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Changing and formatting hard drives

2K views 20 replies 5 participants last post by  telegramsam 
#1 ·
Hello,
I have recently installed a new motherboard, processor, more RAM and added another SATA hard drive (40Gig). The old drive (10Gig) will remain in the system for back up. How do I change the new drive (now designated as the E:drive) to be the C: drive in order to reinstall XP?
This computer does not see a lot of use but is very slow now even though the new widgets were installed.
Thanks.
 
#4 ·
OK, so you completely upgraded--you mean you essentially have a new computer now--I'm caught up now...:)

When you install XP, it will ask you which unformatted or formatted space on which to put the new installation. Just select the new, larger drive.

I'd suggest leaving the old one out while you're re-installing for simplicity purposes. (Or just unplugging it from the motherboard).
 
#7 ·
Yeah--go ahead and install your operating system. You can set that jumper to master if it's the only drive on that IDE cable.

Once you install your O/S, reinstall your drivers, update Windows, etc, THEN put the old drive back in. Go into disk management and enable and format it if it isn't NTFS already. Formatting it will erase the old system and get you all the usable disk space ready. When you enable and format it, you're given the option to name it and give it drive letter at that point. It will likely default to E.

Note--formatting it will ERASE it, so if you have anything on there you want to save, JUST enable it and transfer it to your new drive... You can reformat it from disk management later if you choose to do so.
 
#8 ·
Thank you,
I appreciate the help. There is no diagram on the back of the new drive. There are 4 sets of two pins with the jumper being on the right hand most 2 pins. (looking from the back of the drive).
Any idea of where to connect the jumper.
This must be pretty remedial for you but I appreciate the help.
 
#11 ·
If there are no other devices on that same cable then, just go ahead and plug it right back in the way it was. This is why I you want to install your operating system first, then all of your boot records will set down just the way they need to be.

Then add the drive and enable it--and you're good to go.
 
#18 ·
I'm a neophyte at dispensing advice. More often than not I ask for help, but... recently I had problems installing a internal, backup HD (SATA Seagate 200 GB) for my Dell 4700. After the install no recognition at all.

I posted the problem at ForumZ and one answer which solved my problem and may help you. I was instructed to enter the Bios, change the Boot Sequence and the Drive order. I did so and the result was perfect. Listed below is the Sequence and order I tried. Be sure to write your own sequence down before starting.

Boot Sequence (Bios)
Onboard or USB Floppy drives - (not present)
1. Onboard SATA Hard Drive
2 Onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive
Onboard IDE Hard Drive (not present) *** both my drives are SATA...try moving it to 2

Drives
Diskette Drive (OFF)
Drive 0 SATA-0 (ON)
Drive 1 SATA-2 (OFF)
Drive 2 PATA-0 (ON)
Drive 3 PATA-1 (OFF)

SATA Operation (Normal)

Rolan222
 
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