Copying Data from Failing Primary HD - Help

[Sam]

A family member has a Dell Dimension 8200 computer with windows XP Pro (SP2)
and recent MS security updates. During a bootup this morning and before
windows desktop appeared, he saw a message that basically said that the
primary HD was operating outside of its limits. I had him select F1 to
continue to get to the sign in screen and then shut the computer down. He
is now going to purchase a new HD to replace the failing primary HD. He
also has been making periodic backups with the Symantec Livestate Recovery
program and so will have a recent backup to restore to the new primary HD.

Once the new primary HD is up and running okay, I plan to install the
failing primary HD as the second HD, so that we can copy the data he
downloaded yesterday. Question: my concern is, when I install the old
primary HD as a secondary HD, it will still have an active partition, and in
effect, the computer will have two active partitions. How can resolve this
issue without corrupting any files on either HD? Thanks for any help, Sam.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

As you are installing a new hard drive as primary you will need to
re-install the operating system. Now this is a 'clean' install - in other
words the drive is being wiped and then the operating system is being
installed. I don't know whether you have a full retail copy of XP or just a
Dell recovery disk? Either way re-installing the operating system onto the
'new' drive will create a new boot.ini file which (assuming yuo do not
install the 'old' drive as slave until 'after' you have installed XP) will
effectively point to the 'new' drive as the active drive, so when XP boots
it will use the New drive.
As i've said above, install the 'new' drive and then install the operating
system. *After* you have installed the operating system on the new drive
'then' install the failing hard drive as slave. The BIOS should pick up the
slave drive and so too should XP. You can thentransfer the files from the
failing drive to the new drive.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
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[Ghostrider]

As you are installing a new hard drive as primary you will need to
re-install the operating system. Now this is a 'clean' install - in other
words the drive is being wiped and then the operating system is being
installed. I don't know whether you have a full retail copy of XP or just a
Dell recovery disk? Either way re-installing the operating system onto the
'new' drive will create a new boot.ini file which (assuming yuo do not
install the 'old' drive as slave until 'after' you have installed XP) will
effectively point to the 'new' drive as the active drive, so when XP boots
it will use the New drive.
As i've said above, install the 'new' drive and then install the operating
system. *After* you have installed the operating system on the new drive
'then' install the failing hard drive as slave. The BIOS should pick up the
slave drive and so too should XP. You can thentransfer the files from the
failing drive to the new drive.

The issue of data recovery from a failing hard drive has been
appearing more often these days that our small IT group has
adopted the use of external USB/Firewire hard drive enclosures
and docks instead of attaching the old drive to the IDE chain
inside the computer. And it also solves any concerns about mis-
connections, improper setups or other sins related to the process.
Thought I'd pass this along.

 

[Sam]

John and Ghostrider, many thanks for your replies. The restore to the new
primary HD will be an image of the failing HD accomplished about three weeks
ago with the Symantec Livestate Recovery program. Fortunately, all of the
programs and OS system will be mostly up to date when the image recovery is
accomplished on the new HD. I will install the failing HD as a secondary HD
only after I have the new HD up and running okay with windows (will be setup
as the primary HD with jumper and end of cable install). The new HD will be
the primary HD and the failing HD will be made the slave, using the jumper
on the HD and middle of cable install.

My concern is, will windows XP be confused when it sees two active boot
partitions on bootup since both HDs will basically be mirrors of each other
as to OS?? Sorry for the newbie questions. Thanks for any further help,
Sam.

 

[Ghostrider]

John and Ghostrider, many thanks for your replies. The restore to the new
primary HD will be an image of the failing HD accomplished about three weeks
ago with the Symantec Livestate Recovery program. Fortunately, all of the
programs and OS system will be mostly up to date when the image recovery is
accomplished on the new HD. I will install the failing HD as a secondary HD
only after I have the new HD up and running okay with windows (will be setup
as the primary HD with jumper and end of cable install). The new HD will be
the primary HD and the failing HD will be made the slave, using the jumper
on the HD and middle of cable install.

My concern is, will windows XP be confused when it sees two active boot
partitions on bootup since both HDs will basically be mirrors of each other
as to OS?? Sorry for the newbie questions. Thanks for any further help,
Sam.

The usual cause for mixing up the drives are defining which
one is the Master and which one is the Slave. I think your
setup is pretty clean for any eventuality. Jumper the Master
and put it at the end of the IDE cable; jumper the Slave and
put it into the middle of the IDE cable. Avoid using a CSEL
cable. Now you can understand the option for using an external
USB/Firewire box or dock.

 

[Sam]

Ghostrider, many thanks for the additional information. Will definitely get
a USB/Firewire box/dock. Have a good weekend, Sam.