Install OS on 2nd harddrive

[jsos16]

Ok, here is the deal, i have 2 HD in my computer,
(A) 40 Gig: Primary with OS
(B) 120 Gig: Slave without an OS

Basically i want to install and run my OS from my 120 gig hard drive. Basically I am unsure how i should go about doing this. Should switch the hard drives internally or simply change the boot sequence to look at my second hard drive first?

Any input would be greatly appreciated

[gjimene2]

So you want to take the existing OS from the first hard drive and put it into the second bigger drive?

Who's hard drive is it? You can get a utility that will let you copy everything from the old hard drive to the new one, and then boot from the new one so that windows will assign is at the "c" drive, and you will have the 120GB hard drive as your main drive. Then you can plug in the smaller drive as a slave and then format it and do what you wish with it.

[jsos16]

both hard drives are mine and are currently being used in the same computer. I have been having some errors with my OS, and want to run it off of my second hard drive (120gig) in hopes of a new begining as well as freeing up my first harddrive so i can transplant that into another computer.

[Imperion1]

If the 40Gig is just going to go in a different computer. Take it out. Then set the jumper on the 120Gig to Master and install it as Primary Master on IDE1. Now, install the OS. If you are using XP, you will be given the options to partition and format. If you just want 1 large 120Gig partition, just have XP format the single partition.

And, if there is stuff on the 40Gig you want transferred to the 120Gig, set the jumper on the 40Gig to slave and install it on IDE 2. Transfer your files, then you can always format the drive to clear it out.

[jsos16]

ok I understand thats what i will need to do, My question is will i loose all the data i have on my 120 gig hard drive? or can i simply add the OS without reformating it?

If there is something like 30 gigs still free on the 120 gig hard drive can i partition 10 of that for the operating system leaving the other 110 gigs on the other partition?

or is all of this wishful thinking?

[Imperion1]

If you have Partition Magic, then you can partition the 120Gig drive without losing any data.
As for installing the OS on the 120Gig drive, it will need to first be set as an Active drive. Usually by Fdisk, or XP might be able to do it when installing, without losing any data. Just don't format the 120Gig if there is data on it that you don't want to lose.