error when trying to add a slave hdd

I am running a compac presario 5300 US version with some mods. I have recently got a box of hdds from a freind. My computer already has an old quantum fireball (6 gig) as a slave so i took taht one out and put in a 30 gig quantum fireball lct 15 3.5" series to replace it. when i started up the computer it said system disk error or disk error so i thought that maybe that hdd was broken or something so then i tried to put a 30 gig maxtor DiamonMax Plus 8 ATA/133 and it said the same thing. when i put the old fireball back (6g) it works fine. can anyone give some advice in plain english.

Thank you

 

If the primary drive is set as a master your 2nd drive needs to be set as a slave by moving the little plastic jumper that connects two pins on the drive that is located by the power and data connections. If the first drive isn't set to master but to cable select mode the 2nd drive needs to be set to the same as well. There should be a diagram on the sticker of the drive that shows which jumper settings do what.

 

my first drive is set as the master and i made sure that the second was set as a slave

 

You could try setting them both to cable select. If i'm reading you correctly you are saying the the computer fails to boot if the 30gig is attached as either the primary or secondary drive, but it boots properly when only the old drive is attached?

Another thing you could try is running the fdisk utility from your OS install CD or I believe it is available for download online as well. On the OS CD it will likely be located under an option that sounds something like "Repair my system"

 

it boots properly when my old slave hdd is attached or just my master is in but when i try to take out the old slave and put in the new it wont boot and says system error disk

 

You didn't happen to have your operating system installed on the old slave eh?

 

no all i have in the old slave is music that i have made