HDD Issue

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by JasonSims, Aug 21, 2008.

  1. JasonSims

    JasonSims Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2008
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    11
    I have a problem with a 120gb Western Digital HDD. It seems that whenever it is connected whether to slave or master, it causes the computer not to boot. Both This HD and the other one in the computer have an OS on them. If the one in question is not hooked up the computer will boot fine from the other. This would not be such an issue, but the failing HD has A LOT of useful data on it that I would like to backup.

    Any help and/or suggestion would be great!

    Thanks
     
    JasonSims, Aug 21, 2008
    #1
  2. rogeball

    rogeball Regular member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2006
    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    26
    Purchase your self a external hard drive adapter.


    this is a useful tool that you will probably use time and time again. it will show up as external drive and you should be able to drag your data off as long as the drive isn't completely corrupted.
     
    rogeball, Aug 21, 2008
    #2
  3. JasonSims

    JasonSims Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2008
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    11
    I'll look into it! Thank you very much for your reply.
     
    JasonSims, Aug 21, 2008
    #3
  4. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2004
    Messages:
    39,169
    Likes Received:
    137
    Trophy Points:
    143
    what make is the other drive? have you tried this drive by itself to see if will attempt to boot?
     
    ddp, Aug 21, 2008
    #4
  5. JasonSims

    JasonSims Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2008
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    11
    I actually am not sure what the make of the other HD is. It is my boss's computer. It does however boot fine when it is the only HD in AND when a Maxtor 20gb HD is in as the slave.
     
    JasonSims, Aug 21, 2008
    #5
  6. jony218

    jony218 Guest

    Have you tried adjusting the bios so it boots only from the drive you want and not to boot from other hard drives?
     
    jony218, Aug 21, 2008
    #6
  7. JasonSims

    JasonSims Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2008
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    11
    I have adjusted a few settings here and there, but nothing that made a change.
     
    JasonSims, Aug 21, 2008
    #7
  8. jony218

    jony218 Guest

    If both hard drives have operating systems, your going have to make changes to the boot.ini file so that the hard drives are properly showned in the file.

    More or less you will be creating a dual boot. This is complicated but it can be done. I've never actually done it but I've made notes for myself in case I ever needed them. Below are my notes.

    This is What it might look like with dual hard drives on a windows xp system.


    some definitions for reference.
    multi(x)disk(x) = disk controller number (ide drives) will always be "0" scsi will have different numbers
    rdisk(x) = hard drive number "starts at "0" for first drive
    partition(x) = partition where os is located starts at "1"


    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Pro CLONE " /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

    http://www.dewassoc.com/kbase/multiboot/boot_ini.htm
    http://mirror.href.com/thestarman/asm/mbr/bootini.htm#Ex
    http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;289022
     
    jony218, Aug 22, 2008
    #8

Share This Page