ELIMINATING OEM hard drive, keeping 2 (currently storage) ..

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Hi again,

I am finally ready, (I think), to eliminate my original hard drive. I
have a question or two before I procede.

To refresh your memory, I am the guy who asked advice in my posting of
several weeks ago, entitled: "NEED ADVICE on eliminating original hard
drive please." My computer is an HP8485Z with Windows 98 (first
edition), in which I have eliminated the ZIP drive and installed a CD
burner in its place, added a MAXTOR 40GB hd for storage, and added a
MAXTOR 80gb hd, also for storage. The two MAXTOR drives are hooked up
to a "Silicon Image Sil 0680 ATA/133 controller" card. The original
hd is plugged right into the Mother Board. There is more stuff in
there than there are places for. By doing this change, I think I
might actually be able to bolt most everything down. I have decided
that instead of using "GHOST" or "SEATOOLS", I would rather do a clean
install of the OS, using my HP Recovery disks. I have used
Microsoft's BackUp and backed up all the relivant programs and system
parts. I have also, in preparation for this, eliminated stuff I don't
need and put everything on the 80GB hd. The 40GB hd is empty.

My question is; Since the two MAXTOR drives were both set up with the
MAXBLAST EZ Format, do I have to use FDISK to install the OS? How
should I set the jumper? Can I leave them both on the ATA/133
controller (which has its own separate BIOS), or do I need to plug it
where the current C Drive is plugged in on the Mother Board?

Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Bobby A.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Start over again. EZBlast is intended to handle situations where the
motherboard BIOS is incapable of handling the large drive capacity directly.
So...

Preferably, attach whichever hard drive you want as the boot drive to the
motherboard. If you have some sort of dual-boot software or the SiS controller
allows some sort of switching among boot drives, this step may not be necessary.

Next, use Maxtor PowerMax to overwrite the entire boot drive.

Next, install the operating system on the boot drive, starting with FDISK to set
up the partitions, reboot, then FORMAT the partitions, and finally install the
OS.

The motherboard is recent enough that its BIOS should handle the 80GB drive. If
not, revert to the SiS controller, leaving no hard drives attached to the
motherboard.

If you take any other approach, the results are unpredictable and can lead to
operational difficulties, confusion over boot drive, long term OS upgrade
issues... Ben Myers

On 10 Apr 2004 08:09:04 -0700, ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com (Bobby A) wrote:

>Hi again,
>
>I am finally ready, (I think), to eliminate my original hard drive. I
>have a question or two before I procede.
>
>To refresh your memory, I am the guy who asked advice in my posting of
>several weeks ago, entitled: "NEED ADVICE on eliminating original hard
>drive please." My computer is an HP8485Z with Windows 98 (first
>edition), in which I have eliminated the ZIP drive and installed a CD
>burner in its place, added a MAXTOR 40GB hd for storage, and added a
>MAXTOR 80gb hd, also for storage. The two MAXTOR drives are hooked up
>to a "Silicon Image Sil 0680 ATA/133 controller" card. The original
>hd is plugged right into the Mother Board. There is more stuff in
>there than there are places for. By doing this change, I think I
>might actually be able to bolt most everything down. I have decided
>that instead of using "GHOST" or "SEATOOLS", I would rather do a clean
>install of the OS, using my HP Recovery disks. I have used
>Microsoft's BackUp and backed up all the relivant programs and system
>parts. I have also, in preparation for this, eliminated stuff I don't
>need and put everything on the 80GB hd. The 40GB hd is empty.
>
>My question is; Since the two MAXTOR drives were both set up with the
>MAXBLAST EZ Format, do I have to use FDISK to install the OS? How
>should I set the jumper? Can I leave them both on the ATA/133
>controller (which has its own separate BIOS), or do I need to plug it
>where the current C Drive is plugged in on the Mother Board?
>
>Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>
>Bobby A.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

"Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:baf6c81a.0404100709.7c3058fb@posting.google.com...
> Hi again,
>
> I am finally ready, (I think), to eliminate my original hard drive. I
> have a question or two before I procede.
>
> To refresh your memory, I am the guy who asked advice in my posting of
> several weeks ago, entitled: "NEED ADVICE on eliminating original hard
> drive please." My computer is an HP8485Z with Windows 98 (first
> edition), in which I have eliminated the ZIP drive and installed a CD
> burner in its place, added a MAXTOR 40GB hd for storage, and added a
> MAXTOR 80gb hd, also for storage. The two MAXTOR drives are hooked up
> to a "Silicon Image Sil 0680 ATA/133 controller" card. The original
> hd is plugged right into the Mother Board. There is more stuff in
> there than there are places for. By doing this change, I think I
> might actually be able to bolt most everything down.

