Explorer doesn't recognize SLAVE

[vegassounder]

Gateway service tech no help.
The Problem: 7 yr old Gateway running Win98se with 20 gig HDD 90% full. Installed new 80 gig HDD as MASTER with original 20 gig as SLAVE. Bios recognizes both but Explorer only lists 80 gig MASTER. Configuring 20 gig as MASTER and 80 gig as SLAVE works as it should. Have tried every combination of jumper and ribbon cable settings with the same result. I will be installing WIN XP PRO on new HDD and will need to access drawing files on SLAVE. Will also need to boot to WIN 98 from time to time because my FILTER CAD APP won't run on XP. I will be installing a DPST switch on the front panel of machine wired to the HDD's jumper pins to facilitate choice of OS before boot. And before you ask, for some reason, this machine doesn't seem to care which ribbon connector, middle or end, is used for the MASTER.
Any advice will be much appriciated.
Gary

 

[wahnula]

Me being somewhat paranoid about data, I would burn a copy of all relevant data to CDs, or easier yet, is the suggestion of using a flash drive. I would also obtain an external drive and copy the data there too. I would further create an image of the old drive prior to the cloning and copy the image to that external drive. But things are adding up...

Exactly. Your backup solutions SHOULD add up...if not, you're not doing enough! Multi-pronged backup plans have more tolerance for failure, there is nothing worse than going to your only backup (when you actually DO need it) and find out it's not there or is corrupted. Also, as you found out last week, hardware failure is always a possibility. The more paranoid you are, the better your chances are to NOT be disappointed when the time comes to actually USE your backups!

I like at least two dynamic repositories (backup drives or networked servers' shared drives) in addition to static spooling off of data to CD or DVD, and redundant RAID arrays. I do the DVDs annually, although I am having some trouble with Nero and SBS this year.

I also NEVER throw away or repurpose a HDD...they take up very little room, and with proper labeling could be a lifesaver some day. At least that's what I tell my wife to explain the collection of old-but-still-working HDDs neatly stacked in anti-static bags in a box in the closet. Some are 1GB or less...

Call me whatever, I just don't trust flash drives (yet) to be a destination I can rely on.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[vegassounder]

Greetings once again gentlemen and thanks for your patience with me. Like FREESTONE, the more I study your advice the more paranoid I am becoming.

Last year I acquired a dozen 10gig MAXTOR HDD's which had been used to store surveillance video at one of the hotels here in Sin City. Last night I used MAXTORs MaxBlast to wipe and re-format one of those drives. I then slaved it to the 20gig and copied all my drawings to it. Just to be safe I'll be doing the same tonight with one of the other drives.

I still like the idea of the flash drive, mainly for convenience. Copying files to my laptop to take to customer sites is old school I'm sure.
Question: If I use a Flash Drive for this purpose, will the customer need win98 or FAT32 loaded on his machine to read the files?

I know that last question reveals my lack of knowledge but then I'm a hardware guy. My attempts to understand programming and software just makes my head hurt.

Till tomorrow, Thanks again,
Gary

 

[BadBigBen]

will the customer need win98 or FAT32

No, No...

meaning, Win98 is not needed to use the FLASH drive, and the FAT filesystem is a non-official standard that 99% of all PC's can use straight out of the box...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[vacunita]

No, your clients don't need Win98. I mentioned you should find one with win98 drivers because you are running Win98 and would need the drivers to have your Win98 recognize the flash drive so it can be used.


Any other operating system will install the flash drive like Ben said right out of the box no drivers required.

Fat or Fat32 is just the file system commonly used on Flash drives. It can be raid like Ben said by 99.9 percent of the operating systems in use today.

We mentioned you'd need to install Windows XP on Fat32 because Windows 98 cannot read NTFS volumes. Which is what Windows XP is usually installed on. Though you can change that.

Your clients however neither require nor likely would have that file system in any machine they own that is not 8 years old or more.



