Shuffling around a couple of drives....

[Gyro1949]

I think my Maxtor Ultra ATA/133 40GB HD, (“C:” and “D:”,) has finally bit the dust. I’ve tried “Repairing” Windows XP Pro, but it was then impossible to get to the Internet over Wireless or Dial-Up to try to get the requisite SPs from Microsoft. It was very sluggish booting up and shutting down. Then it finally stopped booting all together. As far as I know, nothing’s bugged the other 40GB HD, (“G:” and “H:”,) which have all our vital data and photos backed up on.

I plan on buying a new Maxtor Ultra ATA/133 HD to replace that dead/dying one. I want to then connect the old drives to recover what data I can.

It’s been forever since I’ve messed with HDs, and wonder if I will be able to leave the second HD on its Ultra ATA/133 Interface, and not have the Windows installation process reformat it, along with formatting and partitioning the new HD. Or should it be disconnected during the Windows installation process? Last time I added and/or moved HDs was when I was at work, on an old Windows NT PC, which required NTFS formatting, and the drive had to be reformatted because it was an old FAT-32 from an old home Windows 98 PC.

I’ve been reading through the FAQs at Maxtor, but didn’t find just what I want.

After I install Windows and add SPs and Security patches to the new HD, can I then plug in the old drives, (one at a time if need be,) to get their data off, without having to partition them all over again?

And, if I must partition them, will the data be lost? I can’t recall for certain, but I think that changing or adding a partition wiped out the data. I’m prepared to buy the partitioning software, if absolutely necessary.

I’d appreciate some old hand giving me a clue.

Thanks,
Steve -- “Gyro1949”

 

[g-paw]

To be on the safe side I always disconnect all the other drives if I'm installing a new drive I'm putting the OS on. You may not have to but I figure better safe than sorry. I would then put in the drive that you're replacing and get anything you want off it. Make sure you're booting to the new drive sinse your old one will still have the OS on it. Then I'd format the old one and if you have a program that will overwrite the old hdd, you should use it. I'd then take it out and put in your storage drive. Taking them out and putting them back in may be a little more work but again, better safe than sorry

 

[Gyro1949]

I agree with being safe. It won't be any big deal disconnecting the old drives. And I know that a fresh OS install will need to do the partitioning and formatting, etc., on the new drive. It could possibly go further, if the old drives are still plugged in.

I figure there's enough left of the OS on the old drive to cause a possible problem if the PC attempted to boot from it. I may have to change the BIOS settings to eliminate a chance it might try from that drive.

Do you know if the existing partitioning will be recognized by Windows XP, after they do get reconnected? It's one reason I'm getting the same sort of HD to replace the older failing one....

Steve "Gyro1949"

 

[g-paw]

XP should recognize the partitions. I've had partition letters changed but that's not a big deal, you just might have to find the partition the data is on. I'd definetly go into the BIOS and make sure it boots to the partition with the new XP installation. It shouldn't matter who the manufacturer is, I'm running both Seagate and Western Digital in 2 computers as well as PATA and SATA drives and do not have any problems. For what it's worth, a lot of people on this site don't seem to like Maxtor Personally, I like Seagate followed by WD given I've never had problems with either.

 

[Gyro1949]

Thanks!

Well, I’m hoping I won’t have a problem with losing a whole partition, or both of the partitions on a drive. I know the drive letters might vary. I was thinking I should have thought ahead to name them when I built this PC. But I get used to it, no matter what they’re called. Besides…The boot drive, (new one,) will most likely be “C:” regardless of what else might change.

Only reason I ended up with Maxtor was because the shop where I bout the rest of the parts to build this with had the right size and speed Maxtors on hand at the time I was in the market. The things getting old.

And I’m not even sure the drive is going. Could be any number of other things I’ve done with Windows through the years. It’s been balking for a while. And I kept getting a Blue Screen of Death over some stupid IOMega driver that I used to need when I used a USB Zip Drive. I deleted the IOMega software a long time back, but that “IOMDISK.SYS” file kept causing the grief. Even after getting some update from IOMega, and turning on the Driver Verifier, per the Windows suggestion.

It’d be nice just to have a fresh OS for a change, anyway.

I used to go with Seagate on my original PC, with DOS and then Windows 3.1! Then, when I got a Gateway, with Windows 95, it came with WD. That’s the old drive I moved to a work PC when I needed the extra storage. And I bought a larger WD at that time for the work PC, as well.

Never had a bona fide crash as far as I can recall. But this sure seems like it could be one. If my ears were better, I would be able to hear some noises, I’m guessing. My dogs don’t seem to get nervous when that PC attempts to boot, either.

Steve “Gyro1949”

 

[g-paw]

I just replaced an old WD drive, can't remember what it was doing but it was another safe than sorry and the dirve was pretty old. If you haven't done so, you can alwasy run check disk. Go to command prompt then: chkdsk /f, it'll run when you reboot. I've got the old drive in an old box and will try to use it when I eventually build a new machine, put the old mobo, etc in the old box. Never hurts to have extra pieces parts.

 

[Gyro1949]

I'm not so sure I can get it to boot at this point. Tried getting to Safe Mode. Had some memory dump message, instead!

If I get the new drive installed, I'll see what happened to the old one at that time.

The old PC case can use a more thorough vacuuming, anyway. So it's good to have to take it apart.

We're living in a fifth-wheel RV, so it could be the movement got to it after all this time. It's been maybe six years since I built this thing. Last two in this RV.

Steve "Gyro1949"

 

[g-paw]

If it's 6 years old, I'd definitely replace it. Of course something could have loosened up. When I build a new machine, I always give the oldest one to one of my grandkids. I put in a new hard drive make sure it has 512 Mb of memory and do a fresh install of Windows. As far as I know, they're all still running and several are 5 or 6 years old. Amazing how long you can keep these things running for a minimum number of $s

 

[Gyro1949]

My oldies went to my wife's family's kids.

My grandkids are still too young for PCs. Even though they're getting skilled on various electronic gadgets!


Steve

 

[g-paw]

Never hurts to have an extra machine or 2 around. When the grandkids visit I put them on an old machine I have. If it gets trashed, just re-install Windows. I think a computer is the ultimate bay sitter.

 

[Gyro1949]

That's not a bad thing...Right up until they start blogging in "Pedophile Heaven." Also known as MySpace.com!

Yowza!

Steve

 

[g-paw]

Have to spend a lot of time educating them on the Net as well as checking their Recent folder and Net history.