Questions about hard drives

Ethan Gibson · Aug 12, 2013

Hi, recently my Dell XPS desktop messed up, i need to re-install windows but the master drive is SATA and WinXP doesn't have SATA drivers so i can't install it on that drive. It is still a working drive but the OS is messed up.

Specs:
OS: Windows XP
CPU: Pentium 4 3.6GHz /w hyperthreading
RAM: 1.5 GiB PC-2/DDR2
Drives: 250 GB SATA Western Digital Caviar Blue/ 200 GB IDE/PATA Samsung
Graphics: Nvidia Geforce 210 1 GB

Now, I have a old IDE/PATA drive from my old computer, it has a history of getting a UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME error but as i'm writing this post it is being formatted, what I want to know is: Can I insert the SATA drive and use it as a slave for storing all my stuff without screwing up the rest of my system? They were both former master drives and labelled as C:\, will it screw up the computer?

geofelt · Aug 12, 2013

It is the AHCI option that XP can't handle, not sata itself. If you can get into the bios and change the sata mode to IDE, you can install windows XP.
Some oem motherboards have very restrictive bios options though.
Might I suggest that this would be an opportune time to get a SSD and install windows 7 on it. You will be amazed at how quick even an old pc can be with a ssd.

Ethan Gibson · Aug 12, 2013

geofelt :

The BIOS doesn't give me that option.

Note that im barely old enough to be on here. I can't ask my parents for any money, I get what I get for my chores. And that usually adds up to around 20$ a month, If I started saving now i should have enough money to buy a copy of windows 7 in.... 5 months. And the SSD, maybe 7 months if I get a decent one.

I do have a old laptop drive with Win7 starter but its a failing drive, so its basically useless for the time being.

geofelt · Aug 12, 2013

There is a process to be able to include ahci drivers into the XP install stream.
I tried to do that at one time but utterly failed.
If you are persistent, you may be able to figure it out.
It seems to want a floppy for the drivers, but you may be able to find a merged copy of XP. I think they exist.
The product code on the laptop should let you activate.
Or... you may be able to download a recovery disk directly from dell.

Ethan Gibson · Aug 12, 2013

geofelt :

I don't want to risk messing up my only XP disc, and also, i just realized that i lost my activation key for XP.

And the laptop that the Win7 drive came from is LONG gone. i had that back in 2011.

But for now, im formatting the PATA drive and im just gonna install Linux Mint on it. But i do need to know if both drives will work.

geofelt · Aug 12, 2013

Without the activation key, any windows or xp dvd is useless.
But, there may be one on the Toshiba laptop.
If it is not stuck on the bottom, look inside the battery compartment.

The slipstream build process merges your xp cd and the drivers and outputs a new dvd. The original is not changed.

Ethan Gibson · Aug 12, 2013

geofelt :

What are you rambling about? I don't own any Toshiba products.

Ethan Gibson · Aug 12, 2013

geofelt :

What are you rambling about? I don't own any Toshiba products.

geofelt · Aug 12, 2013

Ethan Gibson :

Sorry, I was also following a similar thread with a Toshiba laptop.
Change that to dell, they are required to affix a product code sticker to the case.

Ethan Gibson · Aug 20, 2013

geofelt :

Ethan Gibson :

Sorry, I was also following a similar thread with a Toshiba laptop.
Change that to dell, they are required to affix a product code sticker to the case.

The sticker is scratched off. but either way i got everything working (Minus a fried RAM stick)

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