hdd and booting weirdness 1

[nelljack]

I posted this same msg on XP forum. I need to get a new hdd, I think. Another person says it sounds like the motherboard is acting up.

What happened was I was using the PC, then I started getting slow downs, weird actions like everything freezes, cntl-alt-del shows no process running even tho I have programs running. I had to physically shut down the PC. It would boot sometimes then not at all. When it does boot up (Cold) it goes into chkdsk on the 2nd hdd (slave).

I have 2 hdds. I need to boot to c: only but XP home will not allow it. Or setup won't. I went into setup and neither of the hdds were listed. So I quit w/o saving.

Each hdd's cables were detached and booted but the PC will NOT boot with either hdd alone. Why is this?

Can someone tell me what to do to get only the C: drive to boot so I can get the 2nd hdd replaced?

I did get a chance to get them to boot up and then copied all of my data files over to C:. Hopefully when I get the new hdd I only have to copy data back to the new hdd. I also backep up to CDRW disks.

Also, just before this all happened I was playing a music CD in the CD drive (not CDRW) and it started acting up and slowing down, skipping, etc. I put the music CD into the CDRW and it played fine. Could this only be the CD causing all of the problems?

Please help. Your help will be appreciated.

 

[wolluf]

Just read your other post too.

Suggestion.

Is XP actually installed on drive 1 currently? And if you boot with just that drive & CDRW connected (you mentioned a possible problem with CD ROM - so best take it out of the equation), does the bios detect the drive (ie, do its details appear on the POST screen)?

If the answers are yes, see if it will boot. If it won't, set bios to boot from CD (whic will be CDRW) and see if you can do a repair reinstall -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341.

btw - the comment about needing M$'s permission is spurious. With activation, if you change too many (3 or 4 is figure generally quoted - but depends on what hardware - eg, mobo counts for more than one) bits of hardware, you will need to re-activate XP (but it will still boot - just need reactivation)

 

[nelljack]

wolluf: I have 2 hdds. I thought the slave was going bad but then remembered the CD drive acting up so I unhooked it and the PC booted but now I cannot see the slave drive.

Several questions I want answers on.
1. Why does MS have to give permission for me to change damaged hardware? They deal in Os only.
2. If the BIOS has the setting for the 2 hdds and 2 CD drives why can't I see the 2nd hdd?
3. XP Home (junk) is on C: and I am going to get 2 new hdds and dump XP and install 98SE. I also am going to replace the floppy just to make sure none of the hardware from the initial install is gone. The original hdds didn't last too long if that is what the problem is.
4. When I get the 2 new hdds how should they be put in? 2 hdds on one cable ans 2 CDs on the 2nd cable? Or 1 hdd with CDRW and slave with CD drive? In all the years I've had PCs with 2 hdds the 2nd was always D: It seems to me the CDRW on C: cable is slowing down everything.

Will close for now. Thanks for any helps you give.

 

[jmatt]

http://www.infohq.com/Computer/adding-second-hard-drive-review.htm

Installing a Second Hard Drive; Demonstrated
with the Maxtor 13.6 GB DiamondMax Plus .

Also , a well written site which shows this step with good illustrations on adding a 2nd Hard
Drive.

http://members.aol.com/mbs1058/2nd_hd.html

http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/idedrv1.html

http://pcsupport.about.com/compute/pcsupport/library/weekly/aa010300a.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/6883/newide.html

http://www.epinions.com/content_917086340?sp=ink

http://www.dansdata.com/sbs1.htm

http://www.tech-review.com/review.pl?id=75&page=1

http://www.footslog.com/articles/Hardware/ha0001.htm

http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/howto/story/0,24330,3322450,00.html

How to Prevent Drive Letters from Changing After You Add a Hard Disk or a CD-ROM (Q282530)
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q282530

If you do get new HD's , keep this in mind .

Windows doesn't deal with disks over 64gb, without this patch

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q263044&

This patch allows fdisk to "see" larger drives.

 

[nelljack]

nks. I shouldn't have a problem with hdds because they will be 40GB.

 

[nelljack]

The hdd problem is solved but now I have problem with NIC. That problem is posted elsewhere. No more needed on this one.

Thanks for all your helps.