs)and install the majority, and i should be able to get other drivers from disk or website.

It was home edition that was on it before and it ran ok but i agree it should have more.

I didn't check but since it was xp then i would expect it was NTFS already.

I'm wondering if the bios is not finding e-machine info on the hdd and just telling me to piss off.

 

[traycee]

Windows 98 will usually pick up all the additional hardware on the motherboard, but Windows XP usually will not. Since the PC has the license for Windows XP home on the side of it, just borrow a Windows XP Home edition CD and use the license on the side of the PC. Delete the current partition and let it format and reload the XP operating system and all should be fine.

 

[micker377]

If you "hate" the drive problems, wait until you have to change the power supply! <grin>

 

[mainegeek]

Silverjock,
"OS should pick up all new hardware (i've done this loads of times with no probs)"

It may work, but it is not a good practice. Its like swapping out the mobo without doing a clean install.


Traycee,
"Windows 98 will usually pick up all the additional hardware on the motherboard, but Windows XP usually will not."

I think you have this backwards. XP has more device drivers than Win98.

 

[aznluvsmc]

Check the E-Machines BIOS where it lists all the drives it detects. Ensure the HDD is showing up as the Master Primary drive.

If it is not try resetting the BIOS to "Failsafe" or "optimized". I work with a lot of E-Machines and they're the worst ever! Don't know why anyone with their right mind would buy it.

 

[micker377]

Have you tried a "CD repair kit" for the "restore" disk? Mine has two grades of polish. One to repair the scratch and one to polish the surface.

 

[SilverJock]

Solved it!!

Daft one this....the drive started being detected and then wouldn't so i did the usual stuff, changed IDE cable power connection etc.. nothing helped so i looked at the jumper and it looked a little chewed so i changed it and hey presto it has been fine since, windows found all the hardware and had drivers for the lot, that must be the first time ever! They will just be generic but good enough for a piece of poo like an emachine.

Thanks to all for your imput

Steve