Basic hard drive question

[Warthog]

I will eventually be getting an additional hard drive. Having not done this before, I am unsure of how to accomplish this task.

I want to add the new hd to my current one. I'm pretty sure the plugs are on the mobo (I have a Dell comp). Now, for the installation. How do I go about doing this? Can I simply plug it in and turn on the comp?? Win98, etc. will all be on the other, previously installed hd.

Thanks!

Warthog

[TechJumper]

I don't know- seems like you would have to do some kind of BIOS change- or partition tweak, interesting- what are your full sys. specs?

Mike

[Warthog]

800mhz PIII
10gb 7200rpm hard drive
64mb Geforce2 GTS
128mb PC133

Can't be too specific because it is a Dell (don't know mobo).
Maybe this will help a bit more? <A HREF="http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/products/model_dimen_3_dimen_4100.htm#tabtop" TARGET=_blank>http://www.dell.com/us/en/dhs/products/model_dimen_3_dimen_4100.htm#tabtop</A>

I want to get a 30gb IBM to add to my 10gb instead of having to buy a 40gb and have the 10gb go to waste.

Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 11-25-2000).]

[Ygor]

I think you're going to have to fdisk it to set your partitions at least. I had to disconnect my original drive to find the new drive in my system and do the fdisk. Then you reconnect the master and reset the jumpers on the new drive.
Since it's a slave, just set them and use it. Or use whatever disk utility comes with it to do that, just don't use EZ drive or EZ Bios unless the Dell Bios won't upgrade to handle that size drive.

Then use autodetect in the Bios and you're off to the races!

[Fingers]

At a minimum, you'll have to set the jumpers on both drives, connect it to the motherboard, detect it in the BIOS, fdisk, and format it. It's pretty easy, especially if you buy a retail drive that comes with instructions. Most hard drives come with software that will partition(fdisk) and format the drive for you, so you don't have to do it through dos.

You might want to consider making the new hard drive your primary drive also, because it is probably going to be faster than your old one. Some drives also contain software to copy the contents of your old drive to the new one in a single step.


ZDNet-How to Install a Hard Disk (http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2257691-5,00.html)


PCWorld-Installing a new hard drive, step by step. (http://www.pcworld.com/hereshow/article.asp?aid=10127)



[This message has been edited by Fingers (edited 11-26-2000).]

[Warthog]

Cool. Thanks guys!

And thank you very much for the links, Fingers http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog

[Warthog]

Got my 45gb IBM Deskstar today http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Once I figured out how to get the blasted Dell case off, I attempted to install the drive. It's a long story....anyways, I resorted to Ygor's suggestion. BUT I am having problems with the friggin' boot disk. Am I stupid http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif? I right click on the A: drive and select "Format", "Full", "Copy System Files". What is wrong? It only copies the Command.com file. I added Autoexec to it. It prompts for some McAfee thing. I disabled (or thought I did) McAfee in msconfig.

Help?

Warthog

[JayMan]

If i am corrct simply doing that type of system disk should allow to boot up, but thats it, to be able to format etc... u need to have format.com, fdisk.com, etc... on it. Umm not 100% sure of what you need on there as i have only formatted this thing once myself and i borrowed my friends boot disk (he has some other tweaks on that boot disk also).

JayMan

[Krymson]

All you need is fdisk and format on the disk, as well as the basic system files, as the other dude said. copy those files on the boot disk, then boot from it into Real mode DOS. I formatted a few hard drives over the summer and the procedure if i recall correctly was, fdisk, set the partition(s), format, copy sys files, install windows. If you are going to boot from the IBm, you will have to switch it to Primary Master.
Doesnt your ibm deskstar come with a floppy with its own software that does this? I know my maxtor diamond did.
If so , then just run that under dos and you should be good. By the way, I've found that ide drives sometimes have trouble getting along, so you may have to play with the master/slave or primary/secondary settings for your computer to recognize it.

[This message has been edited by Krymson (edited 12-14-2000).]

