Installing a Second Hard Drive on my Desktop 2

[LynnH777]

I have an old IBM Aptiva 245. When I bought it, Windows 98 was preinstalled at the factory, thus I have no Windows 98 CD. My Hard Drive is just about full, running Fat 32. I have removed all the files I care to, but I haven't gained much space on the HD. Can I add a second HD to my system, use that while still keeping all information on my HD "c"?And can I switch back and forth between drives when needed?
I'm a newbie at this and am unsure of all of the TechTalk. Please help.
Thanx,
LynnH777

 

[wolluf]

You can add a second drive. If you do, your best bet would probably be to clone the current drive to the new one (most drive manufacturers have a utility on their website to do this - just visit your new drive's manufacturer's site).
Once close, make the new drive master, and make sure it boots ok (should look just like the current installation - but with much more space). You can then make old drive slave to new, and wipe it for reuse if you wish.

You could also just make new drive slave and move stuff from old to new to create space on old.

Note: Your machine may not recognise new drive if its over 32GB (which most new ones are now). If this happens, there may be a bios upgrade to correct this. If not, you may need to buy a new controller card (PCI) to connect drive to - to be able to use in your machine.

 

[TekTippy4U]

wolluf meant "Once Cloned"........anyway,check out this for copying files over to new HD.....faq751-1404....
you'll have to fdisk and format first though to use this procedure.....
I would fdisk and format it fat32 also......
I don't think the manufacturer of new HD will give you a utility to do this......if not....go here

http://www.newlogic.co.uk/kbase/fdisk/page1.htm

to use a Startup Disk you've created from Start/Settings/ControlPanel/Add/Remove Programs/Windows Startup Disk...and use Fdisk to partition and Format the drive first......

Then follow the procedure in the FAQ above and then hook it up as your "Primary Master"

Personally I would just do clean install, add back-up files, and write zeros to old drive, set old drive as slave and use it either as backup/ghost or data storage...
"But"....you don't seem to have that option here

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[TekTippy4U]

LynnH777

I just sent a "comment" to the author of the FAQ that I referred you to in the hopes of helpfully clearing up some 'unclear' issues..
I'll just paste, at the bottom, what I sent, so you'll have a heads up when/if you go through the whole procedure.....
To be quite honest(as usual)...Wolluf's idea of the manufacturer having a cloning utility..I don't know really...so look into it...
Also read below before proceeding, as you may be totally able to
1)Set your jumpers on New drive correctly to Slave
2)Hook up the drive "Brand New" to Slave first thing
3)Set BIOS to "Auto" in IDE Primary Slave
4)Run Fdisk to Partition and then Format right from
the Older HD ,C:\ drive...

Fdisk.exe and Format.com should be in your C:\Windows\Command folder

Here's the paste;

Hello Topscribe;
Just a couple of quick comments on this faq.....as I found it helpful just to read to inform myself some more...and I've learned a bit also.Thanks.

A. It would be nice if you can explain how one would go about Partitioning and Formatting a New HD....or does that software come with New HD....?
Would you hook it up as Slave first,and use fdisk and format through/from the existing Master...?
This could be explained in the beginning...
One other comment....
Between steps 4 and 5 I got a little confused..maybe use "Block/Select" ....and "Let go of shift key and scroll to win386.swp" in step4....and in step5, the windows folder would have to be open to "DESELECT" the win386.swp file, and it's all the way at the end of the directory also...
unless ofcourse you click on "Name" bar to reverse alphabetize it so it's closer...

I just referred someone from the forums here, to your FAQ, and wanted to hopefully help in making some steps just a little clearer(If you can even Edit them?)
Thanks Again and a great FAQ
Sincerely
TT4U

Whe

http://www!!

it looks like a novel I'm writing up above...eh

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.

 

[TekTippy4U]

LynnH777
A couple of quick notes for you,(yeah, right) concerning the

http://www.newlogic.co.uk/kbase/fdisk/page1.htm

link
A) On Page 2, The Run Fdisk from DOS simply by typing 'fdisk' and then hit the return key better said would say "Run Fdisk from DOS simply by typing Fdisk and then hit the Enter key."
B) On page 2, Completely ignore the whole Step 2 "Deleting Existing partitions" steps, if you have a "Brand new" Drive for your second HDD........
Only if you're going to use a drive with Data on it already that you don't want/need.......then you would follow that deleting procedure......in the exact order listed.
C) On Page 2, when you first hook up your "New Drive"....your config will be like this
Drive 1 will be the primary master =Existing HDD
Drive 2 will be the primary slave =New HDD
Drive 3 will be the secondary master=CD ROM....?
Drive 4 will be the secondary slave =?
I have no idea if you even have CD ROM....If you do, it's probably hooked up as Secondary Master now.......and no primary slave or secondary slave drives yet.
Just remember....
A Drive is a Drive...in other words a "Hard Disk Drive" or "Fixed Disc"..or...."CD ROM".....
A Drive Letter is a Drive Letter......C:\ D:\ E:\ F:\......or a "Partition"
Your "Primary Partition" is always the one "Set to Active"..(C:\)
Your "Extended Dos Partitions" are always set to "logical Dos drives"...(D:\ E:\ F:\)
You can have 26 Drive Letters(24 Partitions if you exclude A and B) on 1 Drive theoretically........or thereabouts

D) On Page 5.....Right after you've created your "Primary DOS Partition".....You Should
Set active partition before you create any extended/logical partitions and you "must" do this before you restart(CTRL+ALT+DEL) to avoid confusion(this site has great screen shots of fdisk, but I think they're using a 95 version)....Fdisk should ask you right after creating Primary, if you'd like to set it as active.......
It's not a big deal in your case, as you can always start over, with no ill effects to worry about.......

If you're considering 2,3,or 4 partitions....(In your case, I'd keep it simple with only One big partition on each Hard Drive).....remember the First Main Primary Partition(C:\) is "Always" your "Active Dos Partition.....the others (D:\ E:\ F:\) are Extended Dos Partitions and must be set to Logical Dos Drives
Once your down to the 'Creating/Deleting partitions' level....you can afford to fiddle and "get it just right" before formatting.......
So if you'd like more than One Main Primary Partition(One Drive Letter) on that "New" HDD, think about the ramifications of getting confused with so many Drive letters....as you will see.......especially when introducing a CD ROM.....because depending on how your system is all hooked up...you might end up with jumbled drive letters...

If you create One Primary Partition on each drive(you'll have 2 drives now).......Then when your all done with the whole OS install/swap setup your New configuration "should" be
Drive 1 will be the primary master =New HDD
Drive 2 will be the primary slave =Existing HDD
Drive 3 will be the secondary master =CD ROM
Drive 4 will be the secondary slave =?
notice the swap/difference between drives 1 and 2, from before.

Here's an example of the benefits of multiple partitions:
A typical small business PC with an 8GB hard disk: This could be set up with a
3GB Drive C (for the Windows operating system and installation cab files)
3GB Drive D: (for Program Files/ Windows applications - Office, accounting, database, etc.)
2GB Drive E: (Windows utilities) and (for trial software, demos, etc.)

And Use your Second HDD for (Music and Video) etc.......and/or for a Back-up



TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions....I try very hard to impart correct info at all times.