Read disk error occurred and I want to boot the computer using a different HDD a

[bryon350]

I was running Windows XP home and received the read disk error message. I am not interested in the saving the HDD I just want to recover the data. I disconnected the HDD installed a new one with a fresh install of Windows 7. This worked fine. I then hooked the old drive back up and tried to boot the computer using windows seven but it would not boot with the old drive hooked up. I want to pull a few unbacked up files off the old drive. How can I make this work?

 

[gtvr]

IDE or SATA? Sounds like IDE & maybe you have both set up as "master" - new win 7 should be "master" and the old/non-working should be slave (jumpers on HDs). If that still doesn't work, put the non-working drive on the 2nd IDE channel.

If SATA drives, you should be able to set the boot order in BIOS

 

[bryon350]

GTVR

Thanks for the reply. The old HDD is ide and the new is serial. I have the old Hdd on the only IDE spot on the mother board. I pointed the boot order towards the new drive and the system didnt like it. I still have the old drive jumpers set at master. I will switch them to slave and see.

 

[bryon350]

That didnt work. The BIOS sees the serial drive as the first boot device and the IDE as a slave. When I boot the computer it goes to the windows 7 splash screen and stops there. If I completely disconnect the old drive it will boot to windows 7

 

[bryon350]

Ok, I tried again and the system booted to windows 7 and it sees the old drive but it wants to format it and wont let me open it up to get at the files.

 

[gtvr]

You probably want to look at data recovery software. If the HD hasn't failed completely, the data is still there but possibly the directory structure is messed up. You can search this forum or the 'net for windows data recovery software. In fact, someone suggested one in another thread that should be near this one, about MBRs.

 

[bryon350]

Thank you