Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > General Homebuilt > What is the best way to proceed?
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ajsellaroli   08-01-2008 at 05:55:18 PM

Hey everyone,

I've got a computer now with a single 250gb hard drive. I just bought a second hard drive for it, the velociraptor. Now, what I want to do is wipe the old hard drive completely clean (after i've backed up my files of course) and re-install XP pro on the velociraptor. How do I go about doing this?? when i install the velociraptor, does it matter which sata port I am plugging it into, as I want it to be my primary drive?? Oh and which utility from the Ultimate boot cd (which I have) do I use to format a drive again??

Aside from that I have some general questions about how to best utilize a dual hard drive system. I use Lightroom, and I have the option to save the actual image files (I have 70gb of images) in one place, and then to place the previews files in another place. Can I store the image files on the slow 250 and then put the previews on the velociraptor?? How would you do that??

Oh yah, and then when converting a video file from one format to another, it is good to have the source file on a different hard drive from the one being converted, am I right?

Please help me, thanks

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ohiou_grad_06   08-01-2008 at 06:26:32 PM
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Easiest way would be to get in there, unhook your old drive, leave it in place though, hook up your raptor, plug it into the primary sata port, give it power and all, and install windows on it fresh, once that's done, hook your old drive up into one of the secondary slots, and windows should pick it up as a secondary hard drive. Then you can just pull what you need from it whenever you want. Also, the upside is you keep your storage space, just use the raptor as your primary drive so you get faster boot times, etc.

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ajsellaroli   08-01-2008 at 11:53:01 PM
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But then the xp os files would still be on there? right, I want to wipe it clean

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ajsellaroli   08-04-2008 at 07:54:20 AM
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*help?*
AJ weakly calls from the depths of hard drive ignorance
please?

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Bronze Home Brew badge Proximon   08-04-2008 at 08:11:16 AM
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The problem is more one of drive letters. If both drives are in when you start the installation process, XP might try to keep C as C.

When you boot from your XP installation disk you will have the option to erase partitions. I believe you can just erase the primary partition on that drive at that point.

However, I just do it the way already mentioned. I do not erase the old HD at first. I just leave it out. Once I have the OS installed I plug the old drive back in, and make sure everything I need gets transferred. A week or two later I can safely reformat, with confidence.

I have never found this to be a problem and I do not believe it violates any MS rules, as long as you don't try to boot from the old drive.

You won't need any other utilities. You'll be able to choose which drive to install on.


Message edited by Proximon on 08-04-2008 at 08:12:23 AM
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