The semaphore timeout period has expired?

[Postrik]

BACKGROUND:
I am trying to set up a dual hard drive system. I have a my old 40GB HD as the slave, and my new 100GB HD as the master. My 40GB is running on Win98 and the 100GB is running on Win2000. I'm hoping that having 2 different operating systems isn't a problem since I need the info off of the 40GB, but have to run Win2000 for my software.

PROBLEM:
Both hard drives show up on my computer, but I can't open the 40GB (slave). I get an error message that says:
F:\ is not accessible. The semaphore timeout period has expired. I have don't know what this means or what to do about it.

I tried reversing my system with the 40GB as master and the 100GB as slave, but then the 100GB drive didn't show up (the device manager says it is there and working properly, but there is no way for me to access it). I'm new at this and confused. I'd love any help. Thanks.

 

[gargouille]

Usually happens on servers...a semaphore is a device that protects a shared resource...and makes everyone else wait to access it.
This is with both OS already loaded and then installed?
You may have to revert back to bare drives and install Win98 and then Win2K to get it to work properly.

 

[Postrik]

Thanks for your response! It is very strange that I am receiving this semaphore message since this is my own personal computer...

To answer your first question: yes, both OS were loaded on the HDs and working fine seperately before I installed them as a 2 HD system.

When you say "revert back to bare drives", do you mean reformat? I can do that with the 100gb since it is new, but I need all the information on my 40gb (it is completely full, that is why I got the 100gb).

Perhaps, is there some step I am missing in configuring my 2 HD system?

If my response is at all ignorant or confused, my apologies. Again, I have never done this before.

 

[garebo]

you mention that you have win 98 on one drive and win 2k on the other. I take it they are on separate ide cables and both set as master?
the semaphore error message must indeed be from a server setup, maybe it is in the way that win2k was set up on that particular drive. That being the case, you should fdisk and format the win2k drive and then reinstall win 2k.
Just make sure that first you check your cables,even put new ones in to make sure there is not a cable prob, then make sure you have each hard drive set as master and cdroms and burners set as slave. Keep in mind that with some hard drives, if the hard drive is on the same cable as another drive, the jumper setting is different from the jumper setting where the hard drive is the only drive on the cable. I believe that applies to western digital drives.
Since you say your bios recognizes both drives then it is not a bios issue. That narrows it down a bit to the point where an fdisk and format should do the trick.

 

[gargouille]

If I were in your shoes I'd put the Win98 hd (the one you wanta' save, coincidentally) in the system and boot and get it doing right.
Then fdisk and format the big 'un and you're good to go.
Win2K will handle the dual boot config just fine.
Have a feeling that it's the Win2K drive that's giving you the message anyway...