HDD Problem

[ChiPhiZD]

Ok since you all are way smarter than me and will figure this out in seconds...here I go:


I build a new rig....but still want to use my other PC for a 2nd box...So everything referenced is my old rig.

I had 2 HDDs...1st HDD in old machine is backup in new machine...That leaves my 2nd HDD which was in old machine that didnt have the OS

Now I want to take that 2nd HDD and make it my main HDD in my old machine and install XP.

My problem is, the BIOS is not detecting the HDD...I hooked it up to my new machine and formatted it via usb. And it does not pick it up...I put in new rig, and it detects it as a additional drive.

Neither machine has a floppy, so trying to boot from that wont work. I tried to put in the windows disk....nothing...Im shot? Please help

[shadowpr]

Did you jumper the drive to master, or cable select?

[ChiPhiZD]

Tried both....

Not sure why not picking up....drive is totally clean

[shadowpr]

What motheboard, what hard drive, and how is it jumpered?

Do you have it on the end of the ide cable?

[ChiPhiZD]

Its an old dell, its on black connector on end of cable, not sure of mobo, but HDD is WD 80g

[shadowpr]

So your new computer can see the drive perfectly, but the old one can't? It doesn't show up at all?

And you tried to jumper it both master, and cable select?

Did you try a different cable?

[ChiPhiZD]

Yeah, new rig can see it, not sure about booting with it...dont really want to try that....would need to pull EVERYTHING out haha

Put jumpers on both? NO I have not done that

And I did try different cable

[shadowpr]

First try jumpering it as master. If that doesn't work, then try jumpering as cable select.

Does your old computer have more then one ide port? If so, did you try connecting it to the second one?

Do you have a ide cd drive? Does bios see that?

[ChiPhiZD]

Will be back in a minute..will try those

[ChiPhiZD]

Actually, i just entered bios...does not pick up any of the IDE devices...no HDD, no DVD/ROM...hmmm

[ChiPhiZD]

Now got to read the DVDs....im all set...got windows install going as we speak

[shadowpr]

Everything worked before you took out the hard drive?

How do you have everything connected now? Before? (like hdd1 as master on ide 1, hdd2 as slave on ide 1, cd as master on ide2)

Which model dell is it?

EDIT: So it recognizes the hard drive and dvd drive now? What did you do?

[ChiPhiZD]

I just flip flopped the IDE cables....when i took everything apart to salvage and backup for new rig...must have moved them......that all i did

[ChiPhiZD]

Well now i can get my two cds working, HDD still says not installed....

Even though I was able to add files to it, not installed as the drive...hmmm

[shadowpr]

Originally Posted by shadowpr Everything worked before you took out the hard drive? How do you have everything connected now? Before? (like hdd1 as master on ide 1, hdd2 as slave on ide 1, cd as master on ide2) Which model dell is it?