That sounds bad. Real bad.

> I have decided
> that instead of using "GHOST" or "SEATOOLS", I would rather do a clean
> install of the OS, using my HP Recovery disks. I have used
> Microsoft's BackUp and backed up all the relivant programs and system
> parts. I have also, in preparation for this, eliminated stuff I don't
> need and put everything on the 80GB hd. The 40GB hd is empty.

I'd borrow a copy of real OS disks, and use the Product ID code from your
recovery disks with that. Legal, and avoids loading a lot of junk that comes
with the recovery disks.


> My question is; Since the two MAXTOR drives were both set up with the
> MAXBLAST EZ Format, do I have to use FDISK to install the OS? How
> should I set the jumper? Can I leave them both on the ATA/133
> controller (which has its own separate BIOS), or do I need to plug it
> where the current C Drive is plugged in on the Mother Board?

I'd put the 40 gig as the master disk on the primary channel, on your motherboard.
Leave the 80 gig disconnected during the install, no reason to risk an accident.

Actually, this whole project sounds like a great candidate for a total rebuild,
where you get a modern case that can hold all your peripherals properly, has
plenty of cooling and power, and has a CPU about six times faster. You salvage
the peripherals you want and replace everything else. Your MB is about due to
expire anyway, why put all this work into a system that will still be thoroughly
obsolete when you get it running again?

-Dave

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 20:48:56 GMT, "David Kinsell" <kinsell@poboxyz.com>
wrote:

> "Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:baf6c81a.0404100709.7c3058fb@posting.google.com...
> > I have decided
> > that instead of using "GHOST" or "SEATOOLS", I would rather do a clean
> > install of the OS, using my HP Recovery disks. I have used
> > Microsoft's BackUp and backed up all the relivant programs and system
> > parts. I have also, in preparation for this, eliminated stuff I don't
> > need and put everything on the 80GB hd. The 40GB hd is empty.
>
> I'd borrow a copy of real OS disks, and use the Product ID code from your
> recovery disks with that. Legal, and avoids loading a lot of junk that comes
> with the recovery disks.

Well installing from the HP Recovery CDs on a clean HD will often result in
the Recovery CD stopping and claiming that isn't a HP computer. So HP has
something somewhere that it needs to find.

Real OS install CDs probably will work on a HP. But I learned they won't on
a SysteMax. As the SysteMax has four more digits in the Product key that the
regular W98SE won't take.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

"Bill Wolff" <wolffsoftnospam@nospamnetzero.net> wrote in message news:gjah705c9looneicig8jma2o1oavlq3jsr@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 20:48:56 GMT, "David Kinsell" <kinsell@poboxyz.com>
> wrote:
>
> > "Bobby A" <ledfloyd2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:baf6c81a.0404100709.7c3058fb@posting.google.com...
> > > I have decided
> > > that instead of using "GHOST" or "SEATOOLS", I would rather do a clean
> > > install of the OS, using my HP Recovery disks. I have used
> > > Microsoft's BackUp and backed up all the relivant programs and system
> > > parts. I have also, in preparation for this, eliminated stuff I don't
> > > need and put everything on the 80GB hd. The 40GB hd is empty.
> >
> > I'd borrow a copy of real OS disks, and use the Product ID code from your
> > recovery disks with that. Legal, and avoids loading a lot of junk that comes
> > with the recovery disks.
>
> Well installing from the HP Recovery CDs on a clean HD will often result in
> the Recovery CD stopping and claiming that isn't a HP computer. So HP has
> something somewhere that it needs to find.

The primary thing they used was a 'tatto', which was a small bit of data in the
BIOS on the motherboard. They might also look at the size of the hard disk,
to see if it's way out of line with what was shipped with the unit.

I've seen Compaq machines that refused to load the recovery disks if you had
added a peripheral like a ZIP drive. Computers can be frustrating enough
without dealing with the idiosyncracies of recovery disks (or 4 gig hidden
partitions that supposed take the place of them).

Of course if you go the Real OS route, then you may end up searching in vain
for drivers for proprietary modem, sound card, or video chips. Good reason
to avoid name-brand systems like this in the first place.

-Dave