Back up to 2nd internal HD?

[Guest]

Might have to re-install my O/S. Wipe the HD clean. I have an 80GB secondary
HD that I keep some of my data on. Can I move all my data onto that drive and
then wipe the O/S drive clean without losing the data on the 2nd. The
only-somewhat-competent tech at Compaq (he said "dynamic IP" is when it
doesn't change and "static IP" is when it does change -- I didn't have the
heart to read him the definitions of "static" and "dynamic") told me that the
2nd drive may be wiped clean in an reformat and reinstall on the O/S drive,
b/c the 2nd is the slave and when the computer was set up at the factory, it
didn't account for a second drive. So, the obvious thing to do, it seems, is
to yank out the 2nd drive, do the re-format/re-install and then stick it back
in. So, the ultimate question is: will I run into any problems if I do this
(take out 2nd during reinstall)? Other suggestions? Easier ways? Comments?
Thanks.

 

[Alias]

.. So, the obvious thing to do, it seems, is

to yank out the 2nd drive, do the re-format/re-install and then stick it back
in. So, the ultimate question is: will I run into any problems if I do this
(take out 2nd during reinstall)? Other suggestions? Easier ways? Comments?
Thanks.

Take out the slave drive. Reformat your computer. Once done with that, put
your slave drive back in and make sure your BIOS recognizes it. I just did
that so I know it works.

Alias

 

[Doug]

I think you are good to go if you back up to 2nd hd,
disconnect it, reinstall os, reconnect slave drive, copy
back data files on the slave.

-----Original Message-----
Might have to re-install my O/S. Wipe the HD clean. I have an 80GB secondary
HD that I keep some of my data on. Can I move all my data onto that drive and
then wipe the O/S drive clean without losing the data on the 2nd. The
only-somewhat-competent tech at Compaq (he said "dynamic IP" is when it
doesn't change and "static IP" is when it does change -- I didn't have the
heart to read him the definitions of "static"

and "dynamic") told me that the

 

[Guest]

It doesn't matter if you take out the 2nd drive or not,
just as long as you format the correct drive, personally
I would leave it in and avoid the hastle.

I would imagine that your OS drive is a smaller capacity
drive than the 2nd one, if so, just select that when you
reinstall the OS and it prompts you for which drive to
install on, hence formatting.

My only concern is, which OS are you installing? If it's
98/Me, then make sure your 2nd drive is NOT NTFS, because
if it is, 98/Me will not read it. If it's going to be
2000/XP, it doesn't matter then, cause 2000/XP will read
both formats, i.e. Fat/NTFS.

Good Luck

-----Original Message-----
Might have to re-install my O/S. Wipe the HD clean. I have an 80GB secondary
HD that I keep some of my data on. Can I move all my data onto that drive and
then wipe the O/S drive clean without losing the data on the 2nd. The
only-somewhat-competent tech at Compaq (he said "dynamic IP" is when it
doesn't change and "static IP" is when it does change -- I didn't have the
heart to read him the definitions of "static"

and "dynamic") told me that the

 

[Harry Ohrn]

If you are using some type of "Recovery method" like hidden restore
partitions etc, that the computer vender used for a restore then you might
want to disconnect the second drive just as a precaution. While the tech
might not know much he might know something about the Recovery method's
abilities. On the other hand if you have an XP CD and intend to do a clean
install from it you don't have to pull the second drive. Just make
absolutely sure that you will be repartitioning, formatting and installing
XP to the correct drive.

BTW you don't have to pull the drive. You can simply disconnect the power
and IDE cable then reconnect after XP is installed. Plug n Play will pick it
up again.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Might have to re-install my O/S. Wipe the HD clean. I have an 80GB secondary
HD that I keep some of my data on. Can I move all my data onto that drive and
then wipe the O/S drive clean without losing the data on the 2nd. The
only-somewhat-competent tech at Compaq (he said "dynamic IP" is when it
doesn't change and "static IP" is when it does change -- I didn't have the
heart to read him the definitions of "static" and "dynamic") told me that the
2nd drive may be wiped clean in an reformat and reinstall on the O/S drive,
b/c the 2nd is the slave and when the computer was set up at the factory, it
didn't account for a second drive.

That is sheer total nonsense. I knew Compaq had some bad techs, but
that is too much, and deserves a complaint to the company. A new setup
will not have the disk in it, but on a reboot it should be redetected by
PnP just as before. You may need to take steps to 'take ownership (see
that topic in Help and Support) but that is all.