[greenlion]

First, make a boot disk then copy the fdisk.exe and format.exe from the Command folder in Windows. Use this floppy to boot the computer with the new hard disk. The following link is an easy to follow step-by-step in partitioning and formatting your hard disk.
http://www.pcguide.com/proc/setup/hdd-c.html

[Fingers]

Using the "Startup Disk" tab under Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel will give you a bootable floppy with everything you need also.

[Warthog]

I made a "true" startup disk by using Fingers method. THAT worked. I made sure that the files you guys mentioned were on there.

Greenlion, your link was VERY helpful. Thank you so much for that http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif. After a few tries (of doing it wrong), I finally got it to make the IBM 45gb into three partitions of 15gb each: drives D, E and F (added to my 10gb C drive). I did all this while having the IBM as slave to the Quantum 10gb (existing hd).

I restarted Windows and got the three new partitions to show up.

BUT, I cannot do anything with them. What did I do wrong? When I click on one of the three new partitions, it says that a device attached to the system is not functioning.

In the System, Performance section in the Control Panel, it says:
Drive D is using MS-DOS compatibility mode file system.

There are three messages, one for each new partition.

When I click Details on one of three error messages, it brings this up:

Drive X is using an MS-DOS compatibility mode file system.

This problem often occurs on more than one drive. Usually it is caused by a driver listed in the Config.sys file that Windows does not recognize and that is related to the message Compatibility mode paging reduces overall system performance. If you see both messages, see the Help for the Compatibility mode paging reduces overall system performance message first.
If you only see the message Drive X is using an MS-DOS compatibility mode file system on one drive, that drive is using an MS-DOS compatibility (real-mode) driver, which may reduce that drive’s performance. Contact your hardware manufacturer to see if an updated driver is available for your drive. If not, the drive’s performance may be less than optimal, but you can still use it.

I don't know if that will help or not. Just trying to be specific.

Thank you so much everyone!! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

edit*
BTW, it didn't come with ANYTHING at all. No screws, no disk and no instructions. Guess that's why it cost $150 http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif But that's ok, it will work eventually

Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 12-15-2000).]

[Fingers]

Did you format each of the partitions? After running fdisk, you have to format each new partition to make them usable.

The last time I ran into MS-Dos Compatibility Mode was about 1995. I had a virus that infected my MBR on a Pentium-90 with Windows95.

You might be able to find something useful here;

Troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility Mode on Hard Disks (http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q130/1/79.ASP)

Remember to always make sure you know exactly which drive is which when you're using fdisk and format. [shudder] http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Fingers (edited 12-15-2000).]

[phecky]

Are you sure you completed the fdisk routines? After creating the extended partitions did you also create logical drives on each of those partitions? May be the source of your problems.

[Warthog]

phecky - yes, I followed Step 4 exactly on greenlion's link.

Doh!! LOL forgot to format http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

There are tons of really complicated Tech Support questions from members and I'm the only schmuck having trouble installing his hard drive.

First time for everything http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Another question:
After this is over, I am going to copy the Quantum's files to the IBM's and make the IBM the boot hd (I know how to copy - learned from another link). The question is, will my drive letters be reassigned?

Warthog

[This message has been edited by Warthog (edited 12-16-2000).]

[Ygor]

Yes they will, once you reset the jumpers.

[Warthog]

Thank you everyone soooooooooo much!!!!

It works now - except for some quick errors that I had http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/010238.html

But I guess that is gone now. (?)

Now I am going to transfer the files to the new hd. Thanks for the info, Ygor http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog

[Warthog]

It's all set!

Thanks a lot everyone!! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog

[Warthog]

Here is the order of the drive letters:

C: IBM
D: Quantum
E: IBM
F: IBM

How can I put the Quantum as drive "F"?

Warthog

[Joel Kleppinger]

To move the partition back in the lettering scheme (on the quantum), you need to put everything currently on the quantum in a logical partition (inside an extended partition) and set the Quantum to be on IDE2 and the IBM on IDE1 (or make the IBM primary and the Quantum secondary). This should make the first 3 partitions IBM and the last one Quantum.