Connect old HD to PC with 4 IDE slots filled ???

[Michael]

I have a new PC which I wish to transfer my old data onto.

As I'm a newbie I want some advice to ensure that I don't cause a
catastrophe.
(I have read a dozen-odd posts but haven't found one that covers my
situation.)

My new PC has:
* 2x 80GB drives (IDE cable), both set as masters.
* 1x CD-RW, slave.
* 1x DVD, slave.

Questions:
1. Can I temporarily disconnect my D drive, connect my old HD
(presumably set to master) and 'drop and drag' the info to my C drive?

2. If so, can I do it with both of my old C and D drives respectively?
(Does it matter if both drives have an OS on it?)

3. Is the C drive always connected to the IDE1 slot on the
motherboard, and the D drive connected to IDE2? (I presume that if I
disconnect the drive with the OS on it I'll be in big trouble ...)

Thanks in advance,

Michael


If more technical info is required:

* Pentium 2.4C
* Gigabyte 8IG1000Pro
IDE1 slot - connected to LiteOn CD-RW (slave) then to WD800JB (master)
IDE2 slot - connected to LiteOn DVD (slave) then to WD800JB (master)

* Old C drive - WD AC34000
* Old D drive - WD AC36400

 

[Michael Cecil]

I have a new PC which I wish to transfer my old data onto.

As I'm a newbie I want some advice to ensure that I don't cause a
catastrophe.
(I have read a dozen-odd posts but haven't found one that covers my
situation.)

My new PC has:
* 2x 80GB drives (IDE cable), both set as masters.
* 1x CD-RW, slave.
* 1x DVD, slave.

Questions:
1. Can I temporarily disconnect my D drive, connect my old HD
(presumably set to master) and 'drop and drag' the info to my C drive?

2. If so, can I do it with both of my old C and D drives respectively?
(Does it matter if both drives have an OS on it?)

Yes, there should be no problem doing that as long as you treat the
old drives as data and are not expecting to "clone" your old setup
onto the new drives this way. IOW, you make a folder on the new C
such as C:\oldcdrive and drag the files and folders from the
temporarily connected old C drive into it, then repeat for the old D
drive.

3. Is the C drive always connected to the IDE1 slot on the
motherboard, and the D drive connected to IDE2? (I presume that if I
disconnect the drive with the OS on it I'll be in big trouble ...)

Yes that would be the default usually, but this can often be changed
in the BIOS.

 

[Michael]

.... and - in case this affects your advice - I should have pointed out
I'm running Windows 2000 Pro on my new system, and ran Windows 98 on
my old computer.

 

[Michael Cecil]

... and - in case this affects your advice - I should have pointed out
I'm running Windows 2000 Pro on my new system, and ran Windows 98 on
my old computer.

Nope, what you planned should work fine.

 

[Michael]

Before anyone bothers answering, and for any fellow newbies out there
who happen across this thread ...

In the end I said bugger the consequences, pulled out the new D drive,
shoved the old C and D drives respectively into the IDE cable and it
all went hunky dory.

So much for the advice from the store where I bought my new computer
that transferring the data would be a relatively difficult and messy
procedure that I should pay them to do.