----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[vegassounder]

Greetings Gentlemen,
Well, I've backed up all my Cad files on two 10gig HDDs and installed XP pro on the 80gig.
I un-plugged the power cable from the 20gig and am using the 80gig for Auto Cad drawings. I'll re-connect the 20gig only when I need to run Filter Cad or PCB Auto Routing which is rarely. I still intend to Clone the 20gig but just can't afford the software yet.
I really need to get off of DIAL UP so I installed a WiFi card but it doesn't seem to want to play with my Firefox browser.
But this is a problem for another time.
Again, I want to thank everyone for the excellent advice.
Take care
Gary

 

[BadBigBen]

There is Freeware imaging software out there to be had...

FOG

http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeghost/

Partimage

http://www.partimage.org/Main_Page

FF has nothing to do with how a WiFi card works... just make sure that FF does not use a PROXY (setting can be found under Tools>>Options>>Advanced>>Networks>>Connections press Settings>>then choose Auto Detect)...

but the Q is does the WiFi work with IE?

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[vegassounder]

BadBigBen,
Thanks so much for the FREEWARE links, thought I was going to have to spend $$$$ for an ap.
Regarding my WiFi card, its a EDIMAX Wireless LAN adapter model # EW7128g.

It loads OK, LINK STATUS shows Normal to Strong signal, SITE SURVEY scans and gives me 5 choices and automatically connects to the strongest without encryption requirements.

Running either FireFox or IE results in Cannot load page error.

I've set both to auto-detect proxy settings with no luck.

Today I went to EDIMAXs web page and downloaded drivers for this Model card, (15 megs which took over an hour on Dial-UP) just in case the CD was faulty, and for some reason,when I opened it, it copied the files to MS Word.

Then, using EXPLORER, I copied the file to the EDIMAX program file but nothing has changed.

I've also contacted EDIMAX customer service via E-Mail, describing the problem, but have not received a reply.

Maybe the time has come to return this card to NewEgg and order another.

What do you think?

Gary

 

[wahnula]

Regarding your wireless card:

Do you have a wireless router and broadband connection, or just "borrowing" a broadband connection?

Try pinging a site: Start->Run->Type "cmd" without the quotes-> Type "ping

http://www.yahoo.com"

again without the quotes. Any reply? Are you using XP's wireless utility or the software that came with the card? If not using the native XP utility, I would uninstall the 3rd-party app and let XP manage the wireless adapter.

Then, using EXPLORER, I copied the file to the EDIMAX program file but nothing has changed.

This is not the way to install software. Uninstall the Edimax software, boot up, should get a "Found New Hardware" window, leave the CD in the drive and click through and XP will find it and load the driver, THAT's IT. DO NOT install the Edimax utility.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[vacunita]

It loads OK, LINK STATUS shows Normal to Strong signal, SITE SURVEY scans and gives me 5 choices and automatically connects to the strongest without encryption requirements.

I'm assuming you don't own this connection, if so, then there's no guarantee, that the wireless connection there is set to automatically give out IP configuration settings, or that is configured to even provide access to the internet, it could merely be a local wireless network belonging to one of your neighbors and doesn't have a physical internet connection attached to it.

And I second Tony's suggestions above.



----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[vegassounder]

Hello again gentlemen,
I had to set my WiFi problem aside for a day or so and get back to work.

Regarding your questions:

It appears that the Wireless card is working as it should.
Pinging 4.2.2.1 and GATEWAY gets solid replies.
But pinging

http://www.yahoo.com

does not.

The connection ap reports the following:

LINK STATUS
quality=92%
strength=-65dBm
noise=-103dBm

SITE SURVEY
SSID=linksys
BSSID=00-16-B6-B2-4B-15
SIG=57%
CHAN=6
ENCRIP=NONE
AUTH=OPEN
NETWORK=INFRASTRUCTURE

Resetting IP configuration had no effect.

Both browsers (Firefox and IE) work as they should with my PeoplePC dial-up connection

Last night I tried installing the Wireless card on my shop desktop which I only use for OSCILLOSCOPE and SPECTRUM ANALYZER duties.
Its a 10 year old DELL 500Mhz machine running WIN98se

Same result except when I tried to reset the IP configuration, the hour glass appears and after some time the close program window (cntrl-alt-del) shows it not responding.

When I load Firefox or IE could they simply be looking for my Dial-up and, if so, how do I configure them to look for the wireless card. I've set them to AUTO DETECT PROXY.

Do you think un-installing PeoplePC might help?

Thanks again for your advice.

Gary