Reconfigure Win2000 workstation ?

[markf]

This is my first post to this forum.

I have some computer experience including having built my own dual processor workstation (not the machine in question below) a couple of years ago. However, it seems like starting from ground zero each time I try my hand at DIY type stuff.

I have a secondary workstation networkwed to my primary workstation. The secondary workstation has WIN 2000 Pro, Pentium3 933, 256M RAM, 2-each 30G 7.2K UDMA drives.

It is setup such that one drive is partioned into "C" and "D". W2K is installed on "C" and all of my applications and data are on "D". The second drive is one partition "E" and I have used it very little as abackup/storage drive.

I have begun having problems in using different apps including outlook and frontpage where the same thing happens. I will do some simple thing like click a spell check and the disc starts crunching (I can hear it) and the program locks. The retrospect backup software that backs up to my Maxtor external drive generates an error report that "C" cannot be backed up because "volume structure is corrupt". Also MS checkdisc will not run. So I believe I have a problem that must be fixed and am seeking advise or direction to resolve this.

My inclination is to abandon the drive with (W2K on it) "C" and "D". Install WXP and my apps on drive "E". I think I would like to be able to start the machine and have a choice as to wether it boots up on C as it does now, or boots to the second drive E. This would be to keep what I have going on C until I get E configured and running corectly. Perhaps this adds undue complications to my end goal and is not neccesary?

Next, to get WXP installed on "E", I need a source of instruction to refresh my memory on the sequence one follows to install an OS. I'm thinking I would format the disc and then simply insert the WXP disc and it guides one thru the process?

I hope this is not too long of a post and that it is appropriate to this forum. TIA for any help

[casual01]

It sounds like it could be the harddrive going bad. You need to get the diagnostics disk for that disks manufacturer, ie seagate, maxtor, wd, and run it on the disk. The diag. program you can download from their site and it will make a boot disk for you when you run the downloaded program. This will run and give you an error code (zero if good or any other number if bad). Try this first to check your harddrive.

[markf]

Casual1,

Thank you for your reply. I did as you suggested. The disk checking utility returned a report that said one or more sectors were corrupt. It gave two options. Erase and repair entire disc, or repair bad sectors only. I exited without doing either.

I'm tempted to try repair bad sectors but somewhat apprehensive about data loss and possably making things worse. My feeling is that this drive is 4.5 years old, I have another barely used one in the same machine, I think I want to migrate to it with a new clean install of WXP.

Thanks again for the help.

[casual01]

If you have it attempt to repair the bad sectors, the program will try to move any data first to a good spot, the try to repair it. If it can't repair it, it marks it as bad so that sectors doesn't get used again.

Sometimes you get lucky and only a few sectors are bad and other times it's just a sign of the drive going bad and you'll keep having these same problems.

[markf]

Casual01

I had the utility repair the sectors and it seems to have worked.

I am still going to try and figure out how to best go about migrating to the other drive that is in the machine, fresh install of WXP and apps.

Thanks again for your help

[casual01]

The best way would be to boot from the XP cd and have it format and install, but I would change the jumpers first to make that drive the master and the other drive as the slave. Then after XP is installed, of course you'll have to reinstall all your apps and drivers. Good luck.

[markf]

casual01,

Thank you for your very helpful replies.

The system seems "back to normal" after the repair but my retrospect backup software still returns a "volume corrupt" error message after I run it

At some point in the near future I plan to do as you discribe, change jumpers or maybe swap drives and boot from a WXP cd and re-install apps and drivers. This sort of thing comes with the territory, I reckon. :-)