Formatting

[CmdPT]

Hi,

I have a question, I would like to reformat my computer and I am wondering if I reformat my computer would I lose my files on the slave drive? Because everytime I go in the formatting in Windows XP, it say for the slave drive is an unknown drive, I don't want to continue if I end up losing my slave drive not really sure about this. I am using a SATA II drive.

Thx for you're help.

 

[ausch30]

If your really concerned just unplug the drive before you reformat. Then after you've reinstalled the OS plug it back in.

 

[CmdPT]

Would that work? I mean even though I re-plug it won't I have to gain access to it again. Cause it will say "Unable to access drive".

 

[Peffse]

So is the Master drive a SATA II or is the slave drive SATA?
It was my understanding that without special help with the BIOS, windows XP cannot recognize a SATA drive during install, which would likely be the problem.

Don't take my word for it though, I've never had really had troubles installing XP on a SATA before.

 

[CmdPT]

Both Primary and Slave drives are SATA II, I want to format the primary sata II drive without risking losing the data on the sata II slave drive.

 

[bc4]

Usually it only formats the C: drive.... but if you are worried just unplug your "slave drive" and then you have nothing to worry about unless your slave drive is just a partition on the same drive... If that is the case let us know and someone with more experience can help you

 

[CmdPT]

No the slave drive is a separate drive.

 

[Peffse]

wait both are SATA and only one of them is being displayed as unrecognized?
Are they both the same make and model?

 

[CmdPT]

Before I reformat I want to make sure that my slave drive will be recognized without losing my data in it.

Both drives are made from Seagate but Model # is different if thats what you are referring to.

 

[nocteratus]

I have 2 sata hdd in my pc, last week I reinstalled windows xp on my primary hdd.

First I've unplugged my second hdd before formatting my primary hdd.

after booting windows and installing all drivers, then I shutdown my pc, plug the second hdd in, reboot pc then in computer management I right-click on my second drive (it was "Unknown") and select "Import drive" or something like that. my second drive is a 250GB witch is load with over 200GB of movies.

All my movies were there!

 

[CmdPT]

Alright, I'll try out.

Thanks for all the help you guys.

 

[orangegator]

From reading your posts, you sound inexperienced with computers. I highly recommend you ask a knowledgeable friend to help you reformat and reinstall windows. Or at least you should research and make sure you know what you are doing. Or else you may be back here posting something like "Help, I think I screwed up my computer." If I am wrong, I apologize in advance. GL

 

[kbits]

Master...? Slave...? With SATA...?

I thought this was over with SATA drives. No more Master & Slave I mean.

 

[orangegator]

Master...? Slave...? With SATA...?

I thought this was over with SATA drives. No more Master & Slave I mean.

You're right. Hence part of the reason for my previous post.

 

[goldragon_70]

Actually that is something that is on my computer too, even though I have an SATA II set up. Depending on the port the HDD will appear as a master or slave.

Edit: it's very strange

 

[CmdPT]

From reading your posts, you sound inexperienced with computers. I highly recommend you ask a knowledgeable friend to help you reformat and reinstall windows. Or at least you should research and make sure you know what you are doing. Or else you may be back here posting something like "Help, I think I screwed up my computer." If I am wrong, I apologize in advance. GL

I am just making sure before I do any reformatting because I never had a SATA HD before I've been using mostly IDE HD. As for being inexperienced with computers, I've done alot building and overclocking so I'm not completele noob at it but everyday you learn something new.

 

[ausch30]

I think the whole master/slave thing is just semantics. It just means, with sata, primary or secondary drives. You should have a setting in your BIOS under the hard drive section to select the boot drive (primary/master) and then select where you want it in the boot sequence. As far as reinstalling you should see both volumes and just select the one you want to install the OS on but if your concerned just unplug it and you can't accidentally erase anything. Also you have 2 sata controllers on your board. The yellow connectors are controlled by the southbridge and the pink ones are controlled by a secondary controller which won't work until you install the drivers after you install the OS.

 

[ausch30]

Depending on the port the HDD will appear as a master or slave.

That might have something to do with the fact your board has 3 sata controllers on it.

 

[ZOldDude]

Hi,

I have a question, I would like to reformat my computer and I am wondering if I reformat my computer would I lose my files on the slave drive? Because everytime I go in the formatting in Windows XP, it say for the slave drive is an unknown drive, I don't want to continue if I end up losing my slave drive not really sure about this. I am using a SATA II drive.

Thx for you're help.

If in doubt just unplug the other drive.

 

[crazywheels]

You can only format one drive at a time. so you are safe with the other drive.

 

[nvalhalla]

Say it with me

"format C:"

It will only format the C drive. It won't touch the other. The SATA Master/Slave is apparently to trick Windows into recognizing the SATA drives without needing drivers. Am I right on this guys? When you install the OS, you will see the drives and their partitions at the install screen. Tell it to install to the C, not the D. You can always unplug it, but it isn't necessary. The data on the other drive won't be unrecognized after the format, assuming of course you aren't formatting 1 drive of a RAID, which I'm sure you would have mentioned.

 

[croc]

I think one of us is confused. 'Master' and 'slave' are terms that are used to differentiate two PATA drives running on the same IDE cable. You are talking as if you are using SATA drives....

So I think I must be mis-understanding either the set-up that you are using, or the question that you are asking.

 

[ausch30]

'Master' and 'slave' are terms that are used to differentiate two PATA drives running on the same IDE cable.

You are correct but some BIOS's still use the terminology to differentiate between the master boot drive and the other drives that's what confuses some people. Any sata drive can be configured as primary/master or secondary/slave in the BIOS where as before you needed to change jumpers and move the cable around.

 

[croc]

Then those BIOS manufacturers are in violation of the SATA standards as published, and as such should have their SATA licenses revoked. Master / slave refers to two drives on a single cable, sharing the same bus. Hence the 'parallel' portion of that standard. It was envisioned at one time that PATA might even be able to scale up to SCSI cable standards... But that vision was not reasonable on a desktop platform.

SATA is all about one drive, one data cable, and enhanced throughput. There is no 'master', no 'slave'.

Standards are standards. If your bios doesn't support the standard, demand a replacement or an update.

 

[goldragon_70]

The master/slave name that the BIOS displays could be there to allow Distinction on ports that can be used in a raid set up. I doubt the mobo's are in violation, because they would be off the market way before now. With my mobo, all of my internal ports can be used for some type of raid